Toyobaru? Subayota? Toyota WRX? Camary STI? Could happen.

[Joey D]

Is Toyota preparing to purchase Fuji Heavy outright?

Source: Autoblog, Winding Road, and TheCarConnection

Winding Road is reporting that a recent change in Japan's anti-trust regulations might mean that Toyota has a clear shot at acquiring a controlling interest in Fujji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru. Lest you think this might be some pie-in-the-sky notion, Subaru admits it could use the help. Toyota already has an 8.7% minority share in Subaru's parent company. With the changes in restrictions, Toyota could make a move and gobble up Subaru and all of its awd motorsports prowess.

TheCarConnection interviewed Subaru CEO Ikuo Mori, who basically admitted that Subaru might not be long for this world without Toyota's cash infusion. That doesn't mean we'd see badge engineering between the brands anytime soon, however. This wouldn't be like its partnership with GM according to the spokesperson. No 9-7X-like crossover projects are expected, but changes are in the works. Subaru apparently has set its sights on Southern California as a new focal point for the future of the company. And some extra cash would certainly help Subaru achieve its goal of increasing worldwide sales by 15% over the next three years.

 

[Tornado]

Ah. So Toyota wants to ruin Subaru like they have with their own brand, yes? I hope they realise that the second they start screwing with things (boxer engines, notably) is the second the sales dump, so they better tread carefully.

 

[Joey D]

I agree, Subaru's are already pretty reliable and I can't think of anything they make that is bad. Yes the current Tibeca is ugly as sin, but the interior rocks.

I think Toyota will probably leave them alone and adapt some of their technology like the AWD systems. Does Toyota have AWD cars? I'm not sure. Also could these mean a return to a Toyota rally car?

 

[Azuremen]

Toyota has AWD drivetrains, but mostly in tandem with hybrid systems.

And Subaru's are not as reliable as Toyota's I've found. Mostly a function of AWD just casing more stress on the transmission (stupid SVX's weak as crap tranny for example) However, the symmetrical system is quite nice, leading to more even distribution of stress on axles and such. (If I recall correctly)

As a Toyota fan, I kinda like the idea. As a Subaru fan, I just hope Toyota doesn't screw up the boxer engine. And I hope Toyota guys can slap some sense into the guy that is designing the latest Impreza... which is ugly as sin at the moment. Yes, I like Toyota's styling, and the current Impreza alot as well...

I could see extremely good things come out of this... or extremely bad. But I doubt Toyota will murder Subaru... kinda like how Ford has not murdered Mazda (though they are doing more cross brand stuff it seems lately).

 

[Tornado]

As a Toyota fan, I kinda like the idea. As a Subaru fan, I just hope Toyota doesn't screw up the boxer engine. And I hope Toyota guys can slap some sense into the guy that is designing the latest Impreza... which is ugly as sin at the moment.

Lets see...

Nope.

kinda like how Ford has not murdered Mazda (though they are doing more cross brand stuff it seems lately).

The problem with that is that there really isn't anyway Subaru bits and pieces can be absorbed into the whole of Toyota. Toyota already has platforms and whatnot, so one would think it would be the Toyota bits going into Subarus. And that would ruin the company. Similar to how Saab was ruined by GM, but Subaru was good to begin with.

Also could these mean a return to a Toyota rally car?

I'm pretty sure that Toyota not having a normal AWD vehicle on sale has nothing to do with them not having a rally car, as such a thing doesn't effect Peugoet or Citreon.

 

[Joey D]

Ahhhh I forgot about the Peugoet and Citreon.

But does anyone else see a resemblance?

 

[Wolfe]

Oh! So this is why the new Impreza looks like a Corolla! (edit: damn, tree'd by Joey on that)

Seriously, though, this makes a lot of sense. Subaru is too quirky to succeed on its own, and Toyota would be able to pretend that it isn't the world's most boring company by giving Subaru money to produce sporty AWD cars.

 

[Tornado]

Its only fair, as Toyota did it first:

 

[Joey D]

Woah I didn't even realize that, but Toyota does own some of Subaru already.

 

[Azuremen]

Toronado, Toyota does not have the symmetrical system if I remember correctly for AWD, its mostly just derived from FWD drivetrains. If Toyota gives Subaru some money to develop a better cheap auto tranny, that would be nice too (the Forester tranny is a joke)

And I like look of the new Camry, Yaris (depends on color and options though) and the FJ cruiser.

If we are lucky, Toyota may do a little badging stuff, drop an Auris shell on a WRX, and give us another GT-4 model from them I like the way Auris looks, and a 3 door hatch turbo AWD would be fun to have around.

