Sciaru BRZFRS (BreezeFrees)

[Azuremen]

Autoblog reports this

At a press conference in Japan today, Toyota CEO Katsuaki Watanabe finally confirmed that his company is jointly developing a pair of rear-wheel-drive sports cars with Subaru. Each brand will get its own version of the car, which will be powered by one of Subaru's boxer engines, though the engine's displacement, power output and even number of cylinders is not yet known.

Full article

It will be on a new platform they report, but not much else is clear. Since Subaru uses mostly 4 cylinders for performance, I am hoping its a Celica/AE86 style coupe instead of a Supra replacement. Why? Because it will be cheaper for the masses, and probably have an N/A and Turbo engine option.

Anyhow, discuss

 

[buickgnx88]

As long as it doesn't end up looking like this:

 

[Jim Prower]

That poor monstrosity of an SW20.

Yeah, It may be good if it has a Scooby engine, but the WRX I sat in at the auto show doesn't give me much hope...

 

[Tornado]

Has Subaru ever done a RWD car?

 

[buickgnx88]

Well here's another article:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/232133/

 

[exigeracer]

Azure, your avatar does not suit the thread content at all. Can't wait.

 

[Diego440]

Has Subaru ever done a RWD car?

*ahem*

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I was under the impression Subaru always tries to offer 4WD across their range. Then again, there were some FWD Imprezas.

Call me crazy, but a new mid-engine car with the boxer would be awesome. Lower centre of gravity, give the Scooby version a rear-biased 4WD system, the Toyota remains RWD to bring back the enthusiasts, and it's like an affordable R8. Right around the Z's price range?

Actually, come to think of it... as much as we'd all hope, this probably won't be in the Celica affordable mould. Toyota wants a halo sports car, and something around the Z or a modern-day MR2 would cause in-fighting with the WRX and STI for Subaru. This will probably be a more expensive model... more like an SVX. Which is still pretty damned cool by me.

 

[buickgnx88]

I've just been thinking about Toyota and the MR2....why doesn't any manufacturers offer T-tops anymore?

 

[Tornado]

*ahem*

Oh, quiet you.

 

[Philly]

Actually, come to think of it... as much as we'd all hope, this probably won't be in the Celica affordable mould. Toyota wants a halo sports car, and something around the Z or a modern-day MR2 would cause in-fighting with the WRX and STI for Subaru. This will probably be a more expensive model... more like an SVX. Which is still pretty damned cool by me.

I wouldn't worry about an MR sports car competing with the WRX/STI. I'm sure they could design a lot of the "boy racerness" out of it to move it farther from the sedans. And then Toyota could do some suspension work and get a differently tuned version of the same motor and so some other stuff to make their car the halo car they want.

I'm thinking it would be really cool if it had an STI-like motor though. I think a high-strung lightweight thing like the S2000 would be great.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> As a part-time Subie fan. I really do hope that they better not screw this up, since ever since the [GE] Impreza (regular, WRX/S-GT, STI) everything went downhill (Tiff and Tsuchiya laughs/dissapointed on it).

-> I better do hope that it won't be another SVX (although it was a decent car), overpriced underperformed. Those corporate giants (FHI and Toyota) should follow the same formula of this barnyard special made by Prodrive:

-> I'm NOT liking it, 80% FAIL.

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

The return of the Alcyone?

M4WD drivetrain layout?

It will be on a new platform they report, but not much else is clear. Since Subaru uses mostly 4 cylinders for performance, I am hoping its a Celica/AE86 style coupe instead of a Supra replacement.

That works too. I know a lot of people are looking forward to an AE86 redesign (call it the Initial D effect...). If they're gonna do it, might as well do it right, on a light and nimble platform and engine.

Call me crazy, but a new mid-engine car with the boxer would be awesome. Lower centre of gravity, give the Scooby version a rear-biased 4WD system, the Toyota remains RWD to bring back the enthusiasts, and it's like an affordable R8. Right around the Z's price range?

You're a man after my own heart!

-> As a part-time Subie fan. I really do hope that they better not screw this up, since ever since the [GE] Impreza (regular, WRX/S-GT, STI) everything went downhill (Tiff and Tsuchiya laughs/dissapointed on it).

-> I better do hope that it won't be another SVX (although it was a decent car), overpriced underperformed. Those corporate giants (FHI and Toyota) should follow the same formula of this barnyard special made by Prodrive:

Now where do we go about the petition?

 

[YSSMAN]

Make it cheap, cheap, and even more cheap and I'll be happy to get it. Affordable RWD performance is still difficult to come by here in the US...

 

[Omnis]

I'm not digging all the polygonal shapes and lines that Japan keeps pumping out.

Hopefully for Toyota this will be along the lines of MR-2. Maybe with a slightly more organic feel to it. The world is ready for an AE86 rebirth, but not in this layout. They should save the old styling cues for a real revival.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I've just been thinking about Toyota and the MR2....why doesn't any manufacturers offer T-tops anymore?

The new Solstice coupe is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. I think the market has just pushed it out; with folding hard-tops and huge panoramic roofs, people either take those or the normal tintops. The Elise and 911 Targa?

I wouldn't worry about an MR sports car competing with the WRX/STI. I'm sure they could design a lot of the "boy racerness" out of it to move it farther from the sedans. And then Toyota could do some suspension work and get a differently tuned version of the same motor and so some other stuff to make their car the halo car they want.

I'm thinking it would be really cool if it had an STI-like motor though. I think a high-strung lightweight thing like the S2000 would be great.

Heh, the STI isn't a sedan anymore . I just meant price-wise; it could cause a problem if the cars are ringing in at a similar level, even if they are very different. Of course, if they're going to be going for the same price, that means they'd be roughly the same spec, which leads me to the next part...

