The End of AWD for Subaru?
Friday, March 12th, 2010Popular automotive blog LeftLane News is reporting a rumor that Subaru may be using rear wheel drive on their version of the FT-86, instead of the traditional Subaru all-wheel drive. The FT-86 is the automaker’s upcoming sports coupe, and the word on the street is that the driving factor in going to RWD instead of AWD is money. All-wheel drive costs too much.
Can there be a Subaru without AWD? The folks at LeftLane News are as shocked as we are, writing,
There is no doubting that all-wheel drive is one of, if not the biggest selling point that has long been a trademark quality of Subaru. For years the automaker has stood by the drivetrain setup because it preached about the added safety and performance of all-wheel drive. Although the company’s latest slogan may be, “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru,” many enthusiasts believe that it is all-wheel drive that makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
If Subaru does switch to RWD on the 216A sports coupe (that’s the codename for the Subaru version of the car that Toyota calls the FT-86) there will be precious little to distinguish it from Toyota’s model. Already, rumors are saying that both cars will share the same 200 HP, 2.0-liter Subaru boxer engine.
As this design year progresses, it will be interesting to watch what happens. Will Subaru end its use of AWD across the board, or simply redesign this coupe so that it’s intentionally similar to the Toyota variant? Will Subaru find the money to keep AWD.
We can only watch, and wait.
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