The ceo of Toyota just confirmed the production of a new rwd coupe for Toyota.
As thought by most people, its going to use a chassis and engine from suburu.
The cars suppose to be around $20k starting.
The final design is suppose to be signed off in july and should see a 2011 production date
I think its a smart move for Toyota. Instead of R & D a new power train and chassis for a low volume car. There just going to barrow someone elses already rally proven drive train and use there under used manufacturing capacity to make them.
The article states Toyota already is upping there stake in fuji industries and the cars will be manufactured in japan at the fuji plant.
They might have a competitor for the hyundai genesis coupe and the rumored 240sx replacement.
Since honda likes to follow Toyota. I hope honda wakes up and offers something.
At a press conference in Japan today, Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe finally confirmed that his company is jointly developing a pair of rear-wheel-drive sports cars with Subaru. Each brand will get its own version of the car, which will be powered by one of Subaru's boxer engines, though the engine's displacement, power output and even number of cylinders is not yet known. We're also not sure if the Subaru version will feature the brand's trademark all-wheel-drive system either as an option or standard equipment, or whether Toyota might offer AWD as well in an homage to the Celica GT4 (we hope so!). The styling will most likely resemble the sketch that was published by Autocar yesterday, though we don't expect one car to be a rebadged version of the other. Mark your calendars for 2011, which is when the new sports cars are scheduled to arrive. They'll be riding on a brand new platform and be built in Japan at a new plant by Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru. Toyota also confirmed rumors this morning that it will be buying up more of Fuji, raising its stake in the company from 8.7% to 16.5%.
These RWD sports cars will mean a lot for both companies, as Subaru hasn't offered a performance coupe since the slightly odd SVX, and Toyota all but abandoned performance models after the Supra, Celica and MR2 were cancelled.
updated as of 5-28-08
here's a updated pic
and quote from edmunds. looks like there using the last jdm integra type R (rsx) as the template
Quote:
TOKYO — As if paying homage to Subaru, Toyota is co-developing a new lineup of rear-wheel-drive sporty coupes employing a revised version of the Subaru Impreza's platform, boxer engine and transmission. Toyota's largest contribution to the mix will be product planning and its impeccable quality control.
The Toyota model, still to be named, will be sold exclusively in Japan, while the Subaru-badged model will be marketed worldwide. The mechanical package will be identical, but both Toyota and Subaru will create exterior designs to differentiate their cars from each other.
The basis for this new radical project is to take Subaru's well-known 4WD powertrain and modify it to create a new rear-wheel-drive setup. Slated to be built at Subaru's Gunma plant in Japan, both Toyota and Subaru models will employ a revised version of the naturally aspirated boxer 2.0-liter unit generating around 220 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox from the current Impreza WRX STI.
Surprisingly, the joint Toyota-Subaru R&D team has chosen the out-of-production, front-wheel-drive Honda Integra Type R as its benchmark, because its styling, performance parameters and dimensions mirror what the development team wants to create.
Expected to ride on a 103-inch wheelbase, the 2,866-pound coupes will use a 2+2 seating configuration.
Slated for a late 2011 debut, the coupes are expected to be priced starting just under $20,000.
updated 6-4-08
here's another artist rendering of the new rwd coupe off of auto express.
Its basing it off the current design cues of the current subbies. It basically looks like a sti front with more aggressive rear quarter panels.
The article states that it will offer a intial engine of 200hp and a upgraded 2.5L 300hp. Then a awd option later. Maybe they'll basically make it a STI coupe for the people that hate hatches.
That sketch is actually of the Subaru variant, the Toyota one's going to be different. It's got potential, as long as they don't make it too heavy or complicated.
And somehow I doubt Honda's going to follow suit. I wish they would, but I doubt it.
