Quote:
Originally Posted by corry29
tl;dr
Not gonna lie, I'll actually be happy if the 86/BRZ gets discontinued.
And I actually see it being discontinued. Not based on rumors, but based on my educated speculation and prediction
tl; read
1. 86/BRZ are not doing so well in sales right now.
2. This partnership between Toyota and Subaru cannot go on forever.
-I can see Toyota keeping this car in the lineup IF Toyota decides to source their own engine. Which means Toyota will completely do an overhaul of the whole entire car to incorporate TNGA and source their own engine. Because I doubt Toyota will develop a new in-house BOXER engine for this existing zn6 platform (assuming the partnership does not last)
-OR TOYOTA SHOULD JUST COMPLETELY BUY OFF SUBARU AND PUT SUBARU UNDER TOYOTA. I mean if you look long term. The future of automobiles is hybrid and electric. And if you look at Subaru, they don't seem to be going anywhere. So might as well be protected under Toyota. Honestly, if you think about it, how long do you think Subaru has to last? What is there going to be left for Subaru?
3. It's been MANY years, and Toyota and Subaru still hasn't provided the proper power needed to the FA20.
-Don't get me wrong. I'm actually against "more power" to the platform. I believe in the philosophy and balance. But when looking at it from a consumer's view or the un-initiated consumer, the 200HP FA20/4UGSE is not going to holdup to whatever the future has going on between Toyota and Subaru.
-With Toyota going for a powerful Supra, and supposedly a rumored MR-2 successor or SF-R, there's technically no room for the 86. The suppose "3 brothers of Toyota" were always the Supra, Celica and the MR-2.
-For Subaru it's always about their BOXER/AWD. So without Toyota, the BRZ itself does not have a reason to be in Subaru's lineup.
From how I see it, it makes sense to discontinue the 86 in the near future. Toyota and Subaru can't pretend to best friends forever, unless Toyota buys Subaru off and put everything Subaru owns including their boxer engines under Toyota. Because I doubt Subaru can buy Toyota off. In the end, I think Subaru needs Toyota's help to survive. (Or another prominent company)
Plus, it'll make our 86/BRZ/FRS more desirable in the future. Because right now as we speak, this car is not that desirable, owners usually look elsewhere after 3-4 years ownership. At least majority of them. It takes a enthusiast or someone who understands Toyota/Subaru's true intentions and philosophy of this car to keep it for this long.
For those who actually read it, what you think? haha
I kinda kept rambling there, sorry
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So when do we get to hear the "educated speculation"?
Toyota is not going to buy more of Subaru to continue production of a small volume niche vehicle. That is silly to even suggest.
Toyota already owns almost 20% of Fuji heavy metal industries. That may not sound like much but in a publicly traded company that gives them a huge amount of control.
Subaru is one small part of the whole Fuji business. They could probably lose money on all their cars and still operate. There is a big picture involved.
Toyota and Subaru are not "pretending" to be friends. Joint ventures in car manufacturing are not new and this is not an isolated example. Many joint ventures have gone on for decades.
Subaru may be late to the EV/Hybrid party but they are joining. It makes some business sense to sit back at let others develop the tech before jumping into the fray. Even if they didn't want to be involved why would Toyota buy them just to have them be left way behind?
Not even going to address the "proper power" comment as that has been hashed out many times.
This was never intended to be a money making vehicle. Volumes would have been planned to be low and profit non monetary right from the start. If the car is discontinued then it was most likely scheduled to be back before the first one ever left the assembly plant. Neither Toyota nor Subaru are some little Mom and Pop shop that run by the seat of their pants and make last minute decisions based on current events. Speculation is fun but making guesses based on little or no knowledge of the industry is just funny.