Subaru Gets Sports Car to Sell in U.S. from Toyota Deal
April 10, 2008

Subaru of America will get and sell in the U.S. the compact rear-drive sports car that emerges from joining of forces with Toyota.

Subaru of America spokesperson Michael McHale confirmed the automaker would sell in the U.S. in 2011 a compact rear-drive sports car developed with Toyota. The car will be powered by the newest version of Subaru’s famous horizontally-opposed Boxer engine. Toyota also gets a version of the car but the company did not say if it will be sold in the States.

Speculation is the joining of Subaru-Toyota forces could also yield a jointly developed hybrid.

Meantime, the confirmed rear-drive compact sports car developed by Subaru and Toyota  "is envisioned to offer a new fun to drive experience" based on an all-new vehicle platform and built at Fuji Heavy Industries' plant in Gunma, Japan, plant, according to the press release jointly released by the companies. Fuji is the parent company of Subaru.

As part of the deal announced at a press briefing in Tokyo Thursday, Toyota doubles its stake in Fuji to 16.5 percent from the 8.7 percent it bought in 2005 after Fuji’s abrupt split with General Motors. Toyota is paying about $300 million for the additional 61 million shares. Toyota executives told reporters it could eventually increase its stake even further.

Other product actions called for by the agreement includes calls Toyota providing Fuji with a compact car and Daihatsu supplying Fuji with mini vehicles as well as a version of the Daihatsu Coo compact car.

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