I was asked for more information about the forthcoming Subaru boxer diesel and I found this, originally from Newspress UK.

Never one to follow the herd, for years Subaru has built cars that are just a little different from typical automotive fare. The 1989 Justy employed the first CVT transmission in a U.S. production car, and the exotic styling of the 1992 - 97 SVX still turns heads today. Now to promote the first ever boxer diesel engine offered in a passenger car, a Subaru dealer in the UK has created a special “see-through” Outback that shows off the automaker’s mechanical innovation to the world.

Ian Armstrong of Stan Palmer Sales in Carlisle explained that given the new powertrain, the dealership was looking to find an equally inventive way to “get the car noticed.” After seeing a cutaway picture of the mechanicals in a brochure, they decided to create a real demonstration Outback that could show off the vehicle’s engine, transmission, and symmetrical all-wheel drive system without having to open the hood. However rather than replace the body panels with glass or plastic, the dealership designed a detailed vinyl wrap displaying the view beneath the sheet metal in complete detail.



The result is a three-dimensional rendering of the Subaru’s drivetrain, with particular attention paid to the new boxer turbodiesel’s engine compartment. The dealership created the wrap by photographing the car’s engine with an eight megapixel camera, and according to Armstrong the distinctive display has helped increase showroom traffic dramatically. Impressed with the creation, Subaru UK is encouraging other dealers to create their own distinctive vehicle exhibits.



Though the diesel is currently on sale in Europe, unfortunately Subaru isn’t planning to bring the unique engine stateside until around 2010. Once they do, however, if you want everyone to know you’re sporting the 42 mpg oil-burner and worry the small “boxer diesel” badging won’t be enough, just whip up some vinyl wraps of your own.