In order to comply with new emissions and fuel economy standards, Subaru could be forced to offer all-wheel drive and boxer engines as available options rather than standard equipment. The Japanese automkaer has been making vehicles with standard all-wheel drive since the 1980s, but its core technology could be in jeopardy.
Although future regulations may push AWD and boxer engines off of Subaru’s list of standard features, the automaker has no plans to abandon either as it plans to at least offer both as options.
Subaru Australia chairman Trevor Amery said that if the changes were made, it would not be before 2010. “One of the reasons we chose to become an all-wheel drive company only was so that we wouldn’t confuse people with our message – and these are some of the things that are going to stand us in good stead for some time,†he said.
Subaru announced earlier this year that it would launch diesel-powered cars in Europe in 2008 with the U.S. market following in 2012.
