For the Tokyo Auto Salon, both manufacturers have dressed up their electric twins in a sporty way. Unfortunately, there are no concrete data.
An electrically powered crossover model does not necessarily attract sporty customers. This is also known at Toyota and Subaru, who have developed the two models Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Solterra in cooperation. The almost identical twins will be launched in 2022. Both manufacturers are showing what potential buyers can look forward to in the future at the Tokyo Auto Salon tuning fair.
High-gloss paint for the Toyota
Without further comment, Toyota pushed the BZ4X GR Sport Concept onto the stage in the Japanese capital. GR stands for Gazoo Racing - i.e. the sports department of the Japanese, and the suffix Sport stands for itself. There are no major changes compared to the basic model in the study. Only all add-on parts, which are otherwise kept in "natural" plastic, carry the concept under a black high-gloss finish. In addition, the wheel arches were fitted with 21-inch light-alloy rims in a Y-spoke design with 265/40 tires. The brake callipers, painted red, provide a color contrast to the wheels, which are also glossy black.
Subaru in the STI look
Development partner Subaru does a little more showmanship with its Solterra. All-round approaches to the aprons and side skirts, which stand out with their red paintwork, ensure sporty accents. To do this, the standard roof edge spoiler had to give way to a larger example with STI branding. Larger wheels are also available for the Subaru. But they only measure 20 inches in diameter and are fitted with 235/50 tires. Subaru does without red brake calipers, instead one of the wheel spokes on the black painted rims is colored red in the contrasting color. No other modifications can be seen. ,
Perhaps both Tokyo studies actually anticipate upcoming sports variants. The electric drive train, which is identical in both models, would at least offer the corresponding unleashing potential. Both models currently have a maximum of 160 kW (218 hp) in combination with all-wheel drive. Mathematically, 230 kW and thus around 312 hp would be possible.,
Conclusion
Toyota and Subaru each showed a sporty study of their electric crossover twin models BZ4X and Solterra at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Corresponding series models with over 300 hp would be quite conceivable.
