The history of Subaru - a brand that has gone from aircraft to four-wheel drive supercars

2023 Author: Charles Youmans | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-20 18:41

The Japanese brand Subaru belongs to the Asian company Fuji Heavy Industries. It is engaged in the production and supply of trucks and cars, engines and components. A special niche with which the brand is associated is the use of boxer engines, which are installed on almost all models of the company.

The beginning of history - 1917

The history of Subaru began back in 1917, when the peak of aviation development was celebrated. At the beginning of its journey, the company organized an Aviation Research Laboratory, named Nakajima Aircraft, at the base of which was Chikuhei Nakajima. At the moment, the main plant for the production of automobiles is located on this site. In the 30s, the company managed to achieve the title of the largest aircraft manufacturer in Japan. During World War II, it was from here that the Soviet army received most of the air army. In the post-war years, the company not only changed its name to Fuji Sangyo Co, Ltd., but also completely abandoned the production of aircraft.

The recent events were caused by the acute shortage of inexpensive vehicles in Japan. Thus, the company had the opportunity to develop its business in a different field, especially since it had production capacities and developments in service. As a result, in 1946, the first scooter appeared on the market, called the Rabbit, which was based on a 2-horsepower engine, and some elements were taken from the company's aviation past.

In 1950, pursuant to current policy, Fuji Sangyo was forced to split into 12 small corporations. Some of them inevitably "perish", others, on the contrary, become central and strengthen their positions. As a result, six of them join forces after the relaxation of occupation principles, and form the auto concern Fuji Heavy Industries, which is still producing new generations of Subaru. At that time, all efforts were directed to the design of jet planes, chainsaws, scooters and diesel buses.

It was finally possible to become an automobile production only in the early 50s, when Kenji Kita, who held the position of General Director, decided to take this step. He personally becomes the head of the design department and a few months later the first prototype of the P-1 appears. A year later, a completely new Subaru 1500 entered the market. The design included an independent front suspension, which used an arcuate crossbeam together with a coil spring. The rear part had a three-leaf leaf spring suspension. As a power unit, a French engine from Peugeot was used, capable of delivering 55 horsepower with a volume of 1.5 liters. The Subaru engine was located in the front, but the drive was rear. This was the only case before 2012 in the history of this brand. As a result, only 20 cars were produced, 6 of which "went" to service in taxi fleets.

Development of an automobile company - 1950-1970s

At the moment, most historians give primacy not to the Subaru 1500, but to the Subaru 360. The model appeared in 1958 and immediately won the love of the public due to its resemblance to a beetle, which is why it was called the Ladybug, and everyone can buy Subaru. As a result, the car was produced for 12 years, and dealers were able to sell more than 392 thousand cars.

The 360 was an attempt to create a "people's car". The program was actively supported by the state. According to it, companies could offer their own vision of a car available to the entire population. However, the manufacturer had to fulfill a number of conditions, for example, keep the 4-seater cabin, provide a speed of at least 100 km / h and a cost of no more than 150,000 yen (417 dollars). As a result, it was possible to create a model with a monocoque body, consisting of fiberglass and having hinged doors at the back. The heart was a 356 cc engine producing 16 hp. The engine was two-row and was equipped with a 3-speed "mechanics". As a result, he managed to accelerate to 96 km / h. A year later, the power was increased to 18 hp, and by the end of production the 360th model was already producing 25 "horses". The car was produced in various modifications. A station wagon, a convertible and a couple of sports cars from Subaru could see the light. The price of the model was affordable, but at the moment it is not possible to buy this Subaru. Photos are available online, but the cars themselves are kept securely by collectors.

In 1961, a new auto Sambar appears, which uses an independent "round" suspension. It retains the rear position of the motor and rear-wheel drive. The peculiarity of this car is in the bunk beds located in the back. The car was designed for active tourists who prefer camping. The manufacturer, in addition to this modification, has released a number of small trucks used for commercial purposes.

In the spring of 1966, Subaru released the Legend. The main innovation was the front-wheel drive. Subaru 1000 becomes the first production car with a boxer engine. The manufacturer has long been looking for the possibility of producing a prepared prototype of the Subaru 1500. Engineers have designed a future novelty, codenamed A-5. The car that came out stood on a four-cylinder engine with 1.5 thousand "cubes" and front-wheel drive. But, he never got into the series due to the lack of resources of the company.

Despite the setbacks, the Japanese continue to develop a front-engined luxury car. The main reason for the transfer of the engine was the ability to increase the spaciousness and free space in the cabin. This could only be achieved by installing a central drive shaft connected to the rear wheels. Another central desire was the use of "round" independent suspension. The plans of the company are grandiose, but they have to make do with lesser achievements, and in 1963 a "reduced" project A-4 appears, which became the progenitor of the Subaru 1000, equipped with a 923 cc engine. At first, the engine output was 55 hp, but in 1968 a restyled version with a 67-horsepower engine came out, and the top speed increased to 150 km / h, which is 15 km / h more than its predecessor.

