Subaru car maker Fuji Heavy Industries on Monday said it would buy about 6,000 compact cars a year from Toyota unit Daihatsu for sale in Europe from this autumn.
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Daihatsu will replace Suzuki as Fuji Heavy’s supplier as part of their closer ties formed after Toyota took an equity stake in Fuji Heavy in late 2005, a Reuters report said.
Suzuki and Fuji Heavy were both linked to General Motors until the US automaker sold off its 20% stake, partly to Toyota, the news agency noted.
The new car, to be based on Daihatsu’s Boon model co-developed with Toyota, will be sold as the Subaru Justy. Subaru, best known for its all-wheel-drive cars, needs small cars in its line-up to meet voluntary targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in Europe, Reuters added.
Daihatsu builds the Boon, also sold as the Toyota Passo, in Japan and sells it as the Sirion in Europe, the report said.
Versions of previous generation Hungarian-built Suzuki Swift models were made for Subaru to sell as the Justy in Europe.
