[West]

First I heard this reported, let's hope it's not true as they will follow suit for the rest of the countries.

Subaru says no to 'Toyobaru' sports car - westnet.westnet.drive.com.au

Subaru Australia's all-wheel-drive-only policy has put the kibosh on a new rear-drive sports car being co-developed by Subaru and Toyota. Toby Hagon in Tokyo.

Bad news Subaru fans. The controversial FT-86 sports car co-developed with Toyota almost certainly won't be coming to Australia as a Subaru.

That was the news delivered at the Tokyo motor show by Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior soon after the Toyota version of the boxer-engined rear-wheel drive two-seat coupe was unveiled.

At the same time Senior also gave the thumbs down to the STi version of the Exiga people-mover and a carbon-roofed Impreza STi both launched today.

But he didn't have to even kibosh the star of the Subaru stand, the gullwing Hybrid Tourer Concept, because it will never be built.

"There are elements of that car (FT-86) that don't fit with our Subaru DNA in Australia," Senior said. "We understand that car is a global car and we will at sometime have to sit down and think about how it fits in terms of all-wheel drive and some other things.

"But where I sit today it doesn't fit and it would be a brave decision to take it. At the moment I would say we are unlikely to see it as a Subaru.

"The obvious issue is it is rear-wheel drive and quite plainly no-one is building an all-wheel-drive version at the moment so there is one key thing.

"We have hung our hats on all-wheel drive for nearly 12 years now, so why would we step away from something that has been ultra-successful for us and given us the highest share of any major Subaru distributorship in the world?"

Senior said the Exiga 2.0GT tuned by STi was unlikely to come to Australia because the mainstream version hadn't been lauched here yet. He also said Subaru Australia's preference was for complete STi models rather than 'tuned by' models.

He ruled out the Impreza WRX STi Carbon as a Japan-only model which would not be available in Australia.

Meanwhile, the Hybrid Tourer Concept includes some significant future technologies including a direct-injection 2.

0-litre boxer petrol engine, a hybrid two/motor all-wheel drive system and lithium-ion battery pack.

The Tourer also includes the latest development of Subaru's Eyesight preventative safety system called Eyesight Plus.

The current Eyesight system will be tested in Australia later this year by Subaru and should flow into upper-spec Liberty and Outback models within a couple of years.

Eyesight uses stereo camera technology to provide collision assistance such as lane departure warning. Eyesight Plus adds 3D imagery and road-to-vehicle communication technology and features like blind spot warning.

Subaru also confirmed today that it would start selling hybrid vehicles in Japan in 2012. But they will not arrive in Australia until years later, Senior said.

Click here to read about Toyota's version of the sports car, the FT-86.

[Exitspeed]

Sucks for them. But then again they still have awesome Holdens so...

[scoobie]

Better just be in Australia or Subaru is dead to me!

[West]

Here is another at The Motor Report : Subaru RWD Coupe "Unlikely" For Australian Market | The Motor Report: Auto News And Reviews

THE HEAD OF SUBARU AUSTRALIA has said it would be “unlikely” that the Subaru-branded version of Toyota’s upcoming FT-86 budget RWD sports car (above) will ever come to Australia, citing the non-availability of an AWD variant as the car’s biggest handicap.

The car, a joint project between Toyota and Subaru, has had a large amount of Subaru input in its design.

Based on a shortened Impreza chassis and powered by Subaru’s naturally-aspirated 2.0 litre EJ20 flat four engine, the lightweight coupe differs from the rest of Subaru’s local lineup by taking drive to the rear wheels only.



The basic design of the car, with the engine placed far back in the engine bay, means an AWD version is unlikely to eventuate. This, according to Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior, means it won’t fit in with the company’s other Australian-market offerings.

“There are elements of that car (FT-86) that don’t fit with our Subaru DNA in Australia,” Senior said in an interview with Drive.com.au.

“The obvious issue is it is rear-wheel drive and quite plainly no-one is building an all-wheel-drive version at the moment so there is one key thing.

“We have hung our hats on all-wheel drive for nearly 12 years now, so why would we step away from something that has been ultra-successful for us and given us the highest share of any major Subaru distributorship in the world?”

While Toyota has already unveiled its version of the RWD coupe - the FT-86 - the debut for the Subaru-badged variant is still some distance away.

Camouflaged prototypes have been spotted undergoing testing in Europe, but pundits say much of the car’s sheetmetal will be shared with the FT-86.

Powertrain and driveline specs will likely be similar to the Toyota too, however some speculate a high-performance turbocharged STi model may arrive later.

[Exitspeed]

See this is why it puzzles me that this is a Subaru at all. Subaru's WHOLE schpeal is that all their cars come AWD standard. I just don't see how this car fits into their line-up. I mean I'm glad it's happening either way because I'm looking forward to these new RWD cars. But it's just an odd move for Subaru as a brand.

[scoobie]

I wonder how long it will take before someone makes the 086a or even ft86 into full blow AWD.

But I agree with you exitspeed , I don't see how Subaru will fit this into the awd lineup. From what I hear Subaru is all bent out of shape with the whole idea, for good reason though. If America gets both brands we will have the DSM reborn.

[Exitspeed]

Originally Posted by scoobie

I wonder how long it will take before someone makes the 086a or even ft86 into full blow AWD.

But I agree with you exitspeed , I don't see how Subaru will fit this into the awd lineup. From what I hear Subaru is all bent out of shape with the whole idea, for good reason though. If America gets both brands we will have the DSM reborn.

Yeah that was my impression also that Suby was bent out of shape about this. I'm not really sure exactly how people view Suby in Japan but maybe it would work better there as a suby.

Also about Suby being bent out of shape, I HOPE that issue doesn't become an issue that holds up the release of the car regardless of which version we get.