Last month, we brought you the first photos of the next-generation 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX in disguise. It was caught testing in Europe and even though it was covered from nose to tail in black camouflage, the Subaru Impreza prototype revealed a few details about the styling direction of the redesigned hatchback.
Up front, the test mule looks like it had a few design elements borrowed directly from the Hybrid Tourer Concept shown at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. The angular lines of the grille and front fascia are certainly different from the current Impreza and they point toward an even more aggressive look for the all-wheel-drive hatchback.
The grille no longer blends cleanly into the hood line, as you can clearly see two notches on each side that sharply define the opening. Separate headlights also appear to be part of the new design along with a new lower airdam and small front quarter windows just ahead of the side mirrors.
The changes out back are less dramatic. New taillights that are a little shorter and wider appear to be the most noticeable change, while the overall shape of the rear window looks much the same as the current WRX hatchback. Hard to tell what's going on with the tailpipes as the test mule had its exhaust tucked tightly under the bodywork. We can only hope that the production WRX gets a proper set of exhaust pipes when it arrives in production form.
When that will be is hard to tell at this point. We don't expect to see this Impreza on sale until 2012 given the recent upgrades made to the 2011 Impreza. With that in mind, look for a possible worldwide debut at the Tokyo auto show in November of next year.
http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/10/rendered-2013-subaru-impreza-wrx.html#more
