The designers cut a few corners
Subaru is worried that a collaboration with Toyota to build a RWD coupe could dilute its brand, it has been reported.
PistonHeads brought you news that the two companies were working together on a new sports car at the beginning of February.
Since then it has been widely reported that the collaboration will take place and will result in a rear-drive, lightweight coupe.
Subaru has long established itself as a four-wheel drive manufacturer and is apparently worried that the new Scooby/Toyota may chip away at that hard-earned image.
Fuji Heavy Industries overseas sales chief, Mat Nagato, told reporters: ‘We may lose our longstanding territory, or we may lose the great niche brand image. The potential risk is there.
‘We have to be very smart on marketing strategy.
‘This issue has to be weighed against the short-term gain of a new, inexpensive model for enthusiasts and Subaru's continued growth, but the simple solution would be to nix the Subaru version altogether, allow Toyota to brand the new coupe as its own and rake in the cash provided by the partnership.
‘Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, so the only thing Subaru can do now is make an attempt to differentiate its own version from Toyota's, while praying that consumers won't forget what "Makes a Subaru a Subaru.’"
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 4 3"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1 1"%3E%3C/svg%3E)