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Back in April, Toyota announced that it would be gobbling up a larger percentage of Fuji Heavy Industries, makers of the Subaru brand of vehicles. Today, that deal has been made official as Fuji announced the sale that increases Toyota's voting rights in the automaker to 16.16 percent from 9.50 percent. This deal had been made possible by a newly revised Japanese law that went into effect last year. Toyota had initially purchased about nine-percent share of the company from General Motors, which no longer owns any part of Fuji Heavy.

According to reports, Toyota paid about a ten-percent premium for the increased share, as well. Its total outlay of cash for the new shares is 31.11 billion yen ($291.1 million), for which it receives 61 million additional treasury stocks. Here's hoping that this new deal ushers in the upcoming new AE86 all the more quickly.

[Source: Thomson Financial News via Straightline]

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]

Now that its ground offensive has taken control of the battlefield, word comes that Toyota's field commanders might have an eye toward the skies. That's right: Toyota is reportedly considering an offer from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to get into the aircraft business. MHI would like to see Toyota invest in a new passenger jet project, which, if it goes forward, would set up an aerial dogfight with the HondaJet, which is already in the segment. Mitsubishi already produces its own plane, the Regional Jet. Is this the beginning of a new battle for air supremacy? Hmmm. Somebody cue the Kenny Loggins.

UPDATE: Post erroneously referred to Fuji Heavy instead of Mitsubishi Heavy. The error has been corrected.

[Source: AFP/Breitbart]

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.

[Source: Winding Road]

Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru, has missed its sales goal for a five-year plan that ends next month. The end of one five-year plan, however, is the beginning of another. The next five years will see Subaru putting a much larger emphasis on the U.S. market (w00t!). The Japanese automaker is aware that it can't squeeze any more sales out of the home market, so it's looking to America to supply the extra sales it needs to meet new targets. To achieve this goal, Subaru will supplement its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey with a satellite branch in the City of Angles (Los Angeles). The company hopes that the power of the sun rays combined with the magical properties of California drinking water will give its brand insight into what customers want in the Sun Belt states. In addition, we'll be getting 24 more Subaru dealers by 2010 to help push the all-wheel drive wares. Finally, a new production facility is being considered, though it wouldn't be located in either Japan or the U.S.

Currently Subaru sells only 179,000 vehicles in the U.S. compared to 242,000 units in Japan. By 2011, round about when the new five-year plan will be winding down, Subaru expects to be selling about 236,000 in both markets.

[Source: Automotive News]

Subaru's "propeller grill" has been received by both the media and the public with, to put it lightly, mixed feelings. Well, the automaker's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, has decided to put the kibosh on it and ordered a redesign.

According to spokesman David Rowley of Subaru, the grill will not be applied to the upcoming Liberty and Outback, which will debut in Australia in September. The upcoming Impreza, due out in 2007, will also be sporting a new proboscis. States Rowley, "It's fair to say the design will not appear on future Subarus. We had always said the aerospace theme could be applied in a variety of ways, like the way it's been presented on the Impreza and Tribeca."

Rowley would not state what the new design will be for future Subies. However, it will be based on work from (now ex-) Subaru chief designer Andreas Zapatinas. Zapatinas, as you may remember, had previously designed cars for both Alfa Romeo and Fiat.

[Source: CARSguide]

With soaring gas prices around the globe, Toyota, makers of the Aygo, Vitz and Yaris, plans to work jointly with Subaru in the creation and production of a B-segment vehicle. According to the Associated Press, the fruits of their union will begin in 2008, with only European consumers getting a version of the mini-Subie.

For those of you not keeping tabs on who owns what with who, Toyota purchased an 8.7 percent stake in Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru's parent company) when General Motors sold their shares in late 2005. As Toyota is now the largest shareholder of the company, this may be the first of many joint products to come from the two automakers, with the Camry beginning to be build at F.H.I.'s site in Indiana in 2007.

[Source: The Auto Channel]