Brands Hatch A Joint Sports Car
The Age
Wednesday April 16, 2008
TOYOTA and Subaru are joining forces to build a rear-wheel-drive compact sports coupe that will launch in 2011. Designed by Toyota and built by Subaru, it will be marketed and badged separately by each company.
An all-new Subaru platform will underpin the coupe and Subaru's signature flat-four-cylinder boxer engine will provide the power.The model was confirmed last week as part of an extended collaboration deal, with Toyota paying about $320 million to double its stake in Subaru's parent company Fuji Heavy Industries to 16.5%.Subaru hasn't offered a coupe since the SVX (last sold here in 1997), while Toyota has discontinued three two-door vehicles - the Supra, MR2 and Celica.Toyota chief executive Katsuaki Watanabe says the coupe will be sold in Japan and overseas.The joint development will make the car cheaper to build and industry speculation suggests the coupe could start at the equivalent of $40,000 in Europe - the same price as a Subaru Impreza WRX."I think there is high potential for this car," Mr Watanabe says. "We (Toyota) haven't had a sports car for a long time."Toyota and Subaru have confirmed the coupe will start production in late 2011 at a new Subaru plant to be built in Japan.Details of the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Subaru engine's power output haven't been revealed, although rumours suggest a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive version will also be made available.Toyota Australia has previously told Drive it is keen to re-introduce sports cars locally, while Subaru Australia says the coupe's rear-wheel-drive layout means it's not necessarily a shoo-in for its line-up.Toyota also announced it will supply Subaru with a compact car and a "mini-vehicle" - the Coo from Toyota-owned Daihatsu - as part of the collaboration. -- JEZ SPINKS
© 2008 The Age