Automotive News - February 12, 2018 - v2 - 33

SUBARU OF AMERICA

FEBRUARY 12, 2018 * 33

50 YEARS

Subies of
significance
360

Every automaker has its initial vehicle for the U.S. market, and
for Subaru, it is the 360 micro car. Priced at $1,297 and
claiming 66 mpg, the 360 was powered by a 360cc two-cylinder
engine. Hence the name.
But it was slow. It took 37 seconds to hit 50 mph. Consumer
Reports was not kind to it in an early review.
Subaru has not shied away from the little car in its history. The
360 has been part of the brand's auto show circuit, displayed
alongside Subaru's current offerings to illustrate how far the
Japanese automaker has come in 50 years here.

While Subaru of America's current lineup is anchored by crossovers,
the automaker has sold a wide variety of vehicles over its 50 years in the
U.S. Here are 10 notable Subaru nameplates of different shapes and sizes.
BY JACK WALSWORTH I jwalsworth@crain.com

The sporty coupe joined the lineup in 1985 with
Subaru claiming it was a "bold departure" from
the brand's traditional design. Its wedge shape,
pop-up headlights and digital dash all helped the
XT stand out during its six-year run.
The automaker also had some fun with the XT
when it came to advertising. One ad read, "The
kind of car Mercedes might have built if they were
a little more frugal and a lot more inventive."

Justy

DL/GL wagon

Subaru's current lineup features the wagonlike crossovers Outback,
Forester and Crosstrek. All three can trace their heritage to the allwheel-drive DL/GL wagon that debuted in the 1970s. The wagon
was a key product from a marketing perspective, serving as the
official vehicle of the U.S. Ski Team from 1975 until 1994 and
giving widespread attention to Subaru's all-wheel-drive capability.

The tidy subcompact is notable for the fact that
it contained the U.S. debut of the continuously
variable transmission when it appeared in 1987.
Subaru combined the subcompact's threecylinder engine with a CVT, a combination that
proved to be of little interest to U.S. consumers.
Subaru ended U.S.
sales of the Justy
in 1994.

Legacy

The Legacy was a milestone for being the first
Subaru model manufactured in the U.S. when the
Indiana plant opened in September 1989.
Featuring a crisp look and all-wheel drive, the
Legacy became a practical choice for shoppers
looking for a family vehicle. It also introduced the
brand to a wider audience.
Subaru quickly expanded the Legacy offerings with
a wagon, which would later evolve into the Outback.
The sedan, now in its sixth generation, is the
brand's oldest nameplate in Subaru's U.S. lineup
and is still built in Lafayette, Ind.

Brat

The Brat, which stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain
Transporter, is one of the most iconic products Subaru has
offered in the U.S. The two-door pickup featured the same awd
system as the DL/GL wagons and, famously, two seats bolted
into the cargo bed, as if to suggest the perfect accommodation
for lakeside fishing or an outdoor concert. But the extra seats
weren't just for looks. By including them, Subaru got around the
25 percent chicken tax import tariff that non-U.S.-built light-duty
trucks faced.
Before he became president, Ronald Reagan famously drove a
Brat on his California ranch.

Outback

What started out as a trim package on the Legacy
wagon turned into one of Subaru's best selling
nameplates in the U.S. Subaru referred to the Outback
as "the world's first-sport utility wagon" and it has been
the main cog in the automaker's U.S. lineup since.
Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan became a
spokesman for the brand and its Outback-focused
marketing campaigns, while the combination of high
ground clearance and other off-road-ready
appointments quickly clicked with outdoor enthusiasts
when it launched as its own model in 1996. The
Outback proved just what the brand needed in the
1990s and continues to lead the brand's sales today.
Subaru has built more Outbacks than any other
nameplate at its U.S. plant.

Tribeca

The Tribeca was not a sales success -
critics took aim at its price, size and looks.
But the model did show that Subaru was
serious about expanding its product
portfolio to accommodate its growing
customer base. Subaru took the Tribeca
critiques to heart years later when the
automaker created the all-new Ascent, its
second attempt at a three-row crossover.
Initially, the crossover was known as the B9
Tribeca, but the first part of the name was
dropped.

Baja

SVX

The SVX, designed by Giorgio Giugiaro, was certainly a head turner
with wide-stance styling and inventive window-within-a-window
design on the doors. Its 230-hp, six-cylinder boxer engine and allwheel drive gave Subaru a dash of performance branding.
As with other low-volume sports cars of the past, its high sticker
price held back sales. It cost $8,000-$10,000 more than Subaru's
highest-priced model. It was dropped after the 1997 model year.

Launched in September 2002, the Baja was sold only in
North America during its short lifespan. It was the first
model designed in-house at Subaru of America, based
on the Outback platform but with a small pickup bed
instead of an enclosed cargo area. The niche model had
two-tone paint options, a fixed rear window and a cargo
pass-through door that, when folded, created a
continuous cargo floor from the back of the front seats
to the tailgate. Despite the daring styling and its youthful
appeal, the Baja missed Subaru's sales targets and was
discontinued in 2006.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - February 12, 2018 - v2