Tokyo - Toyota and Subaru have announced details of their deepened collaboration, part of which includes the joint development of second generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ compact sports cars, the two Japanese carmakers confirmed on Friday.
This will come as a relief to fans of small rear-driven Japanese drifting machines as earlier this year it had been strongly rumoured that the ‘affordable’ sports car twins faced the axe, due to Toyota and Subaru having “deviated on their development policies”. Disappointing sales were also given as a possible reason for their possible discontinuation.
However, it’s clear now that Toyota and Subaru have worked out their “development differences” and having kissed an made up, are ready to take the second-generation sports cars to new heights.
The companies did not provide any further details about the next-generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, but it is likely that the two would follow a similar path to today’s cars, but perhaps with the addition of hybrid drivetrain technology.
After all, included in the expanded partnership is expanding the use of Toyota’s hybrid system in additional Subaru models. As announced earlier in the year, the two companies have also agreed to jointly develop a new platform that’s dedicated to battery-powered vehicles.
Closer ownership ties
“In this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation, by strengthening their bonds and aligning their capabilities, Toyota and Subaru aim to pursue driving enjoyment in the CASE era and to make ever-better cars beyond what either company has been able to achieve thus far,” the two companies said in a joint statement.
“Furthermore, to deepen their relationship and to strengthen their ties toward advancing to the next stage while respecting the identity of each other's brand, the two companies have agreed that Toyota will increase its equity stake in Subaru and that Subaru will acquire shares in Toyota.”