An inventive Subaru dealer has devised a see-through car to promote the benefits of the new Boxer Diesel engine.

And not only is the Subaru Outback turning heads but has drastically boosted showroom footfall.

The car appears to have a bonnet made of glass, with every engine detail meticulously replicated on a vinyl wrap.

Equally startling is the side of the car which shows the engine plus Subaru’s famous symmetrical all-wheel drive system and even the exhaust silencer.

“Being the world’s first boxer diesel engine, we though we should come up with something equally revolutionary to get the car noticed,” said Ian Armstrong, Dealer Principal of ‘Stan Palmer Sales’ of Carlisle.

He added: “We saw a cutaway picture of the engine in the brochure and that got us thinking about taking it one step further. The reaction has been fantastic, with people almost tripping up as they walk past.

“Customer footfall has gone up dramatically and while it may not mean a sale today, some will come back when it’s time for them to change their car.”

The car was imaged up in one day after a photograph was taken of the engine using a high-resolution eight mega-pixel camera.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Good, Managing Director of Subaru (UK) Limited said: “This car has become quite a talking point back here in head office and is a fantastic and cost-effective advertising initiative.

“It should inspire other dealers to either copy the idea or come up with their own innovative campaigns.”

Subaru (UK) Limited itself is no stranger to eye-catching stunts. Only last year it hit the headlines with a car transporter which toured the UK carrying three new cars upside down on its lower deck and three the correct way up above them.

The promotion was part of the ‘Subaglue’ campaign to launch the new Impreza and carried the line: “Sticks To The Road Like Glue”.

The new Boxer Diesel Legacy and Outback range is priced from £20,995 on-the-road for the Legacy 2.0D Sports Tourer.

All models have been highly-praised for their supreme refinement, throttle-response and agile handling thanks to the Boxer Diesel engine’s light weight and low centre-of-gravity.

The engine also provides class-leading fuel economy and low exhaust emissions with, for example almost 50 mpg on the Combined Cycle and 151 g/km for the Sports Tourer.