Toyota Turns to Subaru for Car Redesign
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Toyota Turns to Subaru for Car Redesign
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=107935
Toyota Turns to Subaru for Car Redesign
Date Posted 11-09-2005
TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. plans to outsource the full redesign of an existing model to Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars.
The vehicle to be remodeled has yet to be announced, but a sporty subcompact is a likely candidate.
The Subaru-developed vehicle would be built at a Toyota factory two or three years from now and be equipped with Subaru's four-wheel-drive system, the Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.
Toyota, now Fuji Heavy's largest shareholder with an 8.7-percent stake, said last month it would begin assembling vehicles at a Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana, in about two years.
The move comes as Toyota faces personnel shortages amid the rapid expansion of its business.
What this means to you: We may be seeing all-wheel-drive Toyotas sooner than we think.
Toyota Turns to Subaru for Car Redesign
Date Posted 11-09-2005
TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. plans to outsource the full redesign of an existing model to Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars.
The vehicle to be remodeled has yet to be announced, but a sporty subcompact is a likely candidate.
The Subaru-developed vehicle would be built at a Toyota factory two or three years from now and be equipped with Subaru's four-wheel-drive system, the Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.
Toyota, now Fuji Heavy's largest shareholder with an 8.7-percent stake, said last month it would begin assembling vehicles at a Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana, in about two years.
The move comes as Toyota faces personnel shortages amid the rapid expansion of its business.
What this means to you: We may be seeing all-wheel-drive Toyotas sooner than we think.
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Originally Posted by djct_watt
Screw that. . . bring back the Celica GT-Four.
Dude u read my mind... The celica's gotten boring and its mostly like a chick car... a Celica GTS 4WD would rock and steal the glory away from the civics that I see in everyone else's driveway...
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^^^^^ Yeah the Charger was no more as well. They have a tendency these days of bringing back old models from the days of old. I would rather see them design an AWD Scion instead of bringing back the Celica which was overpriced anyway. I love Subaru as a former owner and enthusiast so merging that with Scion would be my dream car...
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From: S C I O N E T I C S
Originally Posted by PeruzziScion
^^^^^ Yeah the Charger was no more as well. They have a tendency these days of bringing back old models from the days of old. I would rather see them design an AWD Scion instead of bringing back the Celica which was overpriced anyway. I love Subaru as a former owner and enthusiast so merging that with Scion would be my dream car...
But you're talking about cars with a legacy in the muscle world. The Celica was just discontinued, doubt they'd bring it back.
I'm with you on the new Scion idea though. And the Corolla model too.
Subaru is a great car company and having Toyota in their corner can do nothing but make them better.
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Toyota was the first to use a center torsen (torque sensor) instead of a viscous diff. That was in the...GT4/All Trac. If you don't know what that is, look it up, this is the Internet afterall. It played a part in why they won the WRC in 93 and 94 (I think those years are right). Well, having an oddly mounted turbo restrictor didn't hurt either. Hehe...
Anyway, Toyota's AWD system is quite advanced. Just no one was willing to pay the premium for it, so they stopped making it. Subaru is able to able to better use AWD in their marketing than Toyota ever did. But in Subaru's case it helps more since EVERY car has AWD.
As far as design is concerned...well, just look at the current Impreza. Sheesh that thing is ugly. Who in their right mind thought that nose would look good? They're going to try and badge every car with that thing. First big design decision I hope Toyota makes: Ditch the schnoz. Note to Toyota execs your design teams gave us the Supra, Celica, AE86 and the 2000 GT. I'm not saying get rid of Subaru designers, just don't have them design any Toyotas any time soon. Just some food for thought.
Anyway, Toyota's AWD system is quite advanced. Just no one was willing to pay the premium for it, so they stopped making it. Subaru is able to able to better use AWD in their marketing than Toyota ever did. But in Subaru's case it helps more since EVERY car has AWD.
As far as design is concerned...well, just look at the current Impreza. Sheesh that thing is ugly. Who in their right mind thought that nose would look good? They're going to try and badge every car with that thing. First big design decision I hope Toyota makes: Ditch the schnoz. Note to Toyota execs your design teams gave us the Supra, Celica, AE86 and the 2000 GT. I'm not saying get rid of Subaru designers, just don't have them design any Toyotas any time soon. Just some food for thought.
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i don't think it would be the celica what killed the corolla matrix awd is auto only option. what they need to do is send over the re-vamped 3sgte engine with all the new goodies with an awd package. heard of things like the xa maybe an option or something similar. when you make alot of power from a car easiest way to sell it is make it a 4 door cheaper insurance more of a family car in disguise. so you can classify it as a family car not a sports car. the issue with designing something so new is cost and if it does flop it could hurt quite a bit.
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From: SJSU | Union City, CA
Well this would be interesting in what design will they do and if it looks "Toyota" enough. Or they will drop everything and add another Division with one car model as a publicity stunt. I can't wait to see that new car in a Rally Championship.
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I'm fairly sure we're not gonna get a Subaru rebadged as a Toyota. If anything, we're gonna see a car that is newly developed that will be a Subaru AND a Toyota at the same time (like the Vibe.) The nose on the Subbie is the trademark Subaru design now so that will not appear on a Toyota. I bet we're gonna see an Impreza with a tC nose.