Spy Shots: Subaru B9 Tribeca

A last shot before it comes out swinging.

Subaru recently confirmed what we’ve been showing you since last year — that a new seven-passenger crossover vehicle was in development. Now, our spies have nabbed the real thing, just a week before its official Detroit show introduction.

Officially named the B9 Tribeca, the vehicle was caught during a video shoot in Long Beach, California. As can be seen, this crossover is larger than the Outback and it wears Subaru’s new signature grille.

Developed under the codenames SG/X and 00X, the premium crossover wagon has already hit the consumer clinics in southern California , and has received positive feedback. Subaru insiders have commented about the vehicle’s very versatile and highly flexible interior, and it’s believed that the second and third rows of seats will fold flat to accommodate cargo, as well as flexible seating configurations. More accurately, insiders have been referring to this as a 5+2 passenger configuration.

The 2006 Tribeca will be built in Lafayette, Indiana, and should start running off the assembly line in just a year from now. Sources tell us it will measure in at about 195 inches overall, with a 108-inch wheelbase. Power is expected to come from Subaru’s 3.0-liter H6 boxer engine, and, of course, it will be all-wheel drive. Pricing likely will start from the low-to-mid $30,000 range with an estimated production of up to 40,000 units annually. The Subaru vehicle will be followed by Saab’s version built on the same platform, and also built in Lafayette.