After much speculation, the 2nd generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are now officially confirmed. Toyota and Subaru made a joint announcement today outlining the continuation of their partnership, which sees both brands collaborating on new products including a number of all-wheel-drive-equipped models and a range of electrified vehicles. As part of the alliance’s growth, Toyota will increase its equity stake in Subaru to 20 percent (from 15) and Subaru will receive shares in Toyota.
Rumors have been swirling for some time now regarding the 2nd generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ twins. After a refresh for the 2017 model year, which saw a minor bump in power for the manual-equipped models, word started to spread that their future may be in doubt. With both Toyota and Subaru officially announcing that they’re working on the sports coupes’ second generation, we can’t wait to see what’s in store.
There’s no word on what architecture will underpin the sports cars, but we won’t be surprised if it’s a modified version of the current models’ architecture. Although Toyota has TNGA-L for its rear-drive models, the vehicles currently on them are large Lexus models. Subaru’s new global platform has a longitudinal layout, but it’s made specifically for all-wheel-drive applications. Power has been a common complaint with the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, and we’re hoping that a more powerful engine, like another horizontally opposed unit, is in the cards for the 2nd generation models.
As part of the alliance expansion, Subaru will expand its use of Toyota’s hybrid system on more vehicles. In North America, the Subaru Crosstrek, a subcompact SUV, is available as a plug-in hybrid with a powertrain derived from the Toyota Prius Prime. Toyota and Subaru will also work together in developing autonomous driving and connected car tech.
Source: Toyota, Subaru
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Source: WORLD NEWS
