It’s true, it’s all true! Soylent Green is people, the apes were on Earth all along, and the Toyota-Subaru joint rear wheel drive coupe is real. Last week, Toyota upped its stake in Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries from the 8.7%, purchased from GM in 2005, to 16.5%. Now, the news of the coupe comes straight from the CEO’s mouth. Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe: “The compact rear-wheel drive sports car is envisioned to offer a new ‘fun to drive’ experience based on an all-new vehicle platform.” He also says the cars will be powered by Subaru’s flat four, with the Subaru going on sale in late 2010 and the Toyota version in early 2011. The only question now is, Corolla, Celica, or something else? If the rumors of the Celica revival are true, we would sacrifice our first borns if a retro-styled Cellie was in the works, unlikely as that may be. After all, they need something to differentiate the Toyota from the Subaru.
[Source: AutoCar, MotorAuthority, Automotive News, Jalopnik]
This is one partnership that benefits both Japanese legends. Power to them both!
I don’t want to sound neither snobbish nor elitist,I prefer to leave that to fans of european cars,but I’d have preferred it if Toyota would aknowledge their own heritage a bit more and make this vehicle all Toyota.Not that I have anything against Subaru,mind you.But I don’t think a Subaru with a Toyota engine would be quite appropriate either.
I understand your sentiment, but we’re so desperate to see a sporty Toyota right now that we’ll take what we can get.
Oh,yes me too.Being an enormously proud and passionate MR2 owner I’d accept a hole in the floor for Flinstone-propulsion if that’s what it took get a new MR2.
And as for a retro-Cellie;I’m so onboard with that idea I can’t begin to tell you! 🙂
As much as I would like to see a new RWD Toyota coupe, and would even consider buying one. If it does come powered by a subie engine, count me out. I sorry I am a Toyota purist and I won’t accept anything less than Toyota powered.
I’ve got nothing against a Subaru powered Toyota RWD car. Hell I for one love the sound of the flat four and would welcome it with open arms. I just hope this car doesn’t automatically get labled as a drift machine or something else then get the negative profile that the Civic’s and 240sx’s have now. If that happens then I might steer clear from buying one. Otherwise it sounds like another win for Toyota
It would behoove me to read the forum before posting!
http://www.japanesenostalgiccar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1405
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One could certainly argue that Toyota owe it to dedicated and loyal fans such as myself to acknowledge their own heritage and make a purely Toyota sportscar.But we must remember that with much more important things to spend R&D funds on,such as fiddle-playing robots and shopping malls,we’ll just have to settle for a Subaru parts bin scavenger hunt.
I never thought Toyota would reduced themselves to badge engineering. I feel very sad now. Oh well I guess I should stick with my older ones and forget about ever buying a new one again.
At the risk of sounding like the (semi)old curmudgeon that I probably am;sometimes I get the feeling Toyota management is either bolivious or indifferent to the brand’s fans.
Thankfully,now and again an idealistic and exceptionally persistent engineer manages to push his vision through to production.The amazing new Lexus IS-F being an example of this.
I do wish TMC engineers could get more of a say in product politics,and that those sleeping pills in market research and accounting much,much less.
Erm..that should read “oblivious”,not “bolivious”. I don’t know even what “bolivious” means.Under the influence of cocaine,perhaps? You’d think I was,the way I spell…
^LOL, Bolivious 😀
a Flat four in a Toyota?!?!?!?!111 Please tell me your kidding. This is a SAD, SAD day for Toyota enthusiasts world wide. The all wheel drive turbo 2 door hatch was a great idea!, This is Heresy!! As a current owner of a 1st Gen. and 2nd Gen. Celica, 1 Tacoma 4×4, 1 Corolla GTS, and former owner of 3 4×4’s and 2 2wd trucks, I can state that I will NEVER buy another New Toyota if they DISGRACE the Celica name with a Flat four. Why not just call it a “tF” or some other Scion name take off.
For will who is tripping the fuck out over the whole boxer engine flat 4 idea he is a complete idiot. the flat 4 engine design is a better balanced engine with a lower center of gravity. that is pretty much fucking amazing all the way around. just because it isn’t a 100% toyota design being put into a 100% toyota car doesn’t mean that it wont live up to toyota standards. the article up top even poses the question of corolla or celica. if it is more corolla and being a rear wheel drive it might be like an old ae86 making the poxer engine an almost perfect choice because the ae86 is famous for it’s good balance and lightweight making it a badass drifter. i think you just need to stop being so narrow minded and think more of what kinda of potential the toyota-subaru mix has.
….looks like… fun….
Ummm Hey Toyota scuse me if Im mistaken but uhh dont you already have a 2.0 liter turbo engine at your disposal? 3sgte??