The return of the Alcyone?

M4WD drivetrain layout?

That works too. I know a lot of people are looking forward to an AE86 redesign (call it the Initial D effect...). If they're gonna do it, might as well do it right, on a light and nimble platform and engine.

You're a man after my own heart!

Great minds think alike!
The STI motor's great, but I think Alcyone is a superb name to bring back (SVX has no emotion). To take its place as the halo model for Subaru, a new Alcyone could take the bargain-R8 formula pretty far with a turbo'd version of the 3.0L flat six. Or hey... hasn't that engine been enlarged already from the factory for the B9? Use that, there's been rumours of a turbo'd six Legacy for years. Get Giugiaro to design it again too. Of course, it couldn't go too high-price wise; people still aren't willing to shell out huge money for a Scoob, that was the problem with the first SVX.

Make it cheap, cheap, and even more cheap and I'll be happy to get it. Affordable RWD performance is still difficult to come by here in the US...

...or, it could go this way. Maybe Scion wants a RWD car? I just wonder what engine it would use from Subaru without going to the WRX/STI engine, which brings up the whole in-fighting thing again.

I'm not digging all the polygonal shapes and lines that Japan keeps pumping out.

Hopefully for Toyota this will be along the lines of MR-2. Maybe with a slightly more organic feel to it. The world is ready for an AE86 rebirth, but not in this layout. They should save the old styling cues for a real revival.

Are you referring to the Prodrive car? Nothing Japanese about that design

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Anyone hoping for a flat-6 Alcyone revival I'm with you. This time they can make it lighter and sports orientated, it would be cool. Plus I know a certain member on here who would love that

 

[Omnis]

Are you referring to the Prodrive car? Nothing Japanese about that design

Oh, yeah, that's where I remember seeing that. My fault, but my statement still stands. Toyota and Nissan are guilty of it too anyway.

 

[Muzaffar]

That is what Toyota needs. Some help from other company and build something...... amazing! 👍 A RWD Boxer does sounds great (a Boxter alternative maybe? ) and it does shows that Toyota never forget about building sports cars. But I don't think it will be based of a Celica nor an AE86, but more on the success of the MR-S/MR2. Yeah, make it cheap, affordable, and nice all around and you have a seller here!

 

[YSSMAN]

...or, it could go this way. Maybe Scion wants a RWD car? I just wonder what engine it would use from Subaru without going to the WRX/STI engine, which brings up the whole in-fighting thing again.

A Scion tC replacement? You know, that overrated coupe that is too heavy to really be anything particularly special?

I'd be all for it if they stuck in a proper Toyota four-pot, I'm just not a fan of the F4 layout that Subie would use. I'd require a high-rev 1.8L, thanks.

 

[superberkut]

Has Subaru ever done a RWD car?

Unless Cuzco privately entered their Impreza in the GT300 series, only the 360.

*spews water* Wait until I'm done drinking!

Why would Toyota and Subaru collaborate on such a project in the first place, unless there is a very significant clue I am missing?

Mind you, that is not to criticize the final product. The styling should be interesting.

 

[Jim Prower]

Significant Clue?

Toyota now owns part of Subaru.

 

[YSSMAN]

Too add to that, all that GM had once owned is now owned by Toyota, not to mention what Toyota already owned...

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Why would Toyota and Subaru collaborate on such a project in the first place, unless there is a very significant clue I am missing?

They already collaborated on the WRX.

 

[Rykon Zero]

Is it going to be front engined or mid engined? I hope front. That way we can have a Celica 4-banger, and a Supra 6-banger. Of course, I'll get flamed for this heresy, unles they realize that the Celica and Supra were based on the same chassis.

 

[Azuremen]

Is it going to be front engined or mid engined? I hope front. That way we can have a Celica 4-banger, and a Supra 6-banger. Of course, I'll get flamed for this heresy, unles they realize that the Celica and Supra were based on the same chassis.

No, I never knew that and always wondered what the Celica Supra was /sarcasm

The only reason you'd get flamed is because you probably don't know as much as you'd like to think you.

The Supra and Celica shared 2 platforms I believed. Then the T series platform began for the Celica in its forth generation. If you want to look purely at chassis codes, the Supra was always the Celica, carrying on the A platform. The MkIII and MkIV Supra have distanced it far too much from the Celica, which is more entry level minded now.

Honestly, I hope its an MR layout, as the MR2 was always better than the Celica for budget performance, if a bit impractical. And it was more of a sports car in my mind than the Supra as well.

 

[YSSMAN]

Or Toyota could gain a few and take GM head-on with a small RWD program. I'd like to see it, and they could do a good job. Maybe. Or they could just shrink the LF-A and subtract six cylinders out of the layout or something...

An SVX revival would be sweet though. They have to keep the window tingies!

 

[Rocket Punch]

This is actually old new. I wrote about it on my blog back in September. I can't post a link cause I don't want to get banned. I am sure you can find it in my sig.

 

[Rykon Zero]

The only reason you'd get flamed is because you probably don't know as much as you'd like to think you.

I appologize, I'm just used to being around people who share their I.Q. scores with a sea sponge. I am not here to gloat what little I know about cars compared to you guys, I'm just here to learn as much about cars as I can, and have some nice clean fun. I'm sorry if I do come off as a brat, please oppose your ideas about me. Now, sorry about going off topic. Earlier today, I drew what I'd like this car to look like, and it looks like a Scion Tc mixed with a bloated Skoda, so I'm too embarrased to show it.

 

[Jim Prower]

They already collaborated on the WRX.

THAT's why the shifter felt like the Yaris's...