THE HEAD OF SUBARU AUSTRALIA has said it would be “unlikely” that the
Subaru-branded version of Toyota’s upcoming FT-86 budget RWD sports
car (above) will ever come to Australia, citing the non-availability
of an AWD variant as the car’s biggest handicap.

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/44911/subaru-australia-says-no-to-rwd-toyobaru-model

I think this is a bad decision, driven by emotion, attachement to
image, etc.
To refuse a great product just because of lack of AWD has got to be a
mistake.

Probably great news if you live outside of Australia as supply may be
more plentiful.
Lets hope anyway.

B

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:00:13 -0700, basia (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net wrote:


Good thing I don't live in Oz. I *NEED* one of these!

They don't call me 8-6 for nothing!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ENy5KuVgZQQ/RxpFVge57sI/AAAAAAAAAFg/uX7F7zjw8zE/s1600/kawabata01.jpg

"basia (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net" <abjjkst (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote

THE HEAD OF SUBARU AUSTRALIA has said it would be “unlikely” that the
Subaru-branded version of Toyota’s upcoming FT-86 budget RWD sports
car (above) will ever come to Australia, citing the non-availability
of an AWD variant as the car’s biggest handicap.

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/44911/subaru-australia-says-no-to-rwd-toyobaru-model

I think this is a bad decision, driven by emotion, attachement to
image, etc.
To refuse a great product just because of lack of AWD has got to be a
mistake.

Speaking an ex-pat Aussie in Canada for 20 years, this is not a bad decision
at all. Rather it shows that Subaru Aust knows the market.

Australians love their sporty cars, which is why about 70% of vehicles sold
are manual transmissions. Selling a RWD "Subaru" would definitely diminish
the vehicle's status. Likewise, if Toyota sold the RWD and Subaru the AWD
(if it ever happens), the AWD would sell far better, and I'd guess that the
RWD would hardly sell at all.

SD