Subaru's->ke86 got a lot of things on its plate these days, but that hasn't stopped the Japanese brand from adding more projects to its name. Motoring is reporting that Subaru is planning on bringing back the SVX, the same two-door, grand-tourer coupe->ke141 that Subaru sold from 1991 to 1997. It's been quite some time since we last saw the SVX, which makes its surprising return that much more, well, surprising. But a source close to Subaru told Motoring that the company really has plans of bringing back the model as a high-powered hybrid->ke147 sports coupe->ke506 specifically earmarked for the U.S. market.

Should these plans come to fruition, Subaru will have a sports coupe to tangle with the all-electric Tesla Model S->ke3329. That's a pretty interesting competitor considering that Subaru and Tesla->ke1842 have never really crossed paths before. What's clear, though, is Subaru's intentions of becoming a bigger player in the U.S. Introducing a large, high-powered coupe that already has Subaru dealers around the country requesting it goes a long way in achieving that.

There aren't a lot of details surrounding the returning SVX, but Motoring did secure an advanced sketch of the model and it shows a shooting brake-styled coupe that draws similarities to the Viziv2 Concept the company introduced at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show->ke228.

The SVX sketch shows a more aggressive design than anything Subaru has in dealerships these days. The headlights and the grille are straight out of the Viziv2 Concept. Likewise, the low-slung roof extends to the back and creates the angular shooting brake style of the prototype. That's as good a sign as any that the new SVX will be designed with sportiness and aggressiveness in mind.

It will also reportedly come with a retuned, 3.3-liter, flat-six engine that will work side-by-side with Lexus' plug-in hybrid system to generate as much as 375 horsepower. That's a sweet number that places the SVX in the territory of the Model S once the model heads into showrooms in 2017. The only issue is that this rumored SVX will still require dead-dino juice in its tanks, whereas the Model S runs on electric, but this is a step forward at least.

Motoring

Motoring

2017 Subaru SVX

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Subaru SVX
  • Engine/Motor: flat-6
  • Horsepower: 375
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Competitors

Tesla Model S

The Subaru SVX will have pretty big shoes to fill if it has plans of competing against the Tesla Model S. This EV is the perfect example of a car that has the aesthetic credentials of a luxury vehicle and combines it with a powertrain that’s as quiet as it is efficient. As an electric sedan, the Model S performs like a sports car with an output of up to 416 horsepower, a 0-to-60 mph time as low as 4.2 seconds, and an incredible range of up to 265 miles.

The Model S comes in a variety of trims, including an 88 kWh Performance version that is for those who want a bit more performance out of their Model S. All in all, the Model S is fully capable of being a performance, electric, and luxury model that people will be fully inclined to enjoy.

History

The original Subaru SVX burst onto the scene as a concept at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept was designed by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign. Subaru liked it so much that it decided to put the car into production, paving the way for the birth of the SVX. The model adopted the name Alcyone SVX -- the "SVX" was an acronym for 'Subaru Vehicle X' -- making it the successor of the Alcyone XT.

The SVX distinguished itself because of Giugiaro's design. It became evident early on that the SVX had a European design DNA, highlighted by a two-piece side window normally seen on supercars like the Lamborghini Countach.

The SVX used the same 3.3-liter, horizontally opposed, flat-six engine throughout the course of its life. It produced 231 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque, numbers that were unusually powerful for a Subaru. Those numbers translated to a 0-to-60-mph time of 7.3 seconds to go with a top speed of 154 mph.

All in all, Subaru sold 14,257 models of the SVX in the U.S., representing more than half of the 24,739 units the company sold all over the world. It's also been reported that Subaru lost $3,000 for every SVX model it sold, totaling around $75 million on the project alone.

Maybe this time, a reborn SVX will fare much better -- in terms of profit -- than its predecessor. Subaru seems to think that it can do just that, which is why the company is going full-steam with the return of the model.