The economic downturn has claimed another victim. Subaru and Toyota have confirmed their joint small sports car project is on hold. Together, they announced the new vehicle back in April, 2008, as a rear-wheel-drive with Subaru’s horizontally opposed boxer engine. Both companies were to sell the car under different names, and with different bodywork.

Toyota has had a small stake in Subaru since 2005, when GM dumped the label. Since then, the two have formed a limited alliance that will see an American Subaru plant as a production facility for the Toyota Camry. That part of the plan is still in effect. Subaru was also set to receive an OEM mini-sized car from Daihatsu, and a small OEM car from Toyota. Continue reading Toyota Subaru Joint Compact Sports Car Project on Hold

The very first Subaru Impreza World Rally Car (WRC), a 1997 model with chassis number PRO-WRC-97-001 has been put up for sale by the Japanese firm’s official partner in the WRC Prodrive. The two-door Impreza WRC was the very first car built under the new WRC regulations introduced in 1997 and during that season, the chassis was used by the late Colin McRae, Pierro Liatti and Kenneth Erikkson before being rebuilt and sold to a Prodrive customer in 1998.

The rally-prepped Impreza has been fully restored to its original condition by McKinstry Motorsport in Ireland and liveried as it was at the Rally of Finland in 1997. And now the answer to the question we’re sure that all you Subie fans are dying to know; how much? Well, the car carries a price tag of £85,000 which come to around $123,000 U.S. or €96,500 with today’s exchange rates.

And if the ‘97 Impreza isn’t your cup of coffee, Prodrive has also put up for grabs another seven former works Impreza World Rally Cars and 17 Prodrive Impreza Group Ns via its new site. Prices range from £50,000 ($72,000 U.S. or €56,700) for a 2005 Prodrive Impreza Group N to nearly £350,000 ($504,00 U.S. or € 397,000) for an early 2008 specification Impreza WRC.

Who says that desirable limited-edition cars have to be unattainable exotics? Clearly not Subaru. The company has just released what might be the most wallet-friendly special edition ever in the UK: the Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition. Production of the striped and spoilered supermini will be limited to just 100 cars. At under £10,000 each, this means that then entire production run could be had for less than the cost of a chrome-plated Bugatti Veyron.

The thumb-sized Justy is a city car based on the Daihatsu Sirion, and in 1.0R form it looks the part of a maximum-economy urban minicar; it’s boxy and conservative. The 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition adds a healthy dose of excitement in the form of exclusive paint (in a choice of Black Mica or Shining Red) and over-the-roof “viper stripes,” a roof spoiler, privacy glass and a dual exhaust. Inside, the Justy’s tarted up with a leather and alloy shift knob. 15-inch Monza R alloy wheels are also available. Continue reading Subaru Justy 1.0 Twin Cam Special Edition (UK)