Among car manufacturers, there are those who form long-term partnerships and form solid groups. Like VW (Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Lamborghini, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Cupra, without forgetting Ducati motorcycles and Scania and Man trucks), Renault (Renault, Dacia and Alpine) and of course the giant Stellantis (Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat Automobiles and Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, and Leapmotor).
If the Japanese Toyota also forms an automobile group with the brands Lexus, Daihatsu, Subaru, Scion and Hino Trucks, This in no way prevents it from occasionally sealing opportunistic alliances with manufacturers from all walks of life in order to benefit from judicious partnerships on all global markets.
Across the Atlantic, Toyota has joined forces with Chevrolet, Pontiac and Mazda as well as Dodge to design military vehicles. In South Africa, the Suzuki Baleno and Celerio are also marketed as the Toyota Starlet and Toyota Vitz respectively. And to complicate things, at least from our European point of view, in Japan a good number of Lexus models are also offered in the Toyota range, for example, the first generation Lexus IS distributed under the Toyota Altezza badge as a sedan like as a station wagon, and the Lexus GS marketed under the name Toyota Aristo (a little connoted as a name in Europe and especially in France).
Rest assured, we are not going to inflict the torture of a Prévert-style inventory on you because in terms of collaborations with other brands Toyota is the undisputed championno less than 305 models have been shared since the manufacturer’s debut. We will focus on 12 achievements, most of which you have undoubtedly already encountered in the streets.
Electric Toyotas
Last week Toyota lifted the veil on the new Urban Cruiser, a name already used by the brand from 2009 to 2013. This time, this 100% electric urban SUV is a clone of the Suzuki e Vitara (4.28 m long). Between the two Japanese models, only the muzzle changes, everything else remains common. Another collaboration, still in the context of plug-in leisure vehicles, on the upper floor between the Toyota bZ4x and the Subaru Solterra, two machines measuring 4.69 m.
Toyota city cars
Currently, the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 Hybrid duo is still in the catalog. The Mazda 2 Hybrid has even emancipated itself a little from the first, benefiting from a restyling in the fall of 2023, a surgical operation characterized by the arrival of a facies clearly distinguishable from that of its matrix.
But before that, Toyota was an ally from 2005 of the PSA group, at the time, forming the trio Citroën C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo until 2014 before the replacements C1 “2” / 108 / Aygo “2” do not take over until 2021. And to a lesser extent from 2011 to 2013, the very confidential Aston Martin Cygnet produced in only 600 copies was the very chic clone of the Toyota iQ.
The advantage of the hybrid of Toyota wagons
Suzuki is the specialist in small sizes, models relevant to its native archipelago, but when it comes to performing in Europe with families, the Hamamatsu brand struggles a little. This is where Toyota comes in to help, killing two birds with one stone, providing its compatriot with two vehicles dedicated to families, both benefiting from hybrid technology. for the Suzuki Swace station wagon clone of the Toyota Corolla and plug-in hybrid for the Suzuki Across twin of the Toyota RAV4 which has just celebrated its 30th anniversary.
Sports Toyotas
The development of a sports coupe is always expensive, particularly due to the low distribution of the model. This is why Toyota teamed up with BMW for its fifth generation Supra, which bears the internal code G90 and which was launched in 2019. The Bavarian brand took the opportunity to design its third generation BMW Z4 roadster (project code G29) marketed from 2018.
Both models benefit from the same production site at Magna Steyr in Austria and to avoid stepping on each other’s toes, Toyota’s car has the closed body of a coupe while BMW’s is a convertible. Another collaboration, on the lower level with the Toyota GT86 coupes then its replacement Toyota GR86 which were both available under the Subaru brand.
Utility vehicles: Toyota’s reliability may be undermined
In the field of utility vehicles, Toyota has already established numerous partnerships on the Japanese archipelago for small models perfectly suited to local uses. On the other hand, for its range intended for professionals in Europe, this type of collaboration is no longer appropriate at all.
This is why Toyota turned to Stellantis to benefit from three vehicles whose formats are popular with artisans on the old continent.. The latest being the Toyota ProAce Max.
- Toyota ProAce City & Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Opel Combo, Fiat Doblo
- Toyota ProAce & Citroën Jumpy, Peugeot Expert, Opel Vivaro, Fiat Scudo
- Toyota ProAce Max & Citroën Jumper, Peugeot Boxer, Opel Movano, Fiat Ducato
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