History Of Subaru

Subaru are well known for its legendary all-wheel-drive system and its Rally program with the Impreza WRX. Oh, and we can’t forget the cult following they received for the Impreza 2.5 RS after the release of Gran Turismo on the Sony Playstation in 1997. But what about the love of the Outback? I remember the fun Outback commercials in the ‘90s and early 2000s with a certain Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan. Possibly even more famous is their use of the Boxer engine, which shares its design characteristics with that of the Porsche 911. 

The Start of Something Good

Ever since they arrived on the automotive scene in 1954, Subaru, or Subie and Scoobie, as they are lovingly called, have been some of the most quirky yet purposeful vehicles made. However, it wasn’t until 1968 that America got her first taste of the new little brand from Japan, the Subaru 360, which was considered a Microcar. The 360 weighed 900 lbs and had a 2-stroke Inline-2 356 cc engine. With a modest 16 horsepower and a 3-speed manual gearbox that allowed the itty bitty Subie to have a top speed of 60 mph… and take just shy of 40 seconds to go from 0 to 60. 

In 1970 Subaru debuted an all-new car called the Star, or the FF-1 as it was known elsewhere. It had a 1.1-liter flat-4 Boxer engine that produced 60 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque. It weighed 1,590 lbs and had a top speed of 83 miles per hour. Which, when you think about it, that’s pretty strong for such a small motor. This was also Subaru’s first showing of their ubiquitous Flat Boxer motors here in the United States. 

All-Wheel Drive Debuts

In 1975 Subaru broke the mold that would become their calling card forever: All-wheel drive. The Subaru 4×4 Wagon was launched here and was considered ahead of its time. In fact, it changed Subaru forever. 

The 1980s would see Subie trying different things that would become cult hits, like the BRAT, which debuted in 1978, and the XT Coupe, which arrived in 1985 sporting AWD. The BRAT, which actually stands for Bi-Drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter, was a small 4X4 with a mini truck bed. Think Chevy El Camino, but smaller. It was only a 2-seater inside the vehicle but did have 2 extra seats in the truck bed facing backward. Basically, the BRAT is awesome.

Subaru did some Rally racing throughout the ‘80s, but it was the 1990s that would showcase them as the racing powerhouse that they are known for. For the 1993 World Rally Championship season, they showed off their now signature blue and yellow colors. However, it all really kicked off for the ‘94 season when they debuted their new Impreza Group A WRC car that would race until 2008. In that time, they won 46 hard-fought races with 3 manufacturers’ championships coming in ‘95, ‘96, and ‘97 and also 3 driver’s championships in ‘95, ‘01, and ‘03 with Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Peter Solberg behind the wheel. 

A Little Something For Everyone

These days Subaru is happy selling a bit of everything for everyone. Whether you want a sports car in the BRZ and WRX, or a family sedan in the Impreza and Legacy, an Impreza wagon, a crossover in the Crosstrek, or the Outback, Forester, and 8-passenger Ascent. And now you can buy their first all-electric vehicle in the Solterra.

For 50 years, Subaru has been an important automaker. They are beloved for their unique designs, all-wheel drive, and the Boxer engine. Thank you for the last half-century, and here’s to a half-century more.