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Fans of the vaunted Subaru WRX could be spoiled for choice according to a new report.
Japanese magazine Best Car has reported Subaru and Toyota are preparing to collaborate on a new all-wheel drive hot hatch with rally-pedigree, which sounds eerily similar to the Subaru WRX.
The two companies have form on working together having developed the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 sports car twins.
Plus the pair have co-developed a new modular electric car platform, which will spawn several models in the next few years.
Toyota also worked with BMW to develop the new Supra and BMW Z4 sports cars. In this instance the German brand took the lead with most of the running gear, including the engine and transmission, coming from BMW.
This is all good news for long-suffering WRX fans.
Subaru has been forced to delay the next-generation WRX and WRX STI several times and it isn’t expected to arrive until next year.
Launching in 2022 would place it six years behind the launch of its donor car, the Impreza hatch, that is likely to be replaced in a few years because mainstream vehicles usually have a lifespan of about eight years between generations.
The addition of a well funded partner such as Toyota could help speed up the development of future performance cars for the smaller Subaru.
Toyota is keen to build-up its performance range – having recently launched the GR brand (Gazoo Racing) with the new Toyota Yaris GR – and a co-developed hot hatch is an easy way to flesh out its range quickly and cheaply.
Reports say the new hot hatch will follow the same route as the BMW/Toyota partnership and have a heavy WRX DNA bias.
The hot hatch is expected to have a symmetrical all-wheel drive set-up and a turbocharged four cylinder boxer engine likely to make about 213kW – two identifying features of the WRX.
Subaru is reportedly planning on putting a 298kW/489Nm version of this engine in the future WRX STI.
The hot hatch would join the pint-sized Yaris GR, which also draws inspiration from rallying.
The Yaris GR has all-wheel drive and feisty 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine making 200kW and 370Nm – which is more than the previous WRX.
Demand for Toyota performance cars is high in Australia, the first allotment of 1000 Yaris GRs sold out quickly thanks to handsome discounts from Toyota Australia. But interest has remained strong once the first discount was exhausted.
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