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Toyota to double stake in Subaru parent, Fuji Heavy
Emerging reports indicate that Toyota is preparing to nearly double its stake in Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries. Toyota initially bought into Fuji when that other automotive giant, General Motors, sold its 8.7% stake to its Japanese rival. The new share-grab, the door to which was opened by revised Japanese laws, would bring Toyota's partial ownership of Fuji up to 17%, just short of double its current stake.
Since Toyota's buy-in of Fuji, cooperation between the two companies has only increased, ranging from new product development to manufacturing. Insiders predict that with the increased stake will come even more integrated collaboration between the two Japanese automakers, which, considering Toyota's enormous success worldwide, can only mean good things for Subaru's operations.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that with Toyota reportedly considering following Honda into the sky, Fuji's other core business in aerospace could prove an invaluable asset.
[Source: Indianapolis Business Journal via Straightline]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
freak 10:37AM (4/02/2008)
So long to Subaru as we know it. When toyota bought 8% of subaru we where introduced to the horribly designed new impreza and forester i dont even want to know whats going to happen now with a 17% share
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matt 10:55AM (4/02/2008)
Actually, those horrible redesigns were courtesy of an Alfa Romeo designer that Subaru chose to bring on... So yeah, not so much it being Toyota's "fault" on that one.
Bob-omb 11:26AM (4/02/2008)
So who was to blame for the initial B9 Tribeca? An 8% stake by a company will not change how they design cars. And Subaru has been making hideous cars forever.
John R 10:44AM (4/02/2008)
We are the Borg. Resistance is futile.
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Jruhi4 10:50AM (4/02/2008)
Sorry, but I'm going to be the contrarian optimist in here. Through hookups with Nissan and General Motors in the past, Subaru maintained its feisty, independent nature. Why should things be any different under Toyota? Subaru's sporting-and-rally personality with the strong backing of blander-yet-über-profitable Toyota is a win-win for both companies.
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zamafir 10:52AM (4/02/2008)
Why? Is toyota like Nissan or GM? Do they frequently take a hands off approach to companies or are they the most scrupulous company in the car industry. Go drive the new STI and the previous generation back to back and you'll get where everyone is coming from.
Alex 10:53AM (4/02/2008)
i hope you are right.
sw 12:55AM (4/03/2008)
To add to psarhjinian's comment. If any of you doubt his statement, check out the new optra and then check out the new impreza.
psarhjinian 12:13PM (4/02/2008)
The new STI was in the pipe long before Toyota got involved.
If you want to finger anyone for Subaru's current designs and behaviour, you may was well pick on GM, as they were the previous stakeholder in Fuji Heavy around the time these were being developed.
SPG 11:08AM (4/02/2008)
Hopefully this means an expanded product range in North America.
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Throwback 11:13AM (4/02/2008)
I think it means the inevitable end to boxer engines. I will be shocked if the next generation Impreza is not built on a Toyota platform. Followed by the Legacy, etc.
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mk 11:24AM (4/02/2008)
The current Tribeca and Impreza are both based on the Legacy chassis, and are newer than the Legacy/Outback.
The impreza was just redesigned for 08, and the Legacy's next redesign is coming in '10.
I don't think the '10 Legacy will be based on Toyota chassis architecture. None of them are suitable for Subaru's AWD. If anything, TOYOTAS are going to be built on Subaru chassis, not the other way around.
I just hope, even with boxers, and AWD, that they aren't blandified any more than they already are. The Tribeca, Impreza, and Forester could almost be called the Highlander, Matrix, and Rav4 respectively already, just looking at exterior styling. (although those toyotas are worse, the Subarus aren't far behind.)
mk 11:18AM (4/02/2008)
As a Legacy owner... I am not sure what to make of this.
The Tribeca, Impreza, and Forester are "me-too" styling excercises, some or all of which were designed by Subaru themselves, not GM, nor now Toyota.
The Outback is good, but hasn't been improved with new features in some time, same with the Legacy, plus the Legacy's complete anonymity.
