The New 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
Spy Shots: First images of Toyota and Subaru's joint RWD sports car

Spy Shots: First images of Toyota and Subaru's joint RWD sports car

Viknesh Vijayenthiran June 4th, 2008 Viknesh Vijayenthiran By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Author June 4th, 2008
  • Articles Contributed: 3140
  • Comments Posted: 0
  • Leaderboard Rank: N/A

December 31st, 1969 Toyota and Subaru only confirmed in April the joint-development of a new affordable sports car and now we have the first images of actual prototypes caught while testing in a secret location in the UK. The new car will be sold by both Toyota and Subaru, although several reports claim the Toyota version will be exclusive to the Japanese market while the Subaru model will be a global version. In a previous interview with MotorAuthority, Subaru of America product manager Dominick Infante revealed that Toyota will largely be responsible for the styling of the car while Subaru will handle most of the engineering. This means the new model will be Subaru at heart, with a four-cylinder boxer engine in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms planned. Base models will be strictly RWD and have a power output of around 220hp. Though no official details have been released, it’s expected that an AWD flagship with 300hp from a turbocharged flat-four will be available as well. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard, although an automatic is also expected to be available. To complicate matters further, reports emerged earlier today claiming Subaru would launch a new coupe version of its Impreza with both RWD and AWD powertrains around the same time this new sports car is due. The two new coupes are expected to be differentiated largely by price and performance. The new RWD sports car is expected to be launched in late 2010 or early 2011 and will be priced from less than $20,000.Toyota Subaru Sports Car
Spy Shots: First images of Toyota and Subaru's joint RWD sports car

Spy Shots: First images of Toyota and Subaru's joint RWD sports car

Enlarge Photo

Toyota and Subaru only confirmed in April the joint-development of a new affordable sports car and now we have the first images of actual prototypes caught while testing in a secret location in the UK. The new car will be sold by both Toyota and Subaru, although several reports claim the Toyota version will be exclusive to the Japanese market while the Subaru model will be a global version.

In a previous interview with MotorAuthority, Subaru of America product manager Dominick Infante revealed that Toyota will largely be responsible for the styling of the car while Subaru will handle most of the engineering. This means the new model will be Subaru at heart, with a four-cylinder boxer engine in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms planned.

Base models will be strictly RWD and have a power output of around 220hp. Though no official details have been released, it’s expected that an AWD flagship with 300hp from a turbocharged flat-four will be available as well. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard, although an automatic is also expected to be available.

To complicate matters further, reports emerged earlier today claiming Subaru would launch a new coupe version of its Impreza with both RWD and AWD powertrains around the same time this new sports car is due.

The two new coupes are expected to be differentiated largely by price and performance. The new RWD sports car is expected to be launched in late 2010 or early 2011 and will be priced from less than $20,000.
Toyota Subaru Sports Car
Gallery
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 001
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 002
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 003
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 004
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 005
  • 2010 toyota subaru sports car motorauthority 006

Tags: Spy Shots

Posted in: Subaru, Toyota, Spy Shots, Coupes


Comments (21 total)

Meet the top commenters on the Leaderboard

  1. By The Stig #1, Posted: 6/4/2008

    late 90's/early 2000 accord headlights
    mazda3 body lines
    legacy tail end

  2. By chris #2, Posted: 6/4/2008

    reminds me of the last civic?

    funny how we havent seen a design concept for this car but theyre already road testing a platform with final(ish) body? maybe we're missing something here?

  3. By Mike W #3, Posted: 6/4/2008

    Makes you wonder why GM could not get it together with Subaru while they were partners !

  4. By Wizards Lore #4, Posted: 6/5/2008

    and dont forget the grill eo fan MG...
    guys this is a mock up...pretty good to make you think of all those other cars instead of the one they are trying to test. fair play to them !

  5. By anthony #5, Posted: 6/5/2008

    That's a "sports car", look's too bulky!

  6. By MyWheelsOnWalls.com #6, Posted: 6/5/2008

    You guys have been on this site long enough and around cars to know one thing. ITS A MULE!!!!! AKA the only thing its got in common with the finished product will be the wheel base. Ford back when it owned Jaguar had S-Type running gear installed in Lincoln Mark VIII's when S-type was a prototype.

    If I'm wrong then Chris gets a large lunch from a drive up window from me.

    As for the camo? They are trying to cover up the parts from their existing parts bins so as to hide which manufacturer built the thing.

  7. By bambam #7, Posted: 6/5/2008

    Its a Subaru legacy or liberty

  8. By U__ #8, Posted: 6/5/2008

    you haven't seen the design concept? its all over the internet by now
    try looking for Toyota AE86 replacement, then you'll how it look likes

  9. By vanity #9, Posted: 6/5/2008

    I hope it is bc of the camo but for a sports coupe, it doesnt look all that sporty ... @ least not so far.

  10. By Alan #10, Posted: 6/5/2008

    For a sports coupe, the roof is too tall and the tail too short and stubby, kind of like 1-series coupe come to think of it

  11. By admin #11, Posted: 6/5/2008

    Remember that this is a test mule and a lot of the panels are there to hide the styling features.

    Bambam - what do you mean "Its a Subaru legacy or liberty"?

  12. By chris #12, Posted: 6/5/2008

    yeah but typically a mule uses panels from other cars in the company.. ford and jag... the merc and the viper.. we've seen it before.. but if toyota is tearing up other cars just to hide their own... good on em. its confusing thats for sure.

  13. By Roy #13, Posted: 6/5/2008

    So we should have a throaty engine and ... somewhat edgy styling. I guess the only thing we can conclude is that this car is more promising than if it had been the other way around, with staid (but reliable) mechanicals from Toyota and boxy (if pretty on the new Legacy) styling from Subaru...

  14. By Khaled #14, Posted: 6/18/2008

    I think it is legacy coupe .

  15. By Brent Burghdorf #15, Posted: 6/19/2008

    Looking forward to this. I'm hoping it's a highly tunable track car that's under $20k and close to 300 hp. Thanks Toyota and Subie! Keep up the good work and you just might earn my money for my second car.

  16. By Wizlo #16, Posted: 6/24/2008

    HAHA

    Nice Focus clone!!

  17. By O_o #17, Posted: 6/25/2008

    supposed to only have around 120hp and under $13k

  18. By GKE #18, Posted: 6/29/2008

    Although this new "sports car" is said to be engineered mainly by Subaru, I doubt that Toyota's quality standards would allow for such a thing. A STI/TRD combo, perhaps?

  19. By ryuu0u #19, Posted: 7/2/2008

    wow its just a test mule so only the wheel base and chassis will be the same as the final cut no this ugly thing. have u seen the NSX test mule its pretty much a stretched S2k its obviously not gona look like that same goes here!

  20. By Bil #20, Posted: 8/15/2009

    Sorry to burst your bubble but that is the new Subaru Legacy sedan.

  21. By KFan #21, Posted: 10/14/2009

    You guys are dumb it's gonna be like an 86 Toyota; for those who don't know it's one of the cars that got it's fame from drifting

Post a Comment

Post anonymously
Sign In |
will stay private
your 'posted by' name will link to the URL

More from MotorAuthority

More from High Gear Media