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Subaru Crew - Future Models II

21536 messages,  Last post on Dec 06, 2009 at 5:14 PM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru, Sedan, Wagon, SUV

Your Community Leaders are ateixeira and rsholland.

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#21445 of 21536 Re: some scraps of information [ateixeira] by jerseymike68 Oct 09, 2009 (3:38 am)
Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 07, 2009 6:45 am) Love that post.... ...
#21446 of 21536 Re: Two Wheel Drive [moparbad] by rsholland Oct 09, 2009 (4:26 am)
Replying to: moparbad (Oct 08, 2009 8:05 pm) How Subaru differs from the other AWD wannabes is that in most markets Subaru is 100% AWD. The other brands offer AWD as one of many flavors in their product portfolio. Not so for Subaru—and that make them a very special brand. As such Subaru is considered the leader in this field, at least in terms of appealing to mainstream car buyers.   In soda, Coke is the go-to brand; in jeans it Levis; and in AWD cars, it's Subaru. It's an image and marketing thing. If Subaru were to offer different types of drivetrains, they will lose that edge. What they now have is very special—and hard-earned. Start offering FWD or RWD, and that "specialness" disappears. They will become just another carmaker that offers AWD. Their marketing edge will be lost.   Bob Replies to this message: morin2 (Oct 09, 2009 6:33 am) xwesx (Oct 09, 2009 9:02 am)
#21447 of 21536 Re: Two Wheel Drive [rsholland] by morin2 Oct 09, 2009 (6:33 am)
Replying to: rsholland (Oct 09, 2009 4:26 am) I find it hard to believe that loyal Subaru buyers would abandon the marque if FWD or RWD were offered in addition to the AWD. I think its more likely that more Subarus would be sold to more price-conscious or fuel saving buyers. Its also possible that if a FWD version demonstrated relatively insignificant fuel savings, that more people would consider the benefits of AWD.   You could also say that the boxer design is what makes a Subaru special - yet how many owners or buyers (other than enthusiasts) even know what it is?   We have 3 subarus in the family. I love my 09 Outback, my wife loves her 07 Forester, and my son in college can't kill his 94 Legacy 2WD. I understand the benefits of AWD, but I would have appreciated the option of a choice when I was buying it. Then I would have weighed the additional cost and mpg penalty over the 26-28K annual miles. I know many people who won't even consider subaru because they tell me "they get crappy mileage", a poor assumption,IMO, that limits their choices.
#21448 of 21536 "It’s all-wheel-drive or nothing," says Subaru of Oz boss by rsholland Oct 09, 2009 (7:17 am)
When news of the RWD coupe was first announced a couple of years ago, Nick Senior, head of Subaru of Australia, said he wanted no part of that car because it's RWD. He just further confirmed it in the following link.   http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=65422&IsPgd=0   You go Nick!   Bob
#21449 of 21536 Re: of course [volkov] by ateixeira Oct 09, 2009 (8:21 am)
Replying to: volkov (Oct 08, 2009 10:55 am) Actually, I didn't buy either one.   The Tercel was for a co-worker, who did end up buying it.   Another friend of mine owned a stripped 4 speed manual Civic with vinyl seats and no passenger side mirror, so it was only slightly less bad. He did hit 96mh in 3rd gear once, though. It was like riding with paisan or hutch, I nearly wet my pants.
#21450 of 21536 Re: Two Wheel Drive [moparbad] by ateixeira Oct 09, 2009 (8:23 am)
Replying to: moparbad (Oct 08, 2009 8:05 pm) Until recently Subaru was known only for it's gasoline engines. Now they offer diesel. Very nice to see that Subaru went beyond it's gasoline "DNA" to evolve a diesel engine   I disagree 100%.   Subaru is not known for its gas engines. It's known for the boxer layout of those engines.   The diesel is a boxer, hence it continues the Subaru DNA.   Sorry but that's a terrible example, you basically proved our point!
#21451 of 21536 Wading into the fray... by volkov Oct 09, 2009 (8:27 am)
I'd put the boxer as most integral to Subie DNA. Let's remember, the "AWD only" transition just happened a little over ten years ago. I think that a transition back to offering FWD options in its vehicles wouldn't be destructive. It may affect their marketing, but they could still emphasize AWD available in every model. "Only Subaru offers AWD in every car we sell". I would go against models with no AWD option, and in the case of the coupe, would be the differentiator from the Toyo model. PS I think Subie is more Dr. Pepper than Coke. Replies to this message: ateixeira (Oct 09, 2009 9:22 am)
#21452 of 21536 Re: Two Wheel Drive [rsholland] by xwesx Oct 09, 2009 (9:02 am)
Replying to: rsholland (Oct 09, 2009 4:26 am) It is a little ironic that folks are mentioning "AWD only is going to kill Subaru," because fifteen years ago, that is what saved the company! Personally, I don't think 100% AWD has as much to do with Subaru's image as the quality of its AWD. Yeah, everybody offers AWD now, but that doesn't mean anything when you are stuck, wondering why you got there even with AWD, as Subaru after Subaru passes by....
#21453 of 21536 Re: Wading into the fray... [volkov] by ateixeira Oct 09, 2009 (9:22 am)
Replying to: volkov (Oct 09, 2009 8:27 am) AWD has been standard since 1995, but boxer engines have been standard since the Justy left. What year was that? 94 IIRC.   Without FWD and in-line engines sales have more than doubled.   You can't apply conventional thinking to an unconventional niche make.   And while there are more AWD offerings, there are many people moving out of 4WD and an AWD makes an easy transition.   Look how many Explorers were traded under C4C, and look how well Subaru did that month.
#21454 of 21536 AWD vs 2WD by aaykay Oct 09, 2009 (5:47 pm)
Agree that if Subaru goes down the path of introducing 2WD vehicles into their lineup, they will lose their identity and focus. If it is a front-wheel-drive or RWD vehicle that I am after, why would I consider Subaru in particular ?   The Hondas and Toyotas and Nissans and Mazdas, in addition to several other manufacturers would simply swamp the marketplace with WAY more fuel efficient and slicker designs.   I am currently on my 4th Subaru and I consider the brand for its focus on AWD. Since their bread-and-butter comes from the design/manufacture/sales of AWD vehicles, they cannot afford to flub an AWD design, unlike other manufacturers where AWD is just a niche.   I bought my Tribeca, despite the fact that it has less space than a Highlander or Pilot or Mazda CX-9 and I was okay with what space it came with. The reason was due to the excellent AWD system of the Tribeca, that apportions a majority of the power to the rear wheels and drives with a rear-wheel-biased power split. The rest of the manufacturers plod on with front-wheel-biased part-time AWD systems that were essentially modifed out of full-time Front-wheel-drive designs, that I was least interested in.   In case of Honda, they did have a high-end AWD system that is similar to the VTD of the Tribeca but that was only available in the pricier Acura MDX and not in the pedestrian Honda Pilot.

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