Sep 6, 2014, 2:04pm ET

Subaru quietly shows Forester STI tS concept

The package will likely include performance upgrades, but not to the engine.

At the recent SuperGT race at Suzuka Circuit, Subaru quietly displayed a Forester STI tS concept to gauge customer reaction.

No specifications were offered, but subtle visual cues set it apart from a run-of-the-mill Forester. A new front splitter and grille adorn the nose, the latter with blacked out edges, Subaru Technica International's trademark magenta badge and a matching outline.

A new rear diffuser and twin exhausts differentiate the rear. The whole shebang is slathered in the Subaru rally team's iconic blue paint and it rides on 19-inch BBS wheels wearing 245/45-19 Bridgestone Turanzas. According to Response, a peek underneath reveals chassis stiffening bars and a lowered suspension as well.

Subaru teased the world with a BRZ STI tS last year, but the highly anticipated turbo sports coupe never came to be. Instead, it was loaded with performance suspension, brakes, and a few minor visual enhancements. A similar package was offered in the US as the BRZ Series.Blue.

Thus, the STI tS appellation is thus understood to mean something akin to Lexus's F Sport or BMW's M Sport trim levels — some performance upgrades, but not to the drivetrain. If the Forester STI tS is produced, we can presume a similar level of tuning.