Photo: Subaru
Subaru of America is a classic started-from-the-bottom-now-we’re-here story. Malcolm Bricklin of SV-1 fame approached the Japanese automaker in 1967 with the idea of importing the 360 kei car to the United States. The 360 is Subaru’s first automobile. It may not have sold well in this part of the world, but the 360 was a start, nevertheless.
And what a start. Subaru Corporation traces its roots back to 1915, the year the Aircraft Research Laboratory was founded. Come 1932, the company was renamed Nakajima Aircraft Company. In the aftermath of World War II, the aircraft manufacturer was prohibited from producing aircraft due to obvious reasons. That’s how the Fuji Rabbit scooter was born in 1946. Come 1958, the 360 came out, eventually selling 392,000 units through 1971.
Fuji Heavy Industries – the Japanese multinational corporation presently known as the Subaru Corporation – acquired Bricklin’s company in 1986. The following year, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive was incorporated in Indiana.
Renamed Subaru of Indiana Automotive in 2003, after Isuzu called it quits, the Lafayette-based factory has recently produced its seven millionth Subaru. It all started with a Legacy in September 1989, nearly 34 years ago.
The milestone vehicle is a white-painted Ascent, a three-row crossover that slots above the compact-sized Forester. Subaru of Indiana Automotive is the only Subaru assembly plant located outside of Asia. Its pre-COVID annual output topped approximately 390,000 vehicles.
Over the years, the Lafayette production facility also served as the stomping ground of the Honda Passport and Toyota Camry. The plant switched to Subaru-only vehicles in 2016. Back in August 2022, it produced its five millionth vehicle in the form of an Outback Wilderness.
At press time, Subaru of Indiana Automotive makes the Impreza, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent. Care to guess which one is the best-selling nameplate stateside? Well, none of the above. The Forester moved 154,723 units in 2022, with the Outback finishing in second place, with 154,623 units to its name. The third best-selling Subaru in the U.S.A. is the Crosstrek (126,466 deliveries in 2022).
To whom it may concern, the Forester is manufactured in Japan and in Thailand by Tan Chong Subaru Automotive, of which Subaru owns a quarter of the shares. The all-new Crosstrek, which is due to premiere in the U.S. at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show, is produced exclusively in Japan.
Turning our attention back to the white-painted Ascent, it’s extremely hard to tell what trim level it is. On the other hand, we know that Subaru advertises the 2023 model at $33,895 sans destination charge for the base specification with the eight-seat layout. At the other end of the spectrum, the seven-seat Touring costs $48,195.
Speaking of which, the seven-seat Touring is the only Ascent that comes standard with satin chrome-finish side mirrors. The crossover in the featured pic has them, but it may not be a seven-seat Touring because the Limited is available with these mirrors as well. The lack of chrome garnish on the lower part of the front bumper means that we’re looking at the Limited rather than the Touring.
Fuji Heavy Industries – the Japanese multinational corporation presently known as the Subaru Corporation – acquired Bricklin’s company in 1986. The following year, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive was incorporated in Indiana.
Renamed Subaru of Indiana Automotive in 2003, after Isuzu called it quits, the Lafayette-based factory has recently produced its seven millionth Subaru. It all started with a Legacy in September 1989, nearly 34 years ago.
The milestone vehicle is a white-painted Ascent, a three-row crossover that slots above the compact-sized Forester. Subaru of Indiana Automotive is the only Subaru assembly plant located outside of Asia. Its pre-COVID annual output topped approximately 390,000 vehicles.
Over the years, the Lafayette production facility also served as the stomping ground of the Honda Passport and Toyota Camry. The plant switched to Subaru-only vehicles in 2016. Back in August 2022, it produced its five millionth vehicle in the form of an Outback Wilderness.
At press time, Subaru of Indiana Automotive makes the Impreza, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent. Care to guess which one is the best-selling nameplate stateside? Well, none of the above. The Forester moved 154,723 units in 2022, with the Outback finishing in second place, with 154,623 units to its name. The third best-selling Subaru in the U.S.A. is the Crosstrek (126,466 deliveries in 2022).
To whom it may concern, the Forester is manufactured in Japan and in Thailand by Tan Chong Subaru Automotive, of which Subaru owns a quarter of the shares. The all-new Crosstrek, which is due to premiere in the U.S. at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show, is produced exclusively in Japan.
Turning our attention back to the white-painted Ascent, it’s extremely hard to tell what trim level it is. On the other hand, we know that Subaru advertises the 2023 model at $33,895 sans destination charge for the base specification with the eight-seat layout. At the other end of the spectrum, the seven-seat Touring costs $48,195.
Speaking of which, the seven-seat Touring is the only Ascent that comes standard with satin chrome-finish side mirrors. The crossover in the featured pic has them, but it may not be a seven-seat Touring because the Limited is available with these mirrors as well. The lack of chrome garnish on the lower part of the front bumper means that we’re looking at the Limited rather than the Touring.
Google News