A report in Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper states that Toyota and Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru's parent) are mulling over the possibility of jointly developing what many have been referring to as the successor to the classic AE86. The entry-level sports car would be branded as a Toyota but would feature a FHI-sourced boxer engine of 2.0 liters or less underhood. As far as pricing, the goal would be to keep the car at ¥2,000,000 or lower. Asahi says that the car would target a 2010 release (not 2008, as previously reported by Japan's Best Car magazine) and that talks between the two entities won't commence in earnest until this Fall.
The Asahi report comes in the wake of the aforementioned Best Car magazine story, which also said Fuji Heavy would factor into the equation, but that a price of ¥1,500,000 was the target. While the two outlets differ on some of the specifics, the basic stories match up, and you know the saying: "Where there's smoke..."
In other news, Asahi reports that Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu will begin supplying its Coo compact wagon (a.k.a. Toyota bB) to Fuji Heavy, and that a Subaru-branded version should go on sale in Japan next summer.
[Source: Asahi Shimbun via Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Farris @ Aug 10th 2007 1:08PM
"you know the saying: "Where there's smoke...""
...there's a new spectacular drift car coming down the line!!!
mmmm.... delicious tire smoke.....
Todd @ Aug 10th 2007 1:11PM
Well at least that photoshop using the Scion Fuse concept looks better than that Celica rip with front bumpers. Hopefully this will see the light of day!
Now where's our new Supra and MR2??
sean @ Aug 10th 2007 1:30PM
Honda you watching? Why you insist on front wheel drive econoboxes? Even Toyota, the mother of all washing machines is more exciting than you. No ones intersted in super dooper all wheel drive. Get your ingredients right and give us something interesting.
GlennS @ Aug 10th 2007 1:52PM
sounds exciting. But will it be that ugly??? that is the question.
aaron @ Aug 10th 2007 2:20PM
I always blame Honda NA for their boring cars and half-ass Si variants. Also blame the fact that Honda does not want Type R cars competing with Acuras. They think if it's real performance, then they slap some leather on some of the cars, jack the price, give it a lame three letter name, and call it an Acura.
Euro Honda Accord: TSX
Honda Integra: Acura RSX
Eventual rear-wheel drive car to compete with the new AE86: Acura ?SX
Hondas in other countries are fine be me.
Toyota is making slow progress. They've had their eggs all in one basket (which is/was hybrids), and now since that is working, why not something actually sporty?
Why does it also seem that both Honda and Toyota want to avoid insurance companies? How liable would they be if they made relatively inexpensive performance cars?
Sharon @ Jan 8th 2008 12:59PM
I need to know how much to pay for an 86 toyota corolla hatchback. Please help
G @ Aug 10th 2007 1:37PM
Even if its ugly I'll buy it, its meant to be tuned.
iamhoff @ Aug 10th 2007 1:41PM
In addition to RWD, tho, it's gotta be styled right. The AE86 had great lines, and some of the fugly photochops that have surfaced on the intertubes have not lived up to the heritage, IMO. And I'm totally with Todd...bring on the Supra and Mister 2!
glitched @ Aug 10th 2007 1:52PM
yeah, it maybe RWD, but it also needs to *LOOK* RWD as well...
wasnt there some posts on here a while back about the merits of cars that look RWD designe.
Evotec @ Aug 10th 2007 1:47PM
fuji heavy=subaru
I would like to see a STI powered RWD car,that would be nice.
NT @ Aug 10th 2007 1:55PM
Lets not forget that Honda makes the S2000, that alone makes them more sporty than Toyota. At least Honda is attempting. Toyota just gave up and started making old(s) mobiles.
geo.stewart @ Aug 10th 2007 1:50PM
2 things to worry about:
why does the red concept look exactly like a Civic?
if it has a turbo, what will they do in Australia?
aaron @ Aug 10th 2007 2:25PM
Geo:
In a previous article, we almost all agreed that it was a Civic with some Lexus front end (forgot the name, was it the IS?).
No one knows if it's going to be a turbo or not, but why would it matter in Australia if it did?
David @ Aug 10th 2007 11:24PM
Aaron,
In Australia there is a restriction for beginning drivers durign their first 3 years. They drive with p plates and there is a list of cars called the p-plate banned list. Consists of forced induction and v8 cars. So if this car was turbo'd no p-platers could own one.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Aug 10th 2007 2:00PM
Toyota has officially lost their soul.
They're going to badge engineer the bB (Scion xB) in Japan?
In what way is Toyota not a complete clone of GM now?
Owain Ozymandias Buck @ Aug 10th 2007 2:47PM
Resale value? ;)
aaron @ Aug 10th 2007 2:26PM
Also Geo:
The red car is only a mock-up by the magazine. If you didn't see that, then that's scary.
thesawzall @ Aug 10th 2007 2:33PM
I called it!
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/06/welcome-back-to-the-rumormill-toyota-developing-cheap-rwd-coupe/2
I'd love to see it accept a swap from the higher power Sube powerplants.
naggs @ Aug 10th 2007 2:38PM
this is actually starting to sound something like an actual car that might be sold now, as opposed to that $12k BS.
boxer 4 = hurray for low center of gravity
hopefully it wont look like any of those pics, hopefully it actually looks rwd
Owain Ozymandias Buck @ Aug 10th 2007 2:49PM
Hurray for the nice boxer growl too! Cool combination of parts, sounds to me.