2021 Subaru Wrx on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Scion rules out roadster, turbo versions of FR-S

Ever since Toyota and Subaru released the sports car alternatively known as the GT86, 86, BRZ and Scion FR-S a couple of years ago, rumors have circulated that even more exciting variants could be in store. But at least as far as Scion is concerned, those rumors are apparently nothing more than wishful thinking. Speaking with WardsAuto at the LA Auto Show last week, Scion chief Doug Murtha said that the prospect of an FR-S roadster has been taken off the table entirely. Apparently Scion lobbied parent company Toyota to produce just such a model, but after failing to find other markets interested enough in the model to put it into production, corporate HQ said no. "I think we were pretty aggressive on our (submitted plan), but we looked at what we would have conceivably lost on the product and said, 'We're not going to even push it further,'" Murtha said, going on to note, "Nobody was more disappointed than we were." Murtha further shot down the idea of a turbo version of the FR-S, dismissing it as a prospect the blogosphere (that's us) wanted to happen but "that's not something that's coming." Either variant might have helped Scion and Toyota boost sales of the model (which are predictably dropping after their first two years on the market), but the investment also might not have paid off their development, tooling and marketing costs. Of course, Murtha can only speak for Toyota, but we'd be surprised to see Subaru go it alone on either model, as costs would be that much more prohibitive without a partner. Bummer.

Next-generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ confirmed

Toyota and Subaru jointly announced today that they would be continuing and expanding their alliance. Toyota will be taking a larger stake in Subaru, bringing the total to 20%, and Subaru will respond in kind by buying shares equal to the value of those purchased by Toyota. In terms of product, the two companies will reportedly swap knowledge in the development of all-wheel-drive systems, battery-electric powertrains and connected/autonomous driving technologies. Oh, and there will be a next-generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ. Despite less-than-stellar sales, the two companies confirmed that the rear-wheel-drive Toyabaru twins will be returning for a sequel. No details about them were provided, but a second-generation has widely been speculated and reported, with Australia's Motor quoting Supra chief engineer Tatsuya Tada confirming as such. "We have a new 86 team," he told Motor. "We have to make a new 86 that surpasses the Supra ... that is what the customer expects." Beyond that, there is rampant speculation of where the rear-drive platform will originate (a derivative of Toyota's TNGA platform, something boosted from Mazda, aliens), as well as what might find its way under the hood (virtually anything would be better than what's there now). A Japanese publication even suggested it might even be previewed next month at the Tokyo Motor Show.  In any event, expect the next-generation Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 to be a continuous source of interest for the next few years.  Subaru Toyota Coupe Future Vehicles Performance

Subaru plans biggest-ever global recall over brake lights

TOKYO — Subaru Corp plans to recall around 2.3 million vehicles globally over a brake light problem, in what would be the automaker's biggest-ever recall as it grapples with a series of quality-related issues following rapid expansion. Japan's sixth-largest automaker told Reuters on Friday that it was recalling nearly 2 million of its popular Impreza and Forester models in the United States, its biggest market, and other countries, along with around 300,000 units in Japan to fix a fault with the brake light switch which can lead to ignition problems. Vehicles affected were produced from 2008 through 2017. If all of the identified vehicles are recalled, it would be the automaker's biggest in terms of affected units, excluding the ongoing Takata airbag recall. Since late 2017, Subaru has been reeling from a host of problems ranging from faulty components to inspection re-dos which, coupled with weakening sales in the United States, has forced the automaker to slash its full-year profit outlook to its weakest in six years. Quality-related issues have cast a pall on the automaker which enjoyed years of rapid growth in the United States, where it won over affluent and liberal-minded consumers with advertisements featuring slogans championing love and inclusion. Such branding boosted the image of the relatively tiny automaker, prompting it to ramp up production in the United States, which accounts for around 60 percent of its global sales volume. But in January, Subaru halted production at its sole car factory in Japan for nearly two weeks, holding up roughly 60 percent of its global output after it found a defect in a power steering component. Late last year, it announced a global recall of its signature boxer engines over an issue with its valve springs, while it has launched a series of domestic recalls for re-inspections after it admitted to cheating on testing processes. Related Video: