The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, presented at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, features a horizontally-opposed engine - the world’s first ‘boxer’ hybrid powerplant - Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), a spacious cabin and elongated gullwing-style doors, and an eye-catching, finely sculpted body.

At the front, a bold grille featuring Subaru’s now-trademark ‘wing’ motif sits in between a pair of modern headlights. In the side view, the rakish, up-swept belt-line leads from the nose backwards to the chunky C-pillars, creating an air of purposefulness and understated aggression. Large 14-spoke alloy wheels fill the subtly flared arches.

With ample room for four, occupants are cosseted in a stress-free, open environment. Even in the back, despite utilising an AWD system, the engineers still managed to create a flat floor, so rearmost occupants will enjoy an extremely comfortable journey.

The absence of B-pillars, together with the swept-back panoramic windscreen and a height-adjustable dashboard, gives a heightened sense of light and space in the cabin, providing occupants with an unobstructed view of the outside world.

The hybrid system uses Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed, direct-injection, turbocharged gasoline ‘Boxer’ engine, coupled with two electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries – a 10kW item at the front and a 20kW unit at the rear.

(Source: Subaru)