The future of the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ sports cars is secure, after the two Japanese car makers announced an extension of their partnership.
New GT86 and Subaru BRZ models were in question, given the high costs of sports car development and relatively low sales. The introduction of the Toyota GR Supra, jointly developed with the BMW Z4, also cast a doubt over whether the firm needed two halo cars. However, today’s news secures both the GT86 and BRZ’s existence for the coming decade.
Toyota and Subaru first joined forces in 2005. Along with sports car development, their agreement included production by Subaru of Toyota vehicles and supply by Toyota of vehicles to Subaru.
Earlier this year, the companies announced they would jointly develop a dedicated platform for electric vehicles, in a similar vein to Volkswagen's MEB platform, as well as jointly developing an electric SUV that will use Subaru’s all-wheel-drive technology and Toyota’s electrification systems.
This latest announcement includes Toyota increasing its equity stake in Subaru, giving it 20% of voting rights, and Subaru acquiring shares in Toyota. The move has the aim “of further developing and strengthening” the partnership, the firms said.
Toyota and Subaru confirmed that this latest tie-up includes joint development of the new GT86 and BRZ, expanding use of the Toyota’s hybrid system in Subaru models (it's already offered on the Crosstrek/XV in the US) and joint work on connected vehicles and autonomous driving.
The agreemeent will bring together “both companies' strengths to jointly develop all-wheel-drive models that offer the ultimate sensation in all-wheel driving,” said the announcement, adding the two are “in pursuit of making ever-better cars beyond that achieved thus far by Toyota and Subaru”.
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GT86...
Followed one the other day, you could have hidden two Terriers up the exhausts...!
Three simple rules for Toyobaru
If Toyota/Subaru want the next GT86/BRZ to be more successful, they just need to follow these points:
ricequackers wrote:
Be careful TakeItSlower will be after you!
ricequackers wrote:
Someone better than I will know; has anyone ever managed to extract that sort of bhp out of a NA flat four?
I thought that ~200 bhp was about as much as Subaru could reliably produce.
Zeddy wrote:
They could increase the capacity, and already have a 2.5l, Porsche had upto 3.2l in the 944s 4 pot, so that would give scope for more naturally aspirated power.
si73 wrote:
And with it an increase everywhere else as the weight distribution of the current car was near perfect.
Yeah probably, but without
Also having re read your post
Good news indeed
A car just crying out for a more power option!!!!
xxxx wrote:
All it ever really needed was more torque and lower down the rev range.
Agreed
Be careful TakeItSlower will be after you, just wait for it!
Zeddy wrote:
Following all the ill informed nonsense from the one who cannot spell its name, this post has it, spot on.
xxxx wrote:
You spouted that tosh previously and were told that the OEM's, wanted them as is. Don't like them, don't buy them, miss out on what they offer, go buy something more powerful and leave them to the motorists who understand the point.
TAKEITSLOWER still
Don't like my opinion, jog on, but do some research first on Turbo kits for this car first OR read other comments on it. Might help you understand the car world a little better.
You're a true idiot of the first order!
xxxx wrote:
You have just made my point for me...did you realise?...you don't post opinions...that would be to suggest you are even basically informed about the subject, when your posts clearly show the opposite...next?.
xxxx wrote:
Totally agree, a more power option, keeping the standard car which is more than enough for me and normal road use I'd have thought, and it suits what the car was designed for. But how many more sales could they have made if there was a more powerful spec? Will it happen though or will a more powerful versions price come too close to the supra?
But I do think you're right, the standard car is spot on but there are many being modded so why not take advantage of that and provide the upgrade from the factory.