The brand is banking on its awd off-road cred to set its new Solterra EV apart from Tesla and other rivals as it tiptoes into electric vehicles.

Subaru's output fell 20 percent to 207,000 in the quarter, while deliveries plummeted 35 percent to 173,000 in the same period.

U.S. inventory has dipped to a super-tight five-day supply, and the all-wheel-drive niche brand is adding about 10,000 vehicles a month to a backlog of orders.

In a world gone gaga for EVs, the redesigned coupe is a no-excuses gasoline-burning 400-hp speedster built for a brand struggling to reignite excitement.

The automaker is making up for lost time in its newest EV spending plan. But it's still playing it safe on its long-range outlook.