A quick photoshop tweak though reveals more details, but Subaru was smart enough to erase the entire lower portion, including the fascia. Still, you could see that the all-new WRX will take on lines heavily influenced by the all-new Levorg. If that’s the case, it’ll gain a sharp hexagonal grille and headlight cluster that evokes the brand’s new “BOLDER” design language. It also looks to sport bulbous fenders, typical of the WRX line.

As for powertrain, Subaru has remained secretive, so everything is speculative at this point. The safe bet would be for Subaru to adopt different engines depending on market.

The North American market will probably use the 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-4. Already seen in the Ascent/Evoltis and Outback, Subaru engineers will likely extract more power from the current 260 horsepower and 375 Nm of torque. This engine, at least in normally-aspirated trim, can also be linked to a 6-speed manual apart from the usual CVT so development costs will no doubt be saved with this route.

For markets like Japan though, the all-new WRX will likely feature either the newly developed 1.8-liter turbocharged flat-4 but boosted from the current 170 horsepower output seen in the Levorg and Forester, or perhaps a carryover of the current 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4—after all, 268 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque are still very healthy numbers.

Whatever the engine though, the WRX will no doubt migrate to the all-new Subaru Global Platform making it one of the last Subarus to make the move. Expect it to unlock not just additional safety but enhanced levels of agility and handling as well.

Subaru hasn’t given any exact timing on the all-new WRX’s launch, but expect it to drop in globally before the end of the year, and in the Philippines by early next year.