Subaru

Subaru (In katakana: スバル), a Japanese car company, is a subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries. General Motors is a 20% minority shareholder of Fuji Heavy. "Subaru" is the Japanese word for the star cluster Pleiades that is depicted in the company logo. The Pleiades also known as the Seven Sisters has seven stars, the logo's six stars represent the five companies that came together after WW2 to form one large company. While an automotive minnow compared to many of its competitors, Subaru has been a highly profitable company for many years. It is noted for the production of conventional-bodied cars with full-time all wheel drive (in fact, in many markets its entire product range has this feature) and its use of the horizontally-opposed boxer engine (flat engine).

Related Topics:
Katakana - Japan - Car - Fuji Heavy Industries - General Motors - Star cluster - Pleiades - Logo - All wheel drive - Flat engine

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Subaru's best-known vehicles are high performance turbocharged versions of its Legacy (known as Liberty in Australia), and Impreza, which offer outstanding performance and handling at relatively affordable prices. Modified versions of the Impreza WRX and WRX STi have been competing successfully in car rallies and the World Rally Championship for many years. Several endurance records were set in the early and mid-nineties by the Legacy.

Related Topics:
Turbocharged - Legacy - Australia - Impreza - Impreza WRX - WRX STi - Car rallies - World Rally Championship

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Recently GM has developed the Saab 9-2X model, based on the Subaru Impreza WRX, and the upcoming Saab 9-6X model, based on the Subaru B9 Tribeca.

Related Topics:
Saab 9-2X - Subaru Impreza WRX - Saab 9-6X - Subaru B9 Tribeca

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As of October 5, 2005. Toyota stated that it will purchase 8.7% of the shares of Fuji Heavy Industries from General Motors, and eventually, GM announced that it will sever all ties with Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru.

Related Topics:
October 5 - 2005 - Toyota - General Motors

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FHI has also stated that there have been 27 million shares (worth 3.4% of its stock) acquired before the start of trading by an unknown party on October 6. It is speculated that a bank or perhaps another automaker was behind it. http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=mergersNews&storyID=2005-10-06T054610Z_01_T177494_RTRIDST_0_AUTOS-FUJIHEAVY-BUYBACK.XML

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