Subaru Withdrawing From WRC After 2008 season

Only days after Suzuki announced it will not participate in the 2009 World Rally Championship, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of the Subaru vehicle brand, announced on December 16 its withdrawal from the WRC at the end of the 2008 season.

The Japanese manufacturer has participated in the WRC together with UK based motorsports and automotive engineering group Prodrive during the past 19 years. Its reason for involvement was to enhance awareness of the Subaru brand by showing the vehicles, with their horizontally-opposed engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive system as core technologies, offer safe, comfortable and pleasurable driving regardless of weather or road conditions. From the beginning FHI also wished to featuring horizontally-opposed engine and transfer the results of race-tested technical improvements into Subaru passenger vehicles.

Subaru won three manufacturer’s championship titles and three driver’s championship titles in its history of rally racing. This has, says FHI, helped enhance the value of the Subaru brand as well as the sales expansion of its vehicles all over the world.

FHI now considers it has achieved its original target in WRC participation. However, the company states that while considering positioning the WRC activity in Subaru branding strategy towards the future, its business environment has been dramatically changed due to the quick deterioration of the global economy. In order to optimise the management resources and to further strengthen the Subaru brand, FHI decided to withdraw from WRC activities ‘at the earliest timing’. As regards future involvement in rally activities, FHI will continue to support teams and drivers that participate in P-WRC or the Group N category.

Company president Mori commented that reaching this decision has been an extremely difficult task, not least with regards to the countless Subaru fans that for many years have cheered the Subaru blue liveried Impreza World Rally Car; “We would like to express our sincere appreciation for our fans’ strong and loyal support worldwide. They will remain an invaluable treasure for us.”