Subaru (スバル?) is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (FHI).
They are known for their use of boxer engines in their vehicles and full-time AWD, as well as their turbocharged performance vehicles, such as the Subaru Impreza WRX.
Fuji Heavy Industries, and in turn, Subaru are currently affiliates of Toyota Motor Corporation, with them owning 8.7% of FHI.
Modified versions of the Impreza WRX and WRX STi have been competing successfully in car rallies and drivers such as Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg have won World Rally Championship titles under Subaru. The Subaru World Rally Championship cars are prepared and run by Prodrive, the highly successful British Motorsport team. Several endurance records were set in the early and mid-nineties by the Legacy.

FHI started out as “The Aircraft Research Laboratory” in 1917 headed by Chikuhei Nakajima. In 1931, the company was reorganized as “Nakajima Aircraft Company, Ltd”, the main airplane manufacturer for Japan in WWII.
At the end of the Second World War, Nakajima Aircraft was again reorganized, this time as Fuji Sangyo Co, Ltd. In 1946, Fuji Sangyo created its first Rabbit motor scooter with spare aircraft parts from the war. In 1950, Fuji Sangyo was divided into 12 smaller corporations according to the 1950 Corporate Credit Rearrangement Act, but between 1953-1955, four of these corporations and a newly formed corporation formed by an alliance of the four aforementioned companies were again merged together to form the Fuji Heavy Industries we know today.
Kenji Kita, the CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries at the time, wanted the new company to be involved in car manufacturing, and chose the name Subaru to grace its first car, the Subaru P1 in 1954. From 1954 to 1989 the company designed and manufactured dozens of vehicles including the P1 (1954), the 360 (1958), the Sambar (1961), the 1000 (1965), the 1100 and the R2 (1969), the Subaru Leone (1971, 1975 and 1977), the Subaru Domingo (1983), the Subaru Alcyone (1985) and the Legacy (1989).
It is currently an affiliate of Toyota Motor Corporation, with their owning 8.7% of FHI. They acquired that stake from General Motors, who bought 20% of FHI in 1999 to have an extended presence in international markets, and collaborate technologically with FHI. Before that, the stake owned by GM was owned by Nissan, who acquired the stake in 1968 during a period of government-ordered merging of Japanese auto industry to merge in order for improved competitiveness under the administration of Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. Later on, they would utilize FHI’s bus manufacturing capability and expertise for their Nissan Diesel line of buses. In turn, many Subaru vehicles, even today, use parts from the Nissan manufacturing keiretsu. In fact[citation needed], it was Subaru that introduced Renault to Nissan when they asked for assistance in all-wheel drive (AWD) technology, when FHI told Renault to discuss their plans with Nissan, the discussions eventually led to the successful Renault-Nissan alliance.
In the United States, the Subaru attracted a following among the young and educated, and as a lightweight SUV alternative to the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wagoneer or even the expensive Volvo. It has historically been popular in US regions such as the Pacific Northwest , the North American Rocky Mountains region and New England, with relatively high resale values and owner loyalty rates. However, facing pressure from competition from the large Japanese brands, Subaru would switch to marketing only AWD cars and wagons. The Subaru Outback wagon, based on the Legacy and modified with SUV-like stance, bumpers, and roof, became the best selling wagon in the US during the 2000s as many other wagon body styles declined and vanished. most notably the Audi Allroad.

Subaru Impreza Rally Car
In the 1990s the company moved away from small commercial vehicles and concentrated on the development of mainstream passenger car models, starting with the Legacy and including the controversially styled six-cylinder SVX (1992), and the Impreza (1992). With the rise of rally racing, and the Import scene in the US, the introduction of the highly anticipated Subaru Impreza WRX in 2001 was successful in bringing high performance, AWD compact cars into the sports car mainstream just like VW/Audi did years before.[1]In 1995 the company created the Sambar EV electric van. In 1997 the Forester was introduced to the world market, followed by the third generation design of the Legacy platform (1998).
During the General Motors period, a modified Impreza was sold in the United States as the Saab 9-2X. An SUV (Subaru Tribeca / SAAB 9-6X) was also planned[2][3]but the SAAB version did not proceed.[4]
From 1995 to 2000, Subaru ran a series of advertisements for the Subaru Outback which starred Paul Hogan. The advertisements were intended to highlight Subaru’s all wheel drive, and depicted the Outback in a number of rugged Australian locations. The tagline “the world’s first sport utility wagon” was successfully used by Subaru, though the AMC Eagle had tried much the same idea, with less success in the 1980s.
On October 5, 2005 Toyota stated that it will purchase 8.7% of the shares of FHI from General Motors. GM announced that it will divest its 20% stake in and eventually sever all ties with FHI. FHI has stated that there have been 27 million shares (3.4%) acquired before the start of trading by an unknown party on October 6, 2005. It has been speculated that a bank or perhaps another automaker was involved. Toyota announced a contract with Subaru on March 13, 2006. The under-utilized Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant in Lafayette, Indiana will hire up to 1,000 workers and set aside an assembly line for the Camry model, beginning in spring 2007.
On December 20, 2006 Subaru announced the development of a variable vane, common rail turbodiesel engine to power a wide range of products. Subaru has not yet released the displacement or power ratings of this new engine. At the 2007 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, Subaru unveiled that it would be available in Europe beginning in 2008.