In the meantime, the popularity of Subaru is on the rise. Reviews play into the hands and sales are gaining momentum. In 1969, a stylish and compact car with a spacious interior was released, which would soon turn out to be the best of Japanese kei cars. In one calendar month, more than 25 thousand copies were sold. Life from Honda, Daihatsu Fellow Max, and also Fronte from Suzuki will try to repeat its success.

Change of company in 1970-1990s

At the time of the transition into the new decade, Subaru was equipped with an air-cooled two-liter engine. But, the government is taking a course towards environmental friendliness, so the company has to change its strategy and modernize production. The Emission Reduction Act gives the company a boost to develop a new engine. In October of the 71st, a hydro-cooled two-stroke engine was introduced.

At the same time, in 1971, the company offers customers a top model - Subaru Legacy. True, the title of flagship came to her only in 1989. The Subaru lineup has changed. Replacing the popular 1000 with the Leon was a necessity, since it was already outdated and of no value. The new model became the predecessor for the later Subaru Impreza. The latter was a four-wheel drive passenger car, the output of which was timed to coincide with the Winter Olympic Games in Sapporo. These competitions played an important role in the advertising campaign, as they were able to prove their own endurance in adverse weather conditions.

At first, Leon was supplied with compact motors of 1, 2 and 1, 4 liters. Carburetor engines received a volume of 1100 "cubic meters", a little later the younger engine was reduced, leaving the uncontested 1, 4-liter.

In the middle of the summer of 1972, the Subaru 2 R - Rex appears. The engineers used the 360 as a donor. From there, an air-cooled engine was taken. In the initial version, a two-door sedan appeared, a little later the number of doors increased to four, and later a three-door minivan rolled off the assembly line. Among the advantages were named economy, controllability and comfort. Reviews for Subaru spoke of predictability on the road, which was provided by a 358cc engine with a pair of cylinders and hydrocooled. The number of issued "horses" was designated at 31 strength. In 1976, Japan's policy changed again, allowing the engine to be increased to 490 cc.

The company continues not only to produce cars, but also Subaru parts. The availability of these also increases the popularity of the models. Another novelty on the market in 1983 was the appearance of a minibus, named Domingo. He managed to take on board seven passengers at once. An indisputable advantage was the ability to change the configuration of the cabin using special mechanisms that rotate the seats with the ability to recline.

A year later, Justy appears, where instead of the Subaru automatic transmission, the first ECVT variator is installed. 1985 starts production of Alcyone. It is impossible not to note this model, since the characteristics of Subaru received the minimum coefficient of drag - 0, 29. By that time, no company in the world had such a result, even those that were ahead of the development of the Japanese concern. The engineers managed to achieve such results not without the help of designers, who created a unique streamlined and thoughtful appearance, where wedge-shaped shapes played the main role.

In 1989, Legacy production reaches a new level. In connection with the appearance of this model, the company has the opportunity to compete with the world's giants, including the Subaru of this version, which is opposed by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which have already made dizzying careers. The flagship assemblies are not inferior in functionality and characteristics to the standards - Alfa Romeo 159, Audi A4 and BMW 3-series. The Legacy is the only model that offers four-wheel drive and a boxer engine in the basic version. She still manages to keep the title of flagship for a long time due to the increased comfort, handling and maneuverability.

Modern Japanese company - 1990 - present

In 1990, the company once again expands its model range with the appearance of a number of successful cars. A compact crossover Subaru Forester appears on the basis of the Impreza. He managed to win worldwide recognition for its reliability, endurance and adaptability to off-road conditions. This model was not spared by Russian dealers, who continue to sell to this day. In 1995, the Subaru Outback off-road wagon appeared on sale, which, like most representatives of the brand, has a four-wheel drive, a little later a "classmate" Subaru XV will join it. After 10 years, the Russian model range will expand with the appearance of an SUV, a mid-size crossover Subaru Tribeca. Today the company has a large car list covering all segments. Despite the unpopularity of sedans, the Japanese continue to produce a sports sedan - the Subaru WRX.

It is worth recalling that the appearance of the brand in our country was indicated much earlier than the opening of an official representative office. Japanese models "flocked" to Russia through the Far East, where Subaru showed all the possibilities of adapting to natural conditions. The Japanese managed to create cars that develop and maintain high speed on bumpy roads, show excellent handling. These factors in the 2000s gave rise to speculation about the opening of their own plant in the Kaliningrad region. But, subsequently, the management abandoned the idea, throwing all its strength into the development of the dealer network.