Toyota Gazoo Racing and Subaru have announced the unveiling of a new jointly developed car, to take place on the 5th of April 2021. Although next-to-no official details have been revealed about the project, the presentation will be entitled “let’s make better cars together,” signifying that the two Japanese carmakers will continue to expand upon their relationship.
What could this new car be? The apparent
assumption is that it’ll be the unveiling of the latest 86 and BRZ duo. The
Subaru BRZ has, of course, already been unveiled for the North American market
and features a similar approach to the front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car
as the old one. However, it was also previously reported that Toyota’s
president, Akio Toyoda, has asked engineers to delay the forthcoming 86 to make
it distinct from the Subaru it is based upon.
If the 5th of April’s announcement turns
out to be Toyota’s GR 86, it would likely mean that the production model is
closer than predicted. But, if it’s not the 86/BR-Z, then what else could be in
the pipeline from the Toyota and Subaru camps? We already know that Toyota and
Subaru are jointly developing an SUV under the platform name, “e-TNGA.” The SUV
will be an EV, with the “Evoltis” name floated for the Subaru variant. Rumors
have also indicated the e-TNGA architecture can accommodate battery packs with
capacities ranging from 50 kWh to 100 kWh. This could allow for ranges up to
373 miles (600 km).
However, let’s not forget that today’s
announcement pertains to a model under the GR (aka Gazoo Racing) nameplate. The
chances of the EV SUV being placed under Gazoo, Toyota’s sportscar sub-brand,
are slim. If not the e-TNGA SUV, this would also imply that the next 86 will be
a “GR 86”, something we’ve long anticipated.
An even longer shot may be the rumor that
Toyota and Subaru are working on a sporty compact hot-hatch. The “WRC machine”
would have a body size similar to that of the Impreza, and fall in line with
Toyota’s promise to bring a small GR hatchback to the US.
