Subaru showed off the Sports Mobility, a concept electric sports car, at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Sports Mobility design’s front end is blocky, with a straight, robust look and wheel arches that stick out. Due to Subaru’s lack of information and interior images, we can only assume that this idea is wholly made up and is not likely to be made. One nice treat at this year’s Tokyo auto show was the large number of electric sports car concepts. These days, crossovers are all the rage. Nissan teased a future GT-R, Honda brought back the Prelude name, Mazda showed off the sleek Iconic SP with a rotary range extender, and Toyota showed off the sharp FT-Se. Subaru wanted to be included, so they showed their idea. It was called the powerful Sport Mobility concept, with bright blue accents and boxy wheel arches. Subaru didn’t give any details, but they did say that the concept was driven by electricity and “evokes the evolution of the Subaru Sport values,” which makes us think that the powertrain would be substantial. When Subaru said, “controlling all four wheels at will,” they meant that the driver had some all-wheel drive and rear-wheel handling. It’s hard to say how big something is without a direct reference, but the Sport Mobility looks small. The Sport Mobility design’s boxy bumpers and squared-off front end make it look vigorous. The blue parts, which look like they belong on the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works GP, stand out against the gray chassis to show off the square front intake, front hood vent, and fenders that stick out from the body. The front, back, side skirts, and aero wheel covers all have a forged carbon fiber finish that makes the design stand out. The headlights are small and have hexagonal housings that resemble the extra lights on race cars, an area where Subaru shines. The back has narrow headlights and illuminated “Subaru” badges like the front. Subaru shared a drawing of the inside that shows a straight-edged steering wheel, two screens that look like regular ones, and a lot of physical buttons. The Subaru Sports Mobility probably won’t happen, but it does show that Subaru is thinking about its choices for making electric performance cars. Since an electric STI model is due out before the end of the decade, some of the concept’s style cues could end up in fast Subaru cars in the future.
