Toyota bought a portion of Subaru. In the process, some Subaru plant in the states was converted over to support additional production of the Camry.
The joint venture was really an exchange of info/technology. Toyota wanted to know more about Subaru’s AWD technology and Subaru wanted to know more about Toyota’s hybrid systems. They agreed and assets were also exchanged in the process.
^^That’s the jist of what I heard went down between the two. The rumoured RWD Toybaru is supposed to be a Toyota body with Subaru drivetrain and people were calling it the next 86. There was some hype last year about it but it’s certainly all dead now I think.
I’m pretty sure the Japanese supercar battle is put on hold (no lfa/supra, no nsx, etc.), as well as the SCC battle (no 86, silvia, etc.). It’s just the GT-R and Genesis out there to claim the markets right now I think…but I wouldn’t be surprised if maybe 1 car emerged out of no where some day.
But don’t count on it…Companies world-wide will not be anywhere close to where they were at in 2007 until 2012-13. Let’s just hope 2009’s rock bottom.