Fuji Heavy Industries Celebrates Production of One Millionth Subaru Forester
Tokyo, February 20, 2006 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), a global manufacturer of transportation and aerospace-related products and the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced that cumulative production of the Subaru Forester reached one million units on February 17. This milestone was achieved 9 years and 3 months after the company began producing the Forester in its Gunma Yajima Plant in December 1996.
Developed around the basic concept of a crossover all-wheel Sports Utility Vehicle, blending the best features of an SUV and a passenger car, the Forester was designed to be a new type of high performance vehicle, one suited to all driving conditions. The first-generation Forester set a new world record with an average speed of 180.082 km/h*1) in a 24-hour challenge in October 1996, as certified by FIA and ACCUS. With its outstanding performance, durability, and reliability well tested and proven prior to its introduction, the Forester went on sale in Japan in February 1997, followed by introductions overseas in that same year.
The current model, the second-generation Forester series first introduced in February 2002, focuses on improvements in four key attributes: fundamental vehicle maneuverability and performance; comprehensive safety performance at the world’s highest levels; comfort and usability; and powerful yet sophisticated design. Reflecting high standards of safety design and crash performance, the Forester has achieved favorable results and ratings in a number of crashworthiness and safety tests conducted by third-party institutions in the U.S. and Europe. These results have helped increase recognition of Subaru’s commitment to building safe cars and have contributed to the popularity enjoyed by the Forester in overseas markets.
Worldwide Forester sales*2) in 2005 amounted to 119,743 units, a 6.2%increase from 2004. Remarkably, 83.2% of Forester sales came from overseas, the highest proportion of overseas sales among all Subaru models, making the Forester one of the most important vehicles in Subaru’s global strategy for success.
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[Chronology of