The name SUBARU was used for the prototype vehicle completed in February 1954 for the first time – named the “SUBARU 1500 (P-1)”. Mr. Kenji Kita, the first president of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., who had a strong aspiration to enter the passenger car business, gave the name. In July 1953, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. was established. Approximately two years later, in April 1, 1955, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. absorbed five companies (Fuji Kogyo, a scooter manufacturer; coachbuilders Fuji Jidosha; engine manufacturers Omiya Fuji Kogyo; chassis builders Utsunomiya Sharyo and the Tokyo Fuji Sangyo trading company) and started anew as the new Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.
“SUBARU” is a Japanese term representing an open star cluster in Taurus “Pleiades”. It is said that the term was originally pronounced as “Misumaru” to mean “uniting a cluster of six stars in the Taurus constellation” but that the pronunciation changed from “Misumaru” to “Sumaru” and then to “SUBARU” over the years. The name SUBARU contains the hope that the six companies are united in harmony and achieve great success.
From the “freedom of flying” to the “pleasure of driving” – as both an aircraft manufacturer and the maker of popular automobiles, Subaru Corporation is in a unique position to pursue the highest standards in Subaru automobile development.
Not only on the race track, proven by the WRC rally championships, but also on roads and in severe conditions around the world, the pursuit of durability and reliability continues. The Subaru’s have the highest loyalty factor in the world, consistently win many accolades like “Most fuel-efficient SUV” among a whole list of SUVs’, has the “highest ground clearance” in its class and “the highest Safety rating”.