Source:Wikipedia

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by Chris Shunk

The current Subaru B9 Tribeca is a lot like the person with whom your mother wants to set you up. It has a “nice personality,” but “good looks” never comes up in conversation. The B9 has been a disappointment to both Subaru fans and company executives who were hoping for much better sales numbers. Help may be on the way, however, with improved power, fuel economy, and looks (we hope).

Subaru is set to unveil part two of the crazy experiment they call the B9 Tribeca at the New York Auto Show. The scribes over at Automobile are reporting that the B9 Tribeca will lose some of its ugly with a more conventional grille and wider, narrower headlights. It’ll also sport a new 3.6L V6 engine with 254 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, which beats the current model’s 3.0L by 9 hp and 32 lb-ft. The new V6 will also provide 10% better fuel economy while running on regular gasoline instead of the current model’s premium fuel.

We’re happy to hear the B9 Tribeca will gain new power and improved fuel economy, but we’re not going to commit to a blind date until we see some pictures.

[Source: Automobile]

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by Noah Joseph

We know special editions aren’t really so special anymore, but usually automakers give a name to their marketing gimmicks. It tends to be more effective that way. But Subaru has apparently decided to do without one as they offer a special edition of the new Outback to British customers. As we reported from the Detroit show floor, the Outback and Legacy were both revised for 2007 with new features and an updated look. This special version comes packed with ₤1000 worth of options at no additional charge over the sticker price of the ordinary Outback 2.5 SE on which it’s based.

The package included a Momo leather steering wheel with built-in audio controls, an ivory leather interior and rear air-conditioning vents. The special Outback is available in either Diamond Grey Metallic or Dark Green Mica with Urban Grey bodycladding and bumpers.

Something for nothing – you can’t beat that.

[Source: Subaru]

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by Frank Filipponio

For U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Steven Schulz, losing the ability to drive his beloved blue Subaru WRX was one of the more painful aspects of his Iraq war injuries. The 22-year-old veteran had his leg, brain, skull and vision damaged in Fallujah 20 months ago when a roadside bomb exploded near him. His dreams of racing were over, and even driving was out of the question. But recently his father, Steven Sr., found out that he could drive a golf cart on his Friendswood city streets if he needed to. And that’s how it all started.

The most recent chapter of the story goes something like this: A ragtag parade of 50 friends, family members and generous supporters made their way down his suburban Texas street to deliver a customized Subaru golf cart that matches the car he can no longer drive. On Christmas Eve, Steven stepped outside his house and saw not only the cart, but the whole group of people responsible for the gift as well.

The golf cart itself is one of only five made for the Subaru World Rally team. McRee Subaru in Dickinson added a lift kit, and other items and services were donated to make it better for Schulz. Things like a special steering wheel with the U.S. Marine Corps logo on it, graphics, a stereo system and special tires, a trailer hitch, under dash lighting, and even a Sparco racing harness. Although the gift was a wonderful one and Schulz appreciated it immensely, there are still medical costs to consider so the fundraising website is still up. The person behind the site, Barry Waxman, is the person who was most responsible for the gift.

Waxman met Schulz through other Subaru owners a year ago and heard that Steven’s dad was looking for a Subaru golf cart. He knew what to do, and started the site that raised more than $14,000 in donations from people across the country. In just three days they had already raised the $9,000 for the golf cart, so the additional $5,000 went to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, which helped Steven during his surgeries. Click the “Read” link to learn the full story and to find out how you too can help.

Thanks for the tip, Wraith!

[Source: Galveston Daily News via Helpsteven.com]

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TOKYO — As part of the Subaru Boxer’s 40th birthday party, parent Fuji Heavy Industries confirmed on Tuesday that the company is “in the final stages of developing a diesel boxer for launch within the next three years.”

The Japanese company reaffirmed its philosophy on boxer engines, saying they are “an integral part of Subaru’s future plans.”

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subarus, introduced the boxer in 1966 in the Subaru 1000, a sedan with a one-liter, four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. The company said, “Initially the flat-4 engine was considered quirky, but it paved the way for the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.”

The horizontally opposed engines are called “boxer” because the cylinders are positioned sideways, with pumping action that resembles the punching motions of a boxer.

The engine powers the current Impreza WRX, Forester XT and Legacy GT.

What this means to you: Your next boxer engine may be a diesel.

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