Subaru in the US

[Byron]

I know GM owns 20% of Subaru, and that Subaru makes some of the cars in
the US. Can anyone tell me or link to a URL which could satisfy my
curiosity? My regular dealer wasn't any help...

Does the Indiana factory make Legacy/Baja/Outback models only?
What percentage of Subaru vehicles sold in the US are made in the US?
Which ones? Are the rest made in Japan or somewhere else?

 

[Edward J. Neth]

Subaru of Indiana makes the Legacy, Outback and Baja. It also assembles the
Isuzu Rodeo and Axiom for Isuzu (the plant started out a 51/49 venture
between Fuji and Isuzu; Fuji/Subaru bought out Isuzu a couple of years
ago).

http://www.subaru-sia.com/

The Impreza-class models are built in Japan (Impreza/WRX/Forester). So are
some small trucks and a couple of other models.

Suzuki built a version of the Swift for FHI as the Justy (not the US one -
the successor model that was never sold here), and GM assembles a version of
the Opel Zafira minivan for Subaru in Thailand.

Don't know the exact percentages, but the Legacy-class cars outsell the
Impreza-class ones, so it's a majority of Subarus sold in the US that are
built in Indiana.

 

[FLASHNET NEWS]

Would anyone know if I can ship a European Legacy Outback (2001) home to the
USA and
Subaru-SIA could put it into US spec or advise where to have it done at a
port of entry... the web page does not have a point of contact at the
facility

 

[K R Larkin]

Could you refer me to a site that proves your statement that "GM owns 20% of
Subaru..."

I believe Subaru is owned 100 percent by Fuji Heavy Industry of Japan.

I think Suzuki has ties with GM. Perhaps you have confused the two.

 

[K R Larkin]

Info on the Subaru/Isuzu joint plant in Indiana can be found at


http://www.subaru.com/home/about/isuzu_auto.jsp


Kevin Larkin
90 Legacy
91 Legacy
03 WRX

 

[Byron]

Could you refer me to a site that proves your statement that "GM owns 20% of
Subaru..."

I believe Subaru is owned 100 percent by Fuji Heavy Industry of Japan.

I think Suzuki has ties with GM. Perhaps you have confused the two.

No, I didn't confuse the two.

You are right in regards to who owns Subaru. But I found that General
Motors has owned 20% of Fuji H.I. since 1999.
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/news/press/1210news/12_10gm_news.htm
It's still an independent Japanese company, but GM is the largest
shareholder.

What I said is sort of like saying Audi owns Lamborghini. That is true,
but then Audi in turn is wholly owned by Volkswagen.

I forgot where I heard the info in the first place, but I know it was
GM's influence that had (100% GM owned) Saab copy the Impreza for the
new 9-2 and copy the Impreza WRX for the 9-2 Aero. Subaru is even
making the Saab on the same production line in Japan - according to the
Fuji web site, Saab production started March 15 of this year.

GM does have Suzuki ties as you state - the new Chevy Aveo is a Suzuki
in bowtie clothing. I'm not sure of the link there, but I bet GM owns
part of them. GM also has a stake in Isuzu and Fiat. They are the
biggest car company in the world, and they keep that title in part by
buying non-US companies. Look at the Brand list on the pulldown on GM's
web site.

- Byron

 

[K R Larkin]

Subaru is a solely owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan.

Suzuki is 20% owned by GM, not Subaru.

If you go to www.subaru.com you can find a link that tells you about the the
joint Subaru/Isuzu plant in Indiana, and what vehicles are manufactured
there.

 

[Byron]

Subaru is a solely owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan.

Suzuki is 20% owned by GM, not Subaru.

If you go to www.subaru.com you can find a link that tells you about the the
joint Subaru/Isuzu plant in Indiana, and what vehicles are manufactured
there.

Hello - Kevin Larkin - are you awake?

See my 6:43pm EST 4/10/04 response to your post dated 6:03pm 4/10/04

Subaru is 20% owned by GM, because Fuji Heavy Industries is 20% owned by GM.
GM has 10% ownership in Suzuki, and 49% ownership in Isuzu.

The plant in Indiana which was owned 51% by Subaru and 49% by Isuzu has
been 100% owned by Subaru since 2003.
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/news/press/2002/02_12_20se.htm
But Subaru, owned by Fuji, is 20% owned by GM.
The plant still manufactures a few Isuzu models, but it is now known as
Subaru of Indiana Automotive.

All of this info comes directly from Fuji's and Subaru's own web sites.

I still don't know the breakdown of how many Subaru vehicles sold in the
US are made in the US. Based on
http://www.subdriven.com/artman/publish/article_133.shtml, it's probably
close to 50-50 if I assume all Legacy based models are made in the US
and all Impreza based models are made in Japan. I've found that they'll
make about 620,000 vehicles worldwide in '04.

 

[Wiwat Chang]

from globalauto.net newsletter:
Global Auto Headlines
Sunday, April 11, 2004

SUBARU

Subaru has confirmed reports that it will sell a seven-passenger crossover
for the 2006 model year.


Subaru has confirmed that it will sell a seven-passenger crossover-utility
vehicle in the US in fall 2005 as a 2006 model. The vehicle is likely to be
built at Lafayette, IN, where Subaru assembles the Legacy, Outback and Baja.
Spy photos indicate that the crossover will be the first application of
Subaru's new corporate grille, which was previewed on the B9 Scrambler
roadster concept at last year's Tokyo Motor Show. The crossover is based on
a new, longer platform that will make the vehicle bigger than Subaru's
Outback wagon. Although Subaru's parent Fuji Heavy Industries has a
strategic alliance with General Motors (GM owns 20 percent of Fuji), the new
vehicle and platform were developed exclusively by and for Subaru. The
crossover will have Subaru's hallmark traits, such as all-wheel drive and a
boxer engine, although Subaru says it has not finalized engine
specifications.