Meet the sole teaser photo of the 2010 Subaru Legacy concept that the company have announced will be on proud display at the Detroit Auto Show in January.  With the ongoing gutting of the global auto industry seeing even constant profitmakers like Honda posting their first loss in 11 years, it’s simultaneously difficult and yet insanely easy to begin contemplating what the future will look like.

If you’re wondering what the cherry-blossom red I’m going on about, follow the jump.

Some disappointment has already been expressed by other auto news sites that this won’t be the unveiling of the as-yet-unnamed and still eagerly-anticipated Subaru/Toyota co-developed RWD coupe that’s tentatively been set for release in 2011, of which there’s a drawing above.

But we have to take into consideration a few facts: one, it’s Detroit.  In January.  In the middle of a global recession, the likes of which haven’t been seen in a very long time.  So whether or not they mean to be, it appears Subaru is being rather practical, as most people (rightly or not, and complete wusses or not) aren’t too keen on thinking about taking their RWD coupes out and happily motoring along on snowy, icy roads.  And while the few details that Subaru have released about the 2010 Legacy are more in the vein of natural evolutionary changes (3.6L boxer!) rather than “go-for-broke, toss the rulebook out the window and innovate like a mad thing” changes, this may be seen as Subaru playing it slightly safe.  Or, of course, it could be it’s what they’ve planned all along, and there’s really no way to know for sure.

In any case, I think it’s only logical to expect designs of either this type or complete and total craziness to begin cropping up with regularity as we go forward from the brink of auto industry implosion.  Sure, it’s chaos, but with any luck, it might ultimately prove to be freeing of any current design shackles that companies (and individuals within those companies) have imposed upon themselves.

Now all Subaru have to do is bring back the Legacy Wagon and we’ll be golden.  Windsor’s just across the river from Detroit, after all.  It’s not so very far.

[Photos courtesy of Subaru and Holiday Auto Magazine]