Category Archives: CONCEPT CARS

CONCEPT CARS

Subaru Turns Up the Voltage: Two STI Concepts Steal the Spotlight at Japan Mobility Show 2025

Subaru’s booth at this year’s Japan Mobility Show is split cleanly down the middle — half electric future, half turbocharged nostalgia — but all heart. Under the banner “Driving the Subaru Difference,” the brand rolled out a lineup that captures both sides of its personality: the responsible EV innovator and the gravel-slinging, rally-bred thrill-seeker.

Performance-E: The Electric Flagship We’ve Been Waiting For

Leading Subaru’s performance charge is the STI Performance-E Concept, a sleek, all-electric sports wagon that signals where the brand is headed next. Subaru calls it the “flagship of a new generation,” and if looks are anything to go by, the future of the STI badge could be shockingly good.

The design language is sharp and cohesive — a blend of muscular tension and aerodynamic precision. Bold LED lighting cuts across the front fascia, flanking a wide, sculpted intake treatment. The proportions lean towards a long-roof sports wagon, with a low stance and a sloping roofline that tapers into a ducktail spoiler wearing twin vertical fins. Below, a chunky diffuser borrows cues straight from Formula 1, complete with a central rain light.

Gold aero wheel covers, black rims, and red calipers nod to Subaru’s performance heritage, but the clean surfacing and minimalist detailing speak to a new design philosophy — one that’s as much about efficiency as excitement.

Underneath, Subaru’s cutaway renders reveal a floor-mounted battery pack, dual-motor all-wheel drive, and a low-slung suspension geometry that hints at the brand’s engineering priorities. While no specs have been released, Subaru promises “intuitive, exciting driving experiences” and a “driver-friendly layout.” If this car indeed previews a future electric Levorg successor, it could mark the start of an entirely new chapter for STI.

Performance-B: A Boxer Revival with Old-School Fire

Then there’s the Performance-B Concept, Subaru’s nod to the faithful who still want to hear a turbo whistle rather than an inverter whine. This five-door hatch channels the STI spirit of the 2000s, looking every bit like a reincarnated third-gen WRX STI — only angrier and more sculpted.

Wide fenders with integrated vents, a functional hood scoop, a red-accented grille, and a race-ready rear wing all scream purpose. The aggressive bodykit and meaty alloy wheels with high-profile rubber make it clear this isn’t just a design exercise. Subaru confirms there’s a boxer engine under the hood, paired with its trademark Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, though it’s keeping output numbers under wraps — for now.

No exhaust tips peek through the complex rear diffuser, suggesting this concept is more about aero experimentation than final production form. Still, it’s not hard to imagine this car becoming a direct rival to the Toyota GR Corolla — a modern-day hot hatch war that enthusiasts would gladly sign up for.

Adventure Awaits: The Electric Trailseeker and the Wilderness Lineup

Beyond the performance spotlight, Subaru also leaned into its outdoorsy DNA with a trio of Adventure-themed debuts. The Trailseeker, an all-electric crossover that could preview an E-Outback, joined refreshed versions of the Forester Wilderness and Outback Wilderness. Each was shown with bespoke roof gear — from canoes to bike racks — highlighting Subaru’s outdoors-first ethos.

And just for fun, Subaru brought back a crowd favorite: the Family Huckster, a restomod 1983 Subaru GL Wagon turned viral sensation. With its wild aero bits and performance upgrades, it’s a nostalgic wink to the brand’s quirky, rally-tuned past — the perfect counterpoint to all the futuristic sheetmetal around it.

The Takeaway

Subaru’s 2025 Mobility Show lineup feels like a brand in balance. The Performance-E shows it can think in kilowatts without losing character, while the Performance-B proves the boxer spirit still burns bright. In between, the Wilderness models remind everyone that adventure — not just acceleration — remains core to Subaru’s DNA.

If this is a preview of what’s next for the company, the Subaru Difference might soon mean something broader — and bolder — than ever before.

Source: Subaru

CONCEPT CARS

Mercedes-AMG Unleashes the CONCEPT GT TRACK SPORT

Affalterbach has a habit of making thunder sound sophisticated. But this time, it’s different. Following the final tweaks to the CONCEPT AMG GT TRACK SPORT in late July, Mercedes-AMG is shifting from sketches to scorching laps. The prototype, still wrapped in a vivid camouflage of yellow and red accents, has entered its proving phase — where theory meets tire smoke.

