The rear-wheel-drive sports car will be marketed and badged separately by each car maker and will be designed by Toyota and built by Subaru.

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 yesterday as part of an extended collaboration between the two Japanese car makers, with Toyota paying about $A320 million ($NZ374 million) to double its stake in Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries – from 8.7 to 16.5 per cent.

It ends a sports-car drought for both brands. Subaru hasn’t offered a coupe since the SVX (last sold in Australia in 1997), while in recent years Toyota has discontinued three two-door vehicles: Supra, MR2 and Celica.

Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe said at the news conference that the coupe would be sold in Japan and overseas and that pricing would “not [be] prohibitively high”.

The joint development will significantly reduce production costs and industry speculation suggests the coupe could start at the equivalent of $A40,000 in Europe, the same price as a Subaru Impreza WRX.

“I think there is high potential for this car,” Watanabe told media. “We [Toyota] haven’t had a sports car for a long time. This is a long-awaited model.”

Toyota and Subaru have confirmed that the new 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 that 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 future model line-up.

“We never say never [with any product],” says Subaru Australia spokesman David Rowley, “but as far as Subaru Australia is concerned, for the foreseeable future our commitment is to the four-wheel drive and boxer engine format.

Subaru has enjoyed a successful period of growth locally since it decided in 1996 to sell only all-wheel-drive models.

Rowley says the effectiveness of its all-wheel-drive focus means the company would take some convincing to alter its marketing approach, though he did offer some hope to driving enthusiasts who would be interested in an affordable rear-wheel-drive Subaru.

“Of course we look very closely at future products as and when they are available to us and we’re interested to see these developments,” he says.

“We really need to do a lot of product planning exercises before we committed [to the car]. The reality is that we’re looking quite a long way down the track [for this coupe].”

Toyota also announced that it will supply Subaru with a compact car and a ‘mini-vehicle’ – the Coo from Toyota-owned Daihatsu – as part of the expanded collaboration.

A Toyota press release said the two cars were expected to allow Subaru to focus its research and development resources on its main vehicle products.

SOURCE: stuff.co.nz

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Truck Parts  

can't wait to see pics surface of this car!  

I believe this will be the reborn AE86. can't wait either.  

That's fantastic. both have prooven of what they have been capable of. can't wait to see some pics or detailed technical descriptions. great  

This should be interesting. Hopefully it will be a newborn AE86.  

LOL! An AE86?! We could only wish! It is extremely interesting, though. Can't wait.  

that would be sweet but your info isn't all correct, subaru did offer a coupe after that, the 22b. so not to be rude but it kinda makes me wonder about all the info  

It was for Australia, dude. Not every one gets what we get and vice verse. You know? When the Nissan Skyline first came out, or even mentioned, here in the states, no one even knew it was a Nissan product. Think about that one. Any way, I've done a little research on this and it seems as if the Toyota/Subaru hybrid is going to come to fruition. It's a matter of time, though. I still can't wait.  

rebirth to the AE86?? lol i say they should just keep it the may it is and just keep making the 1986 model lol no lol its about time toyota brings back a sports car man like why did they kill off the mr2, supra, and celica?  

Supply and demand, brother. There is a new Supra in the works for 2010, I believe. I could be wrong about that, so, don't hold me to it. LOL! I could have sworn I heard that some where. I'll look into that as well. I'm a busy little bee, as of late. LOL! I have to stop looking into things! LOL!  

omg new supra! lol i don't care what you say, im holding you to that cause that would be awesome  

I'm still searching for that Supra for 2010. I could be so wrong on this...  

??? hmmm may have to look into this myself...lol there has to be a 2010 supra the Rx7 come back that year. the skyline is on the street already wow hold up japan super cars are coming back!!!! YAY LOL  

I could have mistaken the Supra for the RX7... It is very possible that my ever increasing loss of memory has kicked me in the A$$, yet again. LOL! Please disregard my comment about the Supra, though I believe that Toyota should bring it back if it's not in their plans.
Wow! Maybe I should drink more. LOL!  

well they should atleast bring back the supra have it making like 300hp stock RWD, and maybe not have it priced at like $75-100G's lol