A Subaru diesel? What's taken them so long?

Subaru likes to do things differently. For years, it shunned the growing trend for diesels, but it will finally give in next month when it shows the world’s first horizontally opposed turbodiesel at the Geneva Motor Show.

As you might expect, it’s not your typical oil-burner; the Japanese company has replicated its flat-four design from favourites like the Impreza, with horizontally opposed cylinders for a more compact engine that can be positioned lower in the engine bay than a conventional motor.

The boxer engine will be shown as a drivetrain at Geneva, but will eventually be fitted to the Legacy and Outback all-wheel-drive models in early 2008. We’ll have to wait until then to see if the engine delivers the boxer engine’s trademark acoustic and handling benefits.

Subaru is being cagey about any more details at this stage, but claims the new engine has a very rigid block with low noise and vibration levels – so much so, that it doesn’t need a balancer shaft. Expect the 2.0-litre flat four to develop around 165bhp and 250lb ft of torque.

Subaru will unveil its new Impreza at the New York Motor Show on 4 April.