History of the Subaru - Prestige Subaru Turnersville, NJ

  

Curious about the Subaru logo? It has dual significance, representing:

• The five companies which merged to create FHI in 1953, and
• The Pleiades open star cluster; "Subaru" is Japanese for The Seven Sisters, of which the logo shows six.

The Subaru Fingerprint

Two mechanical layouts typify most modern Subaru products:

• The boxer, or horizontally opposed, engine. In most Subaru engines sized 1500 cc and greater, this flat unit features two banks of pistons moving along horizontal planes, either side of a single crankshaft.
• The all-wheel drive-train, first introduced in 1972.

As of 2012, the most recent figures available at time of writing, Subaru was the world's twenty-second largest automaker (by production volumes).

 

Timeline

1915. The Aircraft Research Laboratory (ARL) is founded in Japan.

1932. ARL becomes Nakajima Aircraft Company, Japan's main fighter plane manufacturer throughout World War II.

1945. Nakajima is reorganized and rebranded as Fuji Sangyo Co.

1946. Fuji produces the family tree's first road vehicle, a motor scooter named the Rabbit.

1950. Fuji is divided into 12 sub-corporations. Between 1953 and 1955, five of these smaller units -- the scooter manufacturer, a coachbuilder, an engine manufacturer, a chassis builder and a trading company -- merged, forming FHI.

1954. The first Subaru car, known both as the 1500 and the P-1, is marketed (the name "Subaru" is coined by then-CEO, Kenji Kita).

1965. With the introduction of its 1000, Subaru's iconic boxer engine first sees the light of day.

1968. Nissan acquires a 20% stake in FHI. Also in 1968, Subaru of America is established in Philadelphia.

1976. Subaru Auto Canada is formed, initially only marketing the Subaru Leone.

1985. The Plaza Accord strengthens the value of the yen against the dollar; Subaru sales leap in the USA.

 

1989. Subaru opens a factory in Lafayette, Indiana, along with then-partner Isuzu. Two important Subaru models are released the same year: the Legacy and the Impreza.

1995. Subaru's iconic Outback advertisements are launched, starring Paul Hogan reprising his Crocodile Dundee movie persona. As a result, the all-wheel drive layout becomes synonymous with Subaru, who coin the tagline "the world's first sport utility wagon."

1996. Subaru enters the Philippine auto market (it will withdraw in 2000 then return in 2006).

1997. The Subaru Forester is released.

1999. Following Renault's acquisition of Nissan, its interests are sold to General Motors (interestingly, during this era -- and only in India -- the Subaru Forester was badged as a Chevrolet Forester).

2001. Isuzu sells their stake in the Lafayette plant to FHI for a single dollar (sales being less than impressive); the brand is renamed Subaru of Indiana Automotive.

2005. Toyota Motor Corporation acquires 8.7% of General Motors' FHI shares (the balance are divested on the open market). 2005 also sees the debut of two important Subaru products; the Tribeca and the Exiga.

2006. Toyota announces plans to use Subaru's Lafayette, Indiana, manufacturing facility to produce the Camry.

And Today

Modern Subaru products have always been popular with young, educated buyers who rebelled at America's large-SUV craze. By 2009, this had resulted in Subaru products being ranked as having the second-highest overall predicted resale values (in both all-industry and luxury segments).

Drivers across the central New Jersey region can see, and test drive, a full range of Subaru vehicles at Prestige Subaru of Turnersville, NJ. The dealership is easy to find, on the Leddon Lane corner of the Black Horse Pike, right off the Atlantic City Expressway.