We Ask Toyota and Subaru about James May's Claim that Toyota Gets 90% of GT 86/FR-S/BRZ Production

After testing the Toyota GT 86 and declaring it an absolute blast and very easy to drift even when reading a book (!), then handing it over to The Stig for the customary lap, Jeremy Clarkson sat down with the other two Top Gear hosts and discussed the news.

This is usually the less exciting part of BBC’s show. A CarScoop reader, who goes by the nickname “Uglydawg69”, though, tipped us off that in that episode during the three lads’ bantering, James May said Toyota and Subaru have agreed that the former will sell 90 out of every 100 coupes the latter manufactures at its Ota plant located 50 miles northwest of Tokyo.

In all the tons of info disclosed by the two Japanese manufacturers about their new coupes, this fact had never came up. We thought we should investigate whether this was true or not, so emails were promptly sent to Toyota USA / Scion, Toyota UK, Subaru Japan, Subaru UK and Subaru USA.

The press departments of Subaru Japan and Toyota USA / Scion unprofessionally brushed us off and did not reply to our message, but we did get an answer from the other three press contacts.

Toyota GB Press Relations manager Nik Pearson, who looked into the subject, told CarScoop the following: “This is something I have heard, yes. But to clarify, I have heard that for every 90 GT 86 produced (not sold) there will be 10 BR-Zs. So Toyota has 90 percent of the production”.

Subaru USA's products communication manager, Jessica Tullman, told Carscoop: "We can’t comment on business decisions such as those you (and Mr. May) mention. We have no idea what kind of deal would be between the companies and that would be confidential."

Subaru UK's Robin Barlett said: "Toyota do have the lion share of the production but I cannot confirm numbers or split I'm afraid. Perhaps there was the usual  TG "licence" in there."

By Andrew Tsaousis

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