Subaru 086a (FT-86) version unlikely for Australia & no AWD version in the works, says Subaru Australia managing director

Bummer for Subaru fans from down under. The FT-86 (086a joint platform) which Subaru has co-developed with Toyota will likely not be heading to Australia, at least as a Subaru model. This announcement was made by Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior following the unveiling of the Toyota FT-86 at the Tokyo Motor Show, currently under way. According to Mr. Senior:

“There are elements of that car (FT-86) that don’t fit with our Subaru DNA in Australia,” Senior said. “We understand that car is a global car and we will at sometime have to sit down and think about how it fits in terms of all-wheel drive and some other things.

“But where I sit today it doesn’t fit and it would be a brave decision to take it. At the moment I would say we are unlikely to see it as a Subaru.

“The obvious issue is it is rear-wheel drive and quite plainly no-one is building an all-wheel-drive version at the moment so there is one key thing.

“We have hung our hats on all-wheel drive for nearly 12 years now, so why would we step away from something that has been ultra-successful for us and given us the highest share of any major Subaru distributorship in the world?”

Does this also signal the unlikelihood of a Subaru version of the FT-86 for the rest of the world, or just that there are no current plans for a Subaru AWD version ?

See HERE for what our forum members have to say about this.