More than a year after the BMW Vision Gran Turismo broke cover at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show,->ke235 Subaru is joining the virtual fray with the Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo Concept, a plug-in hybrid->ke147 racer that has about as many pointy edges as a Transformer. A quick look at the concept reveals a lot about Subaru's design strategy for this car, beginning with the headlight and taillight casings that look similar to the Viziv 2 Concept that was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.->ke228 The Gran Turismo-exclusive concept also has a dramatically contoured hood with a pair of air intakes, pronounced fenders, slit-like side mirrors, and a massive rear wing that appears to be split in two and integrated into the sloping glass roof.

In other words, it’s a concept that fits right in with all the other Vision Gran Turismo Concepts we’ve seen throughout 2014.

Subaru->ke86 hasn’t announced when it will debut the Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo Concept, but it took the wraps off the virtual race car right before the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show->ke211. The Viziv GT Vision is scheduled to arrive "soon" with Gran Turismo's 1.14 update, which gives us plenty of time to talk about it before hooning it on the world's greatest race tracks.

Click past the jump to read more about the Subaru Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo.

Exterior

Visually, the Viziv GT Vision is the most aggressive vehicle Subaru has designed as of 2014. Sure, it's purpose explains why the company took the extreme route with this concept, but the Japanese did their best to keep it recognizable as a Subaru.

The Viziv GT Vision sports styling cues borrowed from both the WRX Concept and the Viziv 2 Concept. The headlamps and taillights pays tribute to both models, while the boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights are taken, with slight modifications, from the crossover. The wheels are also somewhat based on those showcased on the Viziv 2 Concept. The hexagonal front grille is among the very few features seen on modern-day, production car you can buy at the dealership.

Other than that, the Viziv GT Vision is quite unique. It has a shooting brake-like body, a massive diffuser and a carbon-fiber wing integrated into the roof, details which will help it stand out among other Vision Gran Turismo concept in the game. The beefed-up fenders, the sloping hood and the low roof enhance its sleek and aggressive appearance.

Interior

As with most Vision Gran Turismo vehicles, there are no interior details and photos whatsoever. If I were to take a guess, I'd expect this Suby to feature a no-nonsense cabin with plenty of racing gear, including lightweight, bolstered seats with multi-point harnesses, a flat, multi-function steering wheel, a full roll cage, an exposed floor and a lot of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials. Granted, the Viziv GT Vision would sport the most extreme interior ever seen on a Subaru. Too bad the Japanese didn't bother to render it.

Drivetrain

You can tell that this virtual racer is the most aggressive Subaru ever designed only by looking at its styling, but its drivetrain also reveals it's the most powerful Suby yet. Motivation comes from the proven 2.0-liter flat-four that powers nearly every Subaru out there and two electric motors, one for each axle. Total output sits at 591 horsepower and 593 pound-feet of torque, which, when paired with the vehicle's 3,042-pound curb weight, should provide some quick laps around Gran Turismo's virtual tracks.

But the Viziv GT Vision is not just a powerful race car. It's also outstandingly controllable according to Subaru, who praises its ability to control each of the motor outputs by using torque vectoring lamps built into the fenders. We'll have to test that as soon as the vehicle becomes available in Gran Turismo, but we'd very much like to see such a drivetrain find its way into a production car.

Drivetrain Specifications

Just a Concept or a Glimpse Into the Future?

I'd love to say Subaru's Vision Gran Turismo Concept has a production future, but I'm not the one to start day dreaming about a virtual race car. As much as I'd like to see a Subaru-badged sports car slot atop the BR-Z, I'm well aware it's not going to happen. Subaru just isn't willing to go extreme and even if the Viziv GT would become a production car, we'd get a more subdued version of it. A beefed-up, two-door WRX if you will.

On the other hand, the hybrid drivetrain is what we need to pay attention too. Subaru is already meddling with hybridization and a more powerful drivetrain is likely to become available by the end of the decade. We could be looking at the gasoline-electric combo to power the next generation of STI-branded Subarus.

Competitors

Mercedes Vision GT Gran Turismo Concept

The Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept set the standards high for all future Vision Gran Turismo concepts when it was first introduced in November 2013.

With dramatic styling unlike anything we’ve seen from Mercedes, the concept featured nasty headlights, pronounced fenders, a long hood, and aggressive character lines. The concept’s front grille also looks especially gnarly. Meanwhile, the concept’s cockpit was inspired by Formula One race cars, blending beautifully with a biturbo, V-8 engine that produced 585 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.

Combine that with its 3,053-pound weight and you had a concept that boasted a power-to-weight ratio of 5.3 pounds per horsepower.

Don’t expect to see the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept as a production model any time soon. It’s going to be exclusively available in Gran Turismo 6.

Toyota FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo Concept

We’ve seen some pretty radical concepts come out from the Vision Gran Turismo program, but none of them have generated as much discussion as the Toyota FT-1 Vision GT Concept.

Inspired by the real-life FT-1 Concept that Toyota unveiled at the 2014 New York International Auto Show, the FT-1 Vision GT Concept was given a more dramatic facelift with the long and pointed hood that extended into the fenders and was flanked by stylish headlights and muscular lower bumper with integrated intakes hidden just above the lip spoiler. The carbon-fiber details were a particularly impressive touch, too.

Toyota never mentioned what kind of engine it had under the hood of the FT-1 Vision GT Concept. But if it solicited a response from us, we won’t hesitate to suggest either a supercharged V-8 or a V-10. A plug-in hybrid would be nice, too, at least if Toyota decides to go that route.

Conclusion

It's rather hard not to get excited with these Vision Gran Turismo concepts, but, unfortunately, the Viziv GT Vision will remain what it is; an extreme race car you can hoon in the virtual world of Gran Turismo. The drivetrain is likely the only part of the Viziv GT Vision to trickle into production cars, but it won't happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, all you can do is download it and put it to good use on the accurately rendered race tracks of Gran Turismo.