Toyota, Scion, and Subaru Join Forces on the World's Newest Sports Car

Toyota and Subaru Join Forces on the World’s Newest Sports Car

Toyota and Subaru are two of the world’s most reliable car companies. Both have distinctive advantages when it comes to performance, as well. Toyota has produced many high performing race and production cars, and Subaru is well-known for its success on the rally circuit. Both companies are more than qualified when it comes to designing and manufacturing a production sports car, but both companies had previously encountered significant hurtles.

Toyota had the economies of scale and expertise to build a sports car for the mass market, but lacked any free space on their production lines for a new and uncertain project. Subaru has expanded their productive capacities in recent years, but lacked the resources to sponsor such a new project. Thankfully, both companies found that they could combine forces to make the world’s newest sports car a reality. Designers and Engineers from both companies worked together to design the new automobile and Toyota’s resources merged with Subaru’s production facilities to make the project a reality. The product of their hard work will be released in the spring of 2012. Toyota will market the car under the Scion brand as the FR-S, and Subaru will market their version of the car as the BRZ. The specifications and design characteristics of the new model have potential buyers chomping at the bit. Here’s why:

First and foremost, both models (nearly identical in terms of specifications) are really fun to drive. The engine comes from Subaru: a 2 liter power plant matched with Toyota’s D-4S DOHC injection system. Together, they produce 200 hp and 151 ft-lbs of torque. With a gross weight below 2700 lbs, the result is a very fast, very sporty sports car. What’s more, the Subaru boxer engine is mounted so low within the chassis that the car’s center of gravity is lower than that of the Porsche Cayman S.

In the tradition of the classic sports car, both models are configured with rear wheel drive, and a performance suspension system—Macpherson struts in the front; double wishbones in the back. Engines are technically front-mounted, but engineers placed it as far back as possible, allowing for an excellent weight distribution ratio. A firm suspension and light-weight chassis allow both the BRZ and FR-S to handle like true lightweight sports cars, while accelerating from 0-60 mph like its’ much more expensive competitors: an estimated 6.2 seconds.

Finally, the price of these models has been structured to attract new and younger buyers towards both Toyota (Scion) and Subaru. The most recent estimates place the potential price point around $25,000. For some hopeful buyers, the spring release date cannot come fast enough. While no outcome is certain, the current level of excitement in the Scion and Subaru communities point towards instant classics.

Please feel free to ask me any questions on this topic in the comment section below, I would be more than happy to answer them for you.