This isn’t just another evolution of the GT line. AMG calls it the “youngest and most impressive offshoot” of the family, and from the first look, that doesn’t sound like marketing fluff. The TRACK SPORT is positioned as a radical rethink of the front-engine, rear-drive formula that’s defined the GT since its debut. If the standard GT is a sledgehammer in a tuxedo, the TRACK SPORT looks ready to rip off the jacket and hit the pit lane.

Beneath its sculpted bodywork lies the AMG-typical V8, likely the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter powerhouse that’s been refined to near perfection. But this concept isn’t about horsepower alone — it’s about balance, aerodynamics, and weight. AMG engineers have reworked the chassis for a sharper weight distribution, pairing intelligent lightweight construction with a more sophisticated aero profile designed to slice through air while pinning the car to the tarmac.

The test program now underway is as grueling as it gets. AMG’s proving grounds and race circuits will host countless hours of validation runs — the brand’s way of ensuring that every component, from differential tuning to cooling ducts, performs flawlessly under duress. It’s not just testing; it’s ritual.

“With the CONCEPT AMG GT TRACK SPORT, we are once again exploring the limits of what is possible,” says Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and head of Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Maybach. “We have a world-class team working on this concept with incomparable AMG spirit. It takes us to the physical and driving dynamics limit. We have a vision and make a promise: The future will be extreme.”

Extreme is an understatement. The TRACK SPORT looks set to push AMG’s performance ethos to its rawest form — less grand tourer, more track weapon. And while it’s still a concept, it’s also a statement: that Affalterbach’s next chapter isn’t about restraint, but about engineering purity and the pursuit of the ultimate lap time.

We’ll be watching closely as the yellow-red prototype tears through its test schedule. If this is AMG’s idea of the future, it’s one where noise, precision, and passion collide — right at the limit.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

CONCEPT CARS

Saleen S11 Aims to Revive the American Supercar—This Time, You Get a Say

Two decades ago, the name Saleen meant something. It was shorthand for big-horsepower Mustangs, tuner wizardry, and the outrageous S7—an American-built, mid-engined supercar that actually scared Europe’s best. Back in the early 2000s, the S7 wasn’t just a bold claim; it was proof that a U.S. startup could play in the same league as Ferrari and McLaren.

Fast-forward twenty years, and Saleen is trying to capture that lightning again. The difference this time? The next act, called the S11, isn’t being dreamt up in total secrecy behind California shop doors. Instead, it’s being shaped—quite literally—by committee.

Unveiled at The Birth of the American Supercar exhibit at LeMay America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, the S11 currently exists only as a full-scale clay model surrounded by sketches. There’s no engine, no performance data, no screaming prototype—just a bold idea and a sculpted promise. Visitors are invited to weigh in on what the final car should look like, inside and out.

Yes, really: Saleen wants you to help design its next supercar.

“It’s an honor to debut our S11 design at LeMay,” said founder Steve Saleen. “We’ll present enthusiasts with design choices throughout the year, and they can help decide what ends up in the final product.”

It’s a daring move. In the history of performance cars, “design by committee” hasn’t exactly yielded poster-worthy results. Supercars are usually the vision of a single obsessive mind—part genius, part lunatic—who refuses to compromise. Opening that process up to the public feels risky. But for a small-volume builder like Saleen, it might also be the smartest possible marketing play.

After years of radio silence and limited production, the company needs buzz, engagement, and cash flow—and letting fans shape the S11’s silhouette could tick all three boxes.

What we don’t know could fill an owner’s manual. Saleen hasn’t shared a single detail about the S11’s powertrain, chassis, or aerodynamic goals. All we’ve got is the cryptic promise that it’ll be “one louder” than anything else on the market—a callback to Spinal Tap and a wink at the brand’s trademark bravado.

We love the confidence. But we’ll admit, it’s hard not to be skeptical. The S7 was a bona fide supercar built in a different era—one where outrageous claims and hand-built ambition could still get you headlines. The modern world is tougher, stricter, and far more competitive. If Saleen truly wants to stand shoulder to shoulder with the greats again, the S11 will need more than nostalgia and fan votes.

Still, it’s good to see the name back in the conversation. The LeMay exhibit, curated by Steve Saleen himself, traces a century of American performance—from classic muscle to carbon-fiber dreams—and will evolve quarterly with new cars and features. Somewhere in that lineage, the S11 hopes to write its own chapter.

If Saleen can make it happen, we’ll gladly turn the volume up to eleven.

Source: Seleen