Thursday 8th October 2009

Subaru's Small Coupe Revealed

Sketches of Subaru's half of the 'Toyobaru' Toyota-Subaru small coupe project leak out

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These design sketches reveal some of Subaru's plans for its half of the new 'Toyobaru' coupe.

Toyota has already revealed its version and, although the Toyota FT-86 is still officially a concept, Toyota says that it is extremely close to the finished production version.

But while Toyota is heading to the forthcoming Tokyo motor show with a near-finished product, Subaru's version hasn't even been given the official green light yet, let alone reached the design sign-off stage.

As these pictures, leaked to Autocar show, the Subaru coupe is at a far less finished stage, with final design details still to be settled.

With an on-sale date for the Toyota of late 2011, it is unlikely that a Subaru version will be production-ready in time to hit the showrooms simultaneously - especially since Subaru has far fewer R&D resources to call upon.

The Toyobaru is also a controversial idea within Subaru, being well out of Subaru's comfort zone - it doesn't have four-wheel drive and Subaru has never done a small rear-wheel drive coupe before. The thought of sharing its boxer technology and chassis development knowledge with Toyota (the Toyobaru project has been largely engineered by Subaru and will be built by Subaru) is also said to make some Subaru high-ups uncomfortable.

On the other hand, a small, rear-drive coupe would provide Subaru with some much-needed new metal and open the company up to new customers. A technical partnership with Toyota could also reap plenty of benefits in the form of potential engineering contracts to help develop new sporty Toyotas.

 

[Andy T]

Nice to see that Subaru employ the "school children using crayons" design philosophy.

[Agoogy]

Andy T said:

Nice to see that Subaru employ the "school children using crayons" design philosophy.

still prefer that to nerds with macs tho...

[Dagnut]

"leaked to our sister publication Autocar show"

When did this happen?

[hornetrider]

Revelaed?

Tsk tsk.

[GravelBen]

article said:

As these pictures, leaked todrawn by our sister publication Autocar show

Excuse the cynicism

[FWDRacer]

Ford Puma anybody...?

Even has a blue oval on the back

[EDLT]

Thats just a Mitsubishi Eclipse with a slightly different grill:

[JonRB]

I wish Prodrive had made the P2.



(It had Subaru underpinnings, BTW)

Edited by JonRB on Thursday 8th October 12:34

[vz-r_dave]

JonRB said:

I wish Prodrive had made the P2.



(It had Subaru underpinnings, BTW)

Edited by JonRB on Thursday 8th October 12:34

No it didnt, I am sure it was Mitsubishi

[JonRB]

vz-r_dave said:

No it didnt, I am sure it was Mitsubishi

You're thinking of a similar but different car whose name escapes me. I know the one you mean though.

[Negative Creep]

Lets just hope they don't make a complete balls up of the styling like.........well like their entire range really

[JonRB]

I wish Subaru had made this actually:





http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=698...

[markCSC]

Negative Creep said:

Lets just hope they don't make a complete balls up of the styling like.........well like their entire range really

+1 Every current car is just bland, ugly or both!!

[elster]

Who to believe...

Announcement by Toyota, or "leaked" drawings to Autocar.

This is a tough one.

The manufacturer, or the magazine that must of printed 15 million made up sketches.

[GravelBen]

elster said:

Who to believe...

Announcement by Toyota, or "leaked" drawings to Autocar.

This is a tough one.

The manufacturer, or the magazine that must of printed 15 million made up sketches.

I don't see anything too contradictory about the two reports They've been clear all along that the Toyota and Subaru versions will look different.

[elster]

GravelBen said:

elster said:

Who to believe...

Announcement by Toyota, or "leaked" drawings to Autocar.

This is a tough one.

The manufacturer, or the magazine that must of printed 15 million made up sketches.

I don't see anything too contradictory about the two reports They've been clear all along that the Toyota and Subaru versions will look different.

Only the shells.

You think one car will be ready for the Tokyo Motor Show and the other wont even be a clay model?

[clarkey318is]

At least it's not as ugly as the new impreza, that thing is an absolute pig. Still, if it's designed by Toyota and Subaru together they should end up with a great rear drive chassis...I wonder if it'll be simple or bogged down by a million electrical gizmos?

[Snoggledog]

Note to Subaru.

The following examples are of nice looking 2 door coupes.





The following sketch is an example of how it should not look.



Take note Subaru.

[LCR270]

EDLT said:

Thats just a Mitsubishi Eclipse with a slightly different grill:

christ thats fugly

[LCR270]

JonRB said:

I wish Subaru had made this actually:

+1