Tobaru? Subota?

Frank Williams
by Frank Williams

Now that Subaru has been "liberated" from GM's influence and hooked-up with the new world number one (hint: Moving Forward), the all-Japanese automotive partnership is finalizing plans to co-develop a… wait for it… sports car. Reuters reports the BFFs are shooting for a price under $16,000, an engine smaller than two liters and (possibly) Subaru's all-wheel-drive powertrain. The car is due to hit the tarmac as a 2010 model, sold as a Toyota. The mating of Toyota bland with Subaru quirkiness should produce an interesting automotive offspring, to say the least. No word on whether they'll sell the car in North America; or whether the phrase "sold as a Toyota" includes the new sports car's logical U.S. home: Scion.

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  • Ruinedeffigy Ruinedeffigy on Aug 10, 2007

    As I am an avid reader - but only just that... I felt compelled to finally comment on an article. First off: I say this coming from a Subaru Owner Second off: I say this coming from someone who wants to become a Toyota owner. My first impressions on this article were very much similar to a dream come true... However, I do have doubts being cast… This could fail just as much as it could succeed. I currently drive a 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS COUPE and I am looking to purchase a 1989 - 1993 Toyota MR2. Both of these cars have a nice backlog of customer satisfaction and they're fun to drive. What I love most about my car: It's one of the only Subaru Coupes (Save the SVX - That's a different story), it's fast, but not too fast so that I won't get into that much trouble and it is much more aesthetically pleasing than a sedan 2.5RS - obviously, there are all opinions. The Toyota MR2 - Depending on model, it can get quite fast, and as long as you're driving it and giving it responsible maintenance, Toyota will take care of you with the vehicle. Also, the Mid-Engine Rear-wheel drive lets you know, no matter how good you think you are at driving - you're not. What I have a huge dream for: A 2.5 4-Banger Subaru Engine thrown in a newer model MR2 (Before they became the spyder and got the bug-eyed powerpuff girls on crack look) paired with the Subaru AWD or sticking true with the MR2 name sake , and just giving you RWD. I think the possibilities for this happening are very slim,. as it would be counter-productive to Toytoa's low TCO and Fuel-Economy commitments that made them so popular... All in all, I think Subaru and Toyota can have a VERY promising future making a sporty (please say coupe) car... The problem is, will Toyota's idealistic TCO and Fuel-Economy requirements ruin the Subaru's much need aesthetic make-over? My opinion - it'll take off like a rocket, become another "cult classic" or sink to the bottom of the ocean of vehicles currently available. Of course, time will tell.

  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Aug 10, 2007

    This sounds like a winner! Hope it has a turbo to go with the AWD.

  • Dean Dean on Aug 11, 2007

    Umm, guys, it said under $16k. Chance of a turbo are slim. Replace "sports" with "sporty" and I think we're talking about a new Toyota Paseo.

  • Ricky Spanish Ricky Spanish on Aug 13, 2007

    Exactly Dean You're looking at basically a return to the early RWD Corollas, most likely along the lines of a Miata without a removable top. Probably 2500 lbs, 1.8L engine (maybe the Yamaha 2zz-ge with VVTL-i found in the Celica/Lotus . . . but more likely their more pedestrian 130 hp 1.8L), RWD and sporty styling. And definitely from Scion.

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