 

[Wolfe]

...a 3 door hatch turbo AWD would be fun to have around.

Wait for the WRC-inspired performance version of the Suzuki SX4.

 

[skip0110]

Subaru AWD will have a hard time attaching to an engine that's not a boxer given the transmission location and angle. The engine is tilted up in the front to clear the front K member and if it was a longitudinally mounted inline engine this would cause massive hood clearance issues.

Subaru had trouble with the SVX because it was much heavier than anything they had built before, so parts they used from other cars (like wheel bearings and brakes, and the tranny too) had trouble coping with the stress.

I have had my own troubles with the driveline in my Subaru but it still starts up every day and moves despite the problems, so that's reliable by my standards.

 

[Azuremen]

Would make those goofy hoods with bulges in them useful for once

I had spaced about the odd mounting of the engine, I'll have to go back and look at my dad's Subarus some more. I quite enjoyed the 06 WRX he had, and his Outback XT turbo seems quite fun now as well...

Who knows, maybe in the end Toyota will just use SUbaru and STi to produce performance cars that aren't directly linked to Toyota. Thus the gas chugging AWD turbos won't taint the "clean" look Toyota seems so keen on.

Either way, Toyota and Subaru I think will be good...

 

[ND4SPD]

Not keen on the idea, but if it does happen, I want a new turbo awd Celica!

 

[Joey D]

Not keen on the idea, but if it does happen, I want a new turbo awd Celica!

I don't think you'll get that, isn't the Celica dead? Your best hope is a AWD Scion of some sorts.

 

[ND4SPD]

I don't think you'll get that, isn't the Celica dead? Your best hope is a AWD Scion of some sorts.

I'm not going to completely believe that it is dead for now...

 

[Appie]

Wonder what Subaru is worth now?

 

[Eric.]

How long before the Impreza becomes FWD?

 

[Joey D]

Wonder what Subaru is worth now?

More then Chrysler that's for sure .

 

[YSSMAN]

Lets pray for the folks at Subaru, as we don't want the Toyota Vampires to come along and suck all of then life out of them in the name of 'safety' and 'performance.'

Granted, the extra capacity and the deeper pockets to play in would be a good thing, but even then, the same idea didn't work out too well for Chrysler, did it?

If there are any dream-projects to be had, it would be for Toyota to gain some kind of AWD turbo model with the Yaris (yay?) or tC (huh?). We'll see. I'm not overly excited, but I do want to remain interested....

 

[harrytuttle]

Didn't this rumor come around last year, too? Nothing came of it back then, so I don't see how it could be any more relevant this year. There's no reason for Toyota to buy anyone; they've got so much money they could just develop it in-house with the change found behind the couch. They wouldn't even know what to do with a car company that actually makes fun cars, anyway.

 

[skip0110]

Toyota's biggest reason to buy Subaru was to use extra capacity at Subaru's Indiana manufacturing plant to build Camrys.

 

[a6m5]

I think Subaru got too fat. That B9 SUV, WAY too expensive Legacy, they have really lost their way. They used to play small ball, and that's what got them where they are(or were?).

I'm not saying that they have to bring back Justy, but at least make the Imprezas and WRXs more desirable. Everybody, at least everybody at this site are scratching their head at the new WRX, how could they messed it up that much?

And bring back that smaller, underdog Legacy. Current, on-going Legacy is one of the nicest cars around, I think most of you guys would agree. But it has really moved up a class, at least to the top of the class it was in. IMO, Subaru needs a midsize Legacy that are at least couple of grand cheaper than their current one.

With new people in charge or not, I think they should focus on making Subaru a smaller company again. Oh yeah, might want to fire the design chief, too.

 

[Takumi Fujiwara]

I don't think a partnership will necessarily be a bad thing. The way I see it, Subaru will continue to be able to give us the products we like, at the prices we love, but will be able to improve the quality of certain components, without increasing price. Things like electronics, audio systems, and navigation system hardware, as well as general bits and pieces, will be able to be sourced from Toyota, rather than having to be developed by Subaru, allowing them to spend their time and budget on performance and design. I figure Toyota's influence should greatly increase Subaru's R&D budget, as well.

 

[Jim Prower]

I think that, If toyota decides to do anything, it'll be something like the next tC being based on the Impreza. Remember the "Saabaru?"

Subaru is too unique, and too good, to get turned into another branch of Toyota. If it didn't lose it's identity under G.M., It shouldn't lose it's identity under Toyota.

Then again, I've been wrong.