FUJI HEAVY GARAGES

Subaru Corporation is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer. It is known for making Legacy, Forester, Impreza and more. They are popular in the world because of four wheel independent suspension and flat engine(horizontally opposed engine). Subaru changed its company name from Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. in 2017. Subaru was a brand name of cars since 1958, it became more popular than company name Fuji Heavy Industries with the passage of time.

The origin of Subaru is Nakajima Aircraft Company founded by Chikuhei Nakajima in 1917. After WW2, Nakajima Aircraft Company made various metal products using technology based on aircraft, bicycle, bicycle trailer, stroller, pan, pot(cauldron) and more. It was dissolved into five spinoff companies which later merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. in 1953.

Subaru's emblem consists small five stars and big star. It means that the five small companies gather and become one big company. Subaru means an open star cluster Pleiades and integrating something in Japanese.

Toyota Acquisition

In 2005, TOYOTA Motor Corporation became the principal stockholder of Subaru after GM sold its stocks of Subaru. TOYOTA did not merge Subaru as its subsidiary. TOYOTA respected Subaru's corporate culture and its original technology. Shoichiro Toyoda who was CEO of TOYOTA then said "Do not be like TOYOTA. You lose your competitive advantage if you lose your character." to Yasuyuki Yoshinaga Subaru CEO at the time. Subaru continued to make its original cars after that.

Safety

Subaru cars receive high evaluation about safety against collision. There is a joke about its safety: "The members of rescue squad do not like Subaru car. They take time to break it after crash with saying it has strong pillars. On the other hand, some of them buy a Subaru car because they see drivers live after crash."

Engines

Subaru is well known as manufacturer of flat engine (horizontally opposed engine) called Boxer. Currently only Subaru and Porsche make it for automobiles. Other manufacturers make it for trains and airplanes. Subaru is currently developing an E-boxer platform of EV with TOYOTA Motor Corporation.

Rally Racing

When many motorsport fans think of rally racing they think of Subaru. Subaru’s real entry into the world or rallying began in 1989 when it joined forces with Prodrive (the UK based motorsport preparation specialists) to campaign the new Subaru Legacy RS. The company did compete in rally events in the 80s, but had little success.

Since then, 6 World Rally Championship titles have been claimed by the Subaru World Rally Team. (It has won the manufacturers’ championship three times in 1995, 1996, and 1997, and the drivers’ championship three times, in 1995, 2001, and 2003.) To this date, Subaru has competed in the WRC longer than any other vehicle manufacturer team in their current form.

In 2008, Subaru announced that they had accomplished its sporting and marketing objectives in the WRC and that they would withdraw the team. The decision was namely made by Subaru’s parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Furthermore, many believe the economic downturn to be a major factor in this decision.

Subaru in Africa

Subaru is not well established on the African continent, having a dealership in only a few countries including Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. This has not stopped people from other countries from importing Subaru brand cars, which has increased their presence and market share in this regions.

Subaru in Tanzania

Prior to 2010s the popularity of the Subaru brand in Tanzania was insignificant, the market was dominated by Toyota which had almost 90% of the market share of small private cars. The brand was doomed due to stigma associated with it over fuel consumption and spare availability.

Subaru presence in Tanzania saw a substantial increase in the following years, supported in part by availability of spare parts and mechanics who can work on these cars and also by the Millennial generation who had no negative stigma of the brand, in Tanzania they started buying and owning cars in 2010's.

Currently Subaru in Tanzania holds about 3% market share of the small private cars, this number will continue to grow as more people are importing the brand, with Dar es Salaam having most of the cars followed by Arusha and Mwanza. Initially Arusha had the most Subaru in Tanzania as they are near the border with Kenya so had more access to Subaru parts and services.

While in Tanzania there is no official Subaru dealership, many independent professional repair shops and auto garages specializing in Subaru emerged to cover the gap and this has inspired many people to continue importing the cars.