Legacy is the car equivalent to Clark Kent. Plain but handsome outside, strong under the skin, and otherwise completely un-noticed. Somebody at Subaru needs to pull the Legacy out of the phone booth with a Superman suit on.
The projected cooperation with Toyota on a new Sport Coupe should be used to benefit Subaru, not just Toyota. Subaru chassis, suspension, engine, some drivetrain if the AWD rumors are true, and likely a lot of electrical and other systems are being taken directly from the Legacy or the Impreza, which itself is Legacy based. It seems like Subaru has been helping them a lot with that, and not really concentrating on putting new concepts forward for themselves.
I would like to see Subaru go back to blazing it's own trail, and doing it well, rather than badly. If they try to follow the leader, they'll only remain last in line.
They need to differentiate the Tribeca from the rest of the crowd somehow. They need to freshen up the Outback and Legacy with new features and perhaps an inch or two of more rear seat leg room, without ruining what is good about them already.
They need to re-style the Impreza line, it is far too ugly. I would just as soon they DROP the stupid Impreza sedan. It is completely redundant and uglier than the 2.5i Legacy and 2.5GT Legacy.
As an alternate version of the Impreza than the 5-door bodystyle, they should bring that 3-door sport coupe to market, as a 2.5RS (non-turbo AWD) and 2.5GT (wrx) turbo coupe. A 2.5 STI turbo coupe with the 08 STI's hardware would be fantastic.
Let Toyota market the RWD AE86/Celica successor, maybe even a GT4 AWD special version. But sell the AWD coupe as a Subaru line, considering all of Subaru's technical input. RWD is good, and has it's place, but Subaru *IS* AWD, and RWD wouldn't fit in the lineup as well.
Wheels Magazine in Australia has already printed an article to similar effect that they prefer not to get or try to sell a RWD Subaru coupe without AWD, although the Subaru of Australia exec seemed to eschew any Subaru coupe, which I disagree with.
Link to Wheels Magazine Article http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/News/Subaru+says+no+to+coupe.html
The comments on Toyota entering the personal aircraft market seem logical considering FHI's experience with aircraft component manufacturing, and history all the way back to Nakajima (sp?) Aircraft, one of the six stars in the Subaru badge, which represent five companies forging into one larger one, Fuji Heavy Industries.
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Mike Homeniuk 11:42AM (4/02/2008)
The impreza does need help...hatch looks like a 10 yr old Daewoo and the sedan a 10yr old Protege. Forester is actually growing on me & from all reports is an extremely capable vehicle. Put a diesel boxer in it & it would be on my shortlist.
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Guenther 11:48AM (4/02/2008)
Subaru architecture would also lend itself to small RWD cars that enthusiasts love.
Although boxers are a little more expensive than I4's, they have some sweet packaging potential. I think they'll stay around for a while. Fuji Heavy is a much larger picture than just Subaru.
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USCTrojan4JC 12:15PM (4/02/2008)
IIRC, GM used to have a 19% stake in FHI, not 8.7%. Toyota's current stake is 8.7%.
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Soul Shinobi 12:29PM (4/02/2008)
Well now that we have the internet we can do more than just recall speculatively:
"Upon Nissan's acquisition by Renault, its 20% stake was sold to General Motors, but GM announced on October 6, 2005 that it will sell 8.4% of the company to Toyota and disposed of its remaining share, 11.6% of the company, on the market."
-Wikipedia with The Japan Times as the source:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?nn20051006a1.htm
USCTrojan4JC 1:19PM (4/02/2008)
Good find! I also found the link below.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/oct2005/nf2005105_5508_db039.htm
Richard 12:34PM (4/02/2008)
My experience: Suby Boxer's are pretty darned great low maintenance, dependable and durable little lumps (nothing like letting those cylinder walls bath in oil when not running. The diesel versions should be great as well. I doubt Toyo would have the desire to kill them - even if they had the power. Horizontal engines are prime for aerospace applications, so why would Toyo want to kill that - especially if there is profit there (http://www.lycoming.textron.com/).
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rouse42 12:44PM (4/02/2008)
looks like we might see the new Celica Alltrac after all. remember the rumors that it would be a 2 door STI.
lets just hope its not $35-38K
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