Daihatsu Motor may supply Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries with more cars, strengthening an alliance between the two companies affiliated with Toyota Motor, informed sources told a Japanese news agency on Tuesday.
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Fuji Heavy is asking top shareholder, Toyota, to have its Daihatsu subsidiary supply subcompact cars for sale in Japan under the Subaru brand, the sources told Kyodo News.
Daihatsu may also supply minivehicles to Fuji Heavy on an original equipment manufacturers (OEM) basis, the sources reportedly said.
Daihatsu already builds minicars for Fuji to sell in Europe as the Subaru Justy line. Fuji previously sourced this model from Suzuki in Europe.
Fuji Heavy is also considering supplying medium-sized passenger cars to Daihatsu under the deal, the sources told Kyodo News.
Fuji Heavy manufactures Toyota’s Camry sedan at its US factory, supplementing Toyota’s own US output.
Kyodo News noted that Toyota became Fuji Heavy’s leading stakeholder after purchasing 68m shares, an 8.7% stake, in the company from General Motors in October 2005.
