Subaru displayed the first horizontally opposed turbodiesel engine which combines with Symmetrical AWD, the all-wheel-drive system that the company has now been developing in its passenger cars for 35 years.

According to Subaru, customers in Europe have been requesting a diesel engine and the boxer turbodiesel engine—now in the final stage of development—will go on sale early in 2008.

“We were driven to create a superior engine that makes full use of the advantages of the horizontally opposed engine layout,” explained Mr. Ikuo Mori, president of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. “I myself took a test drive recently and discovered it to be a perfect balance between the low vibration and reliable torque of a diesel engine and the marvelous rotational smoothness of a horizontally opposed powertrain.”

“I am sure that this combination of technologies—Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD and Subaru’s Boxer turbodiesel engine—will deliver comfort, confidence and unrivaled driving pleasure,” said Mori.

Electric Car

Subaru is committed to both the enjoyment of driving and environmental conservation and in Geneva, Subaru displayed another vehicle that is part of its environmental initiatives, the Subaru R1e pure electric car. While the R1e is displayed for the first time in Europe, 10 R1e vehicles are currently in daily use by The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. (TEPCO), Subaru’s joint development partner.

Subaru is exploring the possibility of producing electric cars as an urban commuter vehicle for the future. The R1e and its recharging system received an official award from the Japanese environmental minister. A charger developed by TEPCO will charge to 80 percent in no more than 15 minutes.