GM sell Subaru to Toyota

Good. Toyota and subaru will benefit unless subaru gets toyota styling. Gm affiliations just means cars get crappy GM components- case in point my 94 Isuzu Trooper had all Jap parts except tranny. Guess what went At

I don't know that this is a good thing. When it came to Subaru, GM left well enough alone (exception: Onstar). It seems to me that Toyota will be more likely to tinker with the brand in order to "Toyotafy" it.

i think toyotafying a subaru will be great! i love my toyota, it's just screwed together much better than my subaru. i got lucky with my subaru being a '99, which is pre GM. i was worried about replacement time, i didn't want to get a GM subaru, so i started thinking about other brands. but now i'll give toyota a couple of years to get the GM parts out of the bins and i'll seriously consider a new subaru.

My thoughts exactly. Toyota QC is _o_u_t_s_t_a_n_d_i_n_g_.

On another note, Subaru may now get access to the best hybrid system out there. Maybe Subaru can also get some Toyota clutches.

A high-output, turbo H4 would be really cool in an MR2 type vehicle, as well!

The downside is that both brands seem to design exterior bodywork on matchbook covers. I love Toyota trucks, but I accept the fact that they aren't the prettiest vehicles around.

yeah, that'd be great! the clutch in my '89 4runner lasted 212,000 miles, the one in my '99 legacy, only 50,000.

a high-output engine would be nice, but i don't think the problem is that toyota doesn't know how to make high-output engines, i just think they choose to optimize for longevitiy by detuning the engines a bit. in fact, i think the MR2 of the 80's had the same 22RE as my 4runner, but the 4runner engine (now with 250,000 trouble free miles) was detuned to only about 100-110 HP where as the MR2 engine was a bit more powerful.

you're right, toyota's (or even subaru's) new styling isn't that great (although, i really like the lexus IS for some reason), but i really can't think of any company right now that's doing a good job on styling. BMW was doing well for a while and they've completly ruined everything. mercedes is still pretty good, but nothing great. i was happy with vw/audi until this latest generation (although the new passat they have in europe is pretty cool looking).

mike

I'm with ya', but I'm thinking more of the "sportiness". Subie's H4's LOVE R's, staying smooth as silk past the redlines of I4's and V6's

My manual shift '01 Outback, which was a jacked up station wagon (not all that on-road sporty), just taunted you to take it into 5,000 RPM range.

I'm not so sure I want to think about a 22R @ 5,500 RPM on a regular basis.

So, with this new acquisition, is Subaru now 100% owned by Toyota? I saw a Subaru Tribeca today. It seems like a nice car... a modern and nice interior. The exterior seems a little odd, tough.

Will GM plan to sell Saab too?

Perhaps if Toyota, Subaru and other Japanese automaker stop using their design teams in California, they can produce much nicer looking cars. Otherwise, they will be making those yucky styles like HHR, Pontiac Aztek, shoe style PT Cruiser, flat face 300M, Honda element, etc.

You have a good point. Some of the stylist in California just want to make a "different" styling point. However the Japanese stylists are not in my good book. The current Subaru Outback and Forester look nicely styled to me. The Tribeca, ugh, but what OK for the box it is.

Right on. GM was once my favorite USA car company, but I haven't bought a GM product since '71.

None do, but GM has some terribly our of date technology out there. My recent experience with the 80s transmission in the '05 Impalla really surprised me. The criticism of GM selling outdated technology is valid here.

A lot of it is very subjective. I like the late-90's early-00's Outback. Nice, functional, rounded but not too much.

I also am a big fan of the WRX sedan. Nice low profile family car look with great performance. No sense attracting more attention than necessary.

I can't stand the "hamstermobile" look.