Subaru's city car could challenge Smart

The Inspector Clueso mimicking grille and air intakes are said to represent the wings of an airplane, symbolising Subaru's beginnings in the aeronautical world. Frankly, do car buyers really care? By all means show off the success of the World Rally Championship cars, but a vague reference to an irrelevant past means little to the average customer, unless of course it adds to the aesthetic appeal. Which in the case of the R1 city car blatantly does not.

Moustached snout apart, the R1 has appeal for the city dweller. Several versions are available in Japan, including a ludicrous four-wheel drive derivative. This is no mini-Impreza, packing a diminutive 660cc engine, though it is turbocharged! The top-of-the range model features an advanced continuously variable transmission, though environmentally conscious buyers will be as interested in the basic two-wheel drive model, as it qualifies as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, as well as being one of the most fuel-efficient cars on sale in Japan.

Subaru has not yet decided to sell the R1 in Europe, and to be honest I'm not so sure the market would support it. Its chief rival would be the Smart ForTwo, which has all the marketing of the Smart brand behind it. Like the Smart, the Subaru R1 is only a two-seater and its interior majors on style, featuring lots of red and black. At least the rear end looks more interesting than the Smart's.

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