Subaru

Year of foundation 1953

Origins (1917 - 1953)
1917: The story begins not with automobiles, but with airplanes. The Aircraft Research Laboratory is founded by Chikuhei Nakajima, a company dedicated to researching and producing aircraft.

1932: The company evolves and changes its name to Nakajima Aircraft Co. Ltd., becoming one of Japan's leading aircraft manufacturers during World War II.

1945: With the end of the war, Nakajima Aircraft Co. Ltd. is divided into twelve small, separate companies, in accordance with postwar corporate reorganization legislation.

1953: Five of these companies, including one specializing in bus body production and prototype development, merge to form Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Its first president, Kenji Kita, decides to launch automobile production.

First Steps in the Automotive World (1954 - 1965)
1954: FHI presents its first prototype automobile, the P-1 (Subaru 1500). It is an innovative car for its time, being the first Japanese vehicle with a unitary body. Despite its innovation, it was not mass-produced due to financial constraints.

1958: Subaru's first mass-produced vehicle, the Subaru 360, is launched. Known as the "Ladybug" for its rounded shape, it enters the Japanese "kei-car" (small economy) segment. The 360 ​​is a huge success, selling nearly 400,000 units by 1970.

1961: The Subaru Sambar van and mini-pickup, based on the Subaru 360, is launched, helping to cement Subaru's reputation as a manufacturer of practical and versatile vehicles.

1964: The Gunma Test Center, still Subaru's main plant today, is inaugurated.

Technological Innovations and the Birth of an Identity (1966 - 1980)
1966: The Subaru 1000 debuts, Japan's first front-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a horizontally opposed engine, the famous Boxer engine. This engine, with its horizontally arranged cylinders, will become a distinctive feature and a true trademark of Subaru.

1972: The Subaru Leone 4WD Station Wagon is launched, the world's first production automobile with all-wheel drive, allowing the driver to switch between four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive. This marks the beginning of Subaru's legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) technology.

1979: The Leone AWD Wagon is introduced in the United States, where it enjoys considerable success, especially in mountainous states and cold climates.

The Rally Era and Global Consolidation (1988 - 2000)
1988: Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru's motorsport division, is founded with the goal of developing and selling high-performance parts and managing motorsports activities, particularly in the World Rally Championship (WRC).

1989: The first-generation Subaru Legacy is launched, a model that will introduce ACT-4 (Active Torque Split AWD) permanent all-wheel drive on a large scale.

1990s: Subaru's golden era in rallying. The Subaru Impreza becomes a global icon thanks to its successes in the WRC, with drivers such as Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Petter Solberg dominating the scene. The combination of the Boxer engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) proves unbeatable on dirt and snow.

The New Millennium and Evolution (2001 - Present)
2003: To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Fuji Heavy Industries introduces a new logo for Subaru.

2008: The Subaru Forester is introduced, a compact SUV that combines the off-road capabilities of an AWD system with the practicality of a family vehicle.

2012: The Subaru BRZ is launched, a sports coupe developed in collaboration with Toyota (which markets it as the Toyota 86). It stands out as one of the few rear-wheel drive Subarus, focused on the pure driving experience.

2017: Fuji Heavy Industries officially changes its name to Subaru Corporation, a testament to the success and importance of the automotive brand within the company.

Today: Subaru continues to focus on its signature technologies: the Boxer engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), and the EyeSight safety and driver-assist system. The current lineup includes iconic models such as the Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and Impreza, joined by hybrid vehicles such as the Forester e-Boxer and, more recently, the brand's first fully electric SUV, the Subaru Solterra, developed in collaboration with Toyota.

Subaru's history is the story of a brand that has evolved while maintaining its identity and engineering philosophy, distinguishing itself for its safety, robustness, and ability to tackle any road condition.