Uh Oh: Toyobaru FR Coupe Delayed Beyond 2012?

The jointly-developed Toyota/Subaru RWD coupe is undoubtedly one of the more hotly-anticipated new releases on the horizon, but now it seems that those hanging out for a budget tyre-burner from Toyota may have to wait a little longer yet.

Yep, it looks like the world’s slowly capsizing economy will be putting the brakes on yet another sports car project.

Toyota Motor Co has reportedly agreed with Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) to delay production of the lightweight FR coupe until 2012 at the earliest in order to give Toyota time to recover from its declining fiscal performance.

The FR Coupe, which was to use a naturally-aspirated Subaru-sourced boxer four driving the rear wheels and carry a sub-$25k pricetag, would have been Toyota’s first front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports model since the demise of the JZA80 Supra in 2002. Hopes were high that the yet-to-be-named Toyota coupe would usher in a new generation of affordable, sharp-handling sports cars, but it seems that Toyota fans will have to bide their time for this one.

Oh well, there’s always Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe and Nissan’s upcoming budget sports car to keep us busy in the meantime. Let’s just hope Toyota’s FR coupe doesn’t go the way of the NSX between now and 2012.

[Bloomberg]