Like a schizophrenic love affair, the on-again, off-again Subaru/Toyota rear-wheel drive coupe is apparently off again. That morsel of sobering news comes via Detroit Free Press columnist Mark Phelan, who says that both automakers now admit that the project has been put on hold. The inexpensive 2+2 sports coupes had been the subject of much speculation and a seemingly infinite number of renderings, and in fact what looked to be an early prototype had been spotted last year.
Many enthusiasts were hoping that the car would signal Toyota’s intent to return to the performance heritage of the AE86 Corolla, while Subaru stood to benefit from having a sportier-bodied, less expensive coupe than the WRX (although the car’s RWD configuration was seemingly at odds with the company’s all-wheel drive ethos).
In any case, the goal of a pair of 2011 sports coupes has evidently fallen by the wayside as yet another victim of the global financial crisis. Despite this development, Toyota maintains its small stake in Subaru, and the two automakers will continue joint production of the Camry in Subaru’s American facility.
by Chris Paukert of AutoBlog
