Toyota and Subaru have further strengthened their long-term partnership with the announcement of a new business and capital alliance between the two companies.
The renewed partnership comes at a time of a major industry transformation which is pushing forward in the domain of connected, autonomous, shared and electric (CASE). Toyota and Subaru has already begun working jointly on a new battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform since June of this year, and will develop a new BEV model, employing Subaru’s all-wheel drive and Toyota’s electrification technologies.
Through the new capital alliance, the brands have confirmed the joint development of the next-generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ. The current-generation rear-wheel drive coupe has been in production since 2012. Although receiving multiple aesthetic updates with the underpinnings of the car remained largely the same throughout its 7 years of production. We hope the next-generation 86/BRZ will receive a power boost, as well as some inspiration from its bigger brother, the A90 Toyota Supra!
Besides a new sports car, Toyota and Subaru will also be developing new all-wheel drive models, which Toyota believes will offer the “ultimate sensation.”
Toyota President Akio Toyoda said, “During this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation, even if CASE changes how cars will be, driving enjoyment will remain an inherent part of automobiles and is something that I think we must continue to strongly preserve. I, myself, am a rallyist, and through my experience of training hard in an Impreza, I have felt in my veins the wonders of Subaru’s AWD technologies.”
The partnership between Toyota and Subaru goes back to 2005, and has seen contract production by Subaru of Toyota vehicles and supply by Toyota of vehicles to Subaru, as well as joint development of the rear-wheel-drive Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ sports car models.
The new capital alliance will see Toyota increasing its capital share in Subaru from 16.83% to a minimum of 20%, while Subaru will be acquiring a total of shares equivalent to a monetary value of 80 billion Yen. Subaru is also foreseen to become an affiliated company of Toyota.
