Subaru has announced that it is no longer taking orders for its BRZ sports coupé, more than eight years after production began.
A message on the manufacturer's Japanese website reads: "We have finished accepting orders for build-to-order manufacturing of the models listed. Orders can only be accepted from stock at retailers." This means that the model can only be bought new while stocks last at dealerships,and buyers won't be able to specially configure their car.
The announcement is expected to mean that the near-identical Toyota GT86, which is built on the same production line at Subaru's factory in Gunma, Japan, has also ceased production. It remains available to order, however, on Toyota's Japanese website.
A replacement for the two models is due to be unveiled next year in line with the two brands extending their development partnership. It's set to pack 252bhp from a 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine used by Subaru in the US market.
Toyota will sell the new sports car alongside the GR Supra as the GR86, while the name of the Subaru version - which can be expected to launch simultaneously - isn't yet known.
The duo will sit atop an all-new platform, replacing the Subaru-developed underpinnings of the BRZ and GT86. Sources suggest Toyota's TNGA architecture will be used, because it can be adapted to suit a rear-wheel-drive powertrain, unlike Subaru's current hardware.
As well as a significant styling refresh, the two firms are likely to address criticism of the current cars' cabins with a substantial interior overhaul. Upgrades for the infotainment system and materials used can be expected, while it's possible that the rear leg room will be extended to improve practicality.
