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Subaru Liberty Production Reaches Three Million

2005 Subaru Liberty 3.0R sedan
2005 Subaru Liberty 3.0R sedan



17th March, 2005


Cumulative worldwide production of the Subaru Liberty (known as Legacy in markets outside Australia) reached three million units on 14th March 2005.

This milestone was achieved 16 years and four months after the company started production in its Gunma Yajima Plant in November 1988.

Developed as a successor to the Subaru Leone, the first-generation Legacy was introduced in Japan in February 1989. Since its introduction, the Legacy has been designed and built to ensure driving pleasure. The first-generation Legacy established a new FIA-certified, world speed record in the continuous 100,000-kilometre drive with an average speed of 223.345 km/h, a record that still stands today, proof of the model’s high performance and reliability.

The Station Wagon GT, which included a high-performance engine, was introduced in Japan in 1993 and quickly gained popularity in the growing market for recreational vehicles. It played a pioneering role in Japan’s emerging market for station wagons.

In September 1989, production of the Legacy began in the U.S. at Subaru Isuzu Automotive Inc. (now known as Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., - SIA). Based on the Legacy wagon and devised around the concept of a crossover sport-utility vehicle, the Outback model was introduced in the U.S. in 1995, boosting Subaru sales and elevating the Legacy to the status of a major model that has become strategically important for FHI.

Today, the fourth-generation Legacy continues to enjoy popularity and high acclaim from car enthusiasts. The Legacy has further improved driving performance and achieved unprecedented levels of weight reduction, while still ensuring crashworthiness in its safety performance. The current Legacy model was awarded the Car of the Year in Japan for 2003-2004. Worldwide sales in 2004 amounted to 201,645 units.

Note:
1) Including Outback model.
2) In 1989, from 2nd to 21st January, the Legacy set a new 100,000-kilometre world speed record at the Arizona Test Centre located on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. The distance was covered in 447 hours, 44 minutes, and 9.887 seconds, with an average speed of 223.345 km/h; the result was certified by the Fédération Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA).



[Chronology of the Liberty/Legacy]
November 1988 Production of the Legacy starts at the Gunma Yajima Plant
January 1989 The Legacy sets a new FIA-certified 100,000-kilometre world speed record with an average speed of 223.345 km/h.
February 1989 Introduction in Japan
April 1989 Introduction in U.S.
September 1989 Introduction in Europe
September 1989 Production starts at SIA
October 1989 200PS turbo-engine GT launched in Japan
April 1990 Legacy enters the World Rally Championship (WRC)
August 1993 Legacy wins New Zealand Rally in WRC
September 1993 The second-generation Legacy ( Station Wagon) sets an FIA-certified world speed record for 1 km in the mass-produced, unmodified station wagon division at the Bonneville Speedway near Salt Lake City, Utah, with an average speed of 249.981 km/h.
October 1993 The second-generation Legacy debuts in Japan
October 1994 250T version with a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine added in Japan
June 1995 Production of the Outback starts at SIA
July 1995 Engine assembly begins at SIA
June 1996 GT-B introduced in Japan, with a 280PS engine and Bilstein twin-tube shock absorber (inverted-type)
January 1997 Cumulative production in Japan reaches the 1-million mark
April 1998 The third-generation Legacy (Station Wagon) sets a new FIA-certified world speed record for 1 km with an average speed of 270.532 km/h.
June 1998 All-new, third-generation Legacy introduced in Japan
December 1998 B4 Sedan debuts in Japan
December 1998 Awarded RJC New Car of the Year for 1998-99 in Japan
February 2000 B4 Blitzen version introduced in Japan
May 2000 Lancaster 6 with a 3-litre, 6-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine introduced in Japan
June 2002 SIA celebrates the 1-million-unit milestone in its production of Subaru vehicles.
January 2003 SIA is made a wholly owned subsidiary of FHI
May 2003 The fourth-generation Legacy launched in Japan
November 2003 Awarded the Car of the Year for 2003-2004 in Japan
December 2003 Sales surpasses the 1-million mark in Japan
March 2005 Production surpasses the 3-million mark worldwide



[Breakdown of 3 million units] (as of March 14, 2005)
 
Japan
USA
Total
First-generation Legacy
620,444
204,168
824,612
Second-generation Legacy
495,471
466,354
961,825
Third-generation Legacy
434,624
467,447
902,071
Fourth-generation Legacy
204,776
106,716
311,492
Total
1,755,315
1,244,685
3,000,000





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