TOKYO — Toyota's announcement this week that it is taking a significantly larger stake in Subaru's parent Fuji Heavy Industries — and that the two companies will join forces to develop a new sports car — is sensational news for performance buffs.
Even more encouraging is the persistent buzz in the Japanese media that the vehicle in question will be a small, inexpensive rear-wheel-drive coupe intended to sell in various global markets for less than $20,000.
The partners have released few official details, other than to say the car will get an all-new front-engine/rear-wheel-drive platform engineered by Subaru, will be powered by a Subaru boxer engine and will be assembled at Subaru's Ota plant in Gunma prefecture, beginning in mid-to-late 2011. Toyota is directing the design and overall development effort.
On Thursday, a Subaru of America spokesman confirmed the car will arrive in the U.S. in 2011, but Toyota representatives could not confirm if there will also be a Toyota-badged version for the States.
For Toyota, the new sports car will fill a gap left by the demise of earlier models such as the front-wheel-drive Celica and the midengine MRS/MR2. Subaru, which is best known among enthusiasts for its all-wheel-drive Impreza WRX, has never marketed a small rear-wheel-drive sports car like the one that's being jointly developed with Toyota.
Among the details circulating in the Japanese media: The car reportedly will use a shortened and lightened version of the Impreza platform, with a target weight of around 2,200 pounds. Overall length is said to be less than 160 inches.
The engine will be an updated 175-horsepower version of Subaru's normally aspirated 2.0-liter flat-4, with the potential to add a more powerful 300-hp turbocharged unit as well as all-wheel drive. The Subaru and Toyota variants will share some sheet metal, but will feature distinctive front and rear styling.
What this means to you: The combination of Subaru's engineering talent and Toyota's marketing muscle should help make this a formidable product, if the partners can meet their aggressive targets on weight, performance and price. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
Even more encouraging is the persistent buzz in the Japanese media that the vehicle in question will be a small, inexpensive rear-wheel-drive coupe intended to sell in various global markets for less than $20,000.
The partners have released few official details, other than to say the car will get an all-new front-engine/rear-wheel-drive platform engineered by Subaru, will be powered by a Subaru boxer engine and will be assembled at Subaru's Ota plant in Gunma prefecture, beginning in mid-to-late 2011. Toyota is directing the design and overall development effort.
On Thursday, a Subaru of America spokesman confirmed the car will arrive in the U.S. in 2011, but Toyota representatives could not confirm if there will also be a Toyota-badged version for the States.
For Toyota, the new sports car will fill a gap left by the demise of earlier models such as the front-wheel-drive Celica and the midengine MRS/MR2. Subaru, which is best known among enthusiasts for its all-wheel-drive Impreza WRX, has never marketed a small rear-wheel-drive sports car like the one that's being jointly developed with Toyota.
Among the details circulating in the Japanese media: The car reportedly will use a shortened and lightened version of the Impreza platform, with a target weight of around 2,200 pounds. Overall length is said to be less than 160 inches.
The engine will be an updated 175-horsepower version of Subaru's normally aspirated 2.0-liter flat-4, with the potential to add a more powerful 300-hp turbocharged unit as well as all-wheel drive. The Subaru and Toyota variants will share some sheet metal, but will feature distinctive front and rear styling.
What this means to you: The combination of Subaru's engineering talent and Toyota's marketing muscle should help make this a formidable product, if the partners can meet their aggressive targets on weight, performance and price. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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