2003 SUBARU R2 0.7L 8V 5MT FWD (45 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Built for the kei-car market in Japan, the 2003 R2 was named after the R-2 model built in the late ’60s early ’70s by Subaru.

The kei-car market was essential for any Japanese carmaker. After all, it was their home ground, and it wanted to be recognized as a significant producer. For that reason, Subaru hired the Greek designer Andreas Zapintas to make a small vehicle fit for that segment. It wasn’t an easy job to make room for four adult passengers inside a car and keep the compulsory class’s exterior size.

It looked like an egg with wheels in the corners and slim, tall headlights. Its front grille resembled the same wing-theme as the Subaru Tribeca, but after the 2006 facelift, that was replaced by a black grille with a chromed horizontal slat. The mini-MPV look, with rounded corners, or no corners at all. Basically, right after the front wheel-arches, there was the opening for the front doors, and the rear doors sported a cut for the rear wheel-arches. Zapintas integrated the taillights high on the d-pillars, so they were protected against the shopping-carts bumps.

Inside, the R2 offered enough room for adult-sized passengers, but not over average height. The Japanese minimalist style was noticeable on the flat, curved dashboard that sported a small extension for the center stack’s gear-selector. Since the car’s trunk was tiny, the designer installed deep pockets on the passenger’s side, in under the dashboard.

Under the hood, Subaru installed an inline-four engine that complied with the kei-cars regulations. It was available with or without a supercharger, and it was mated to either a five-speed manual or to a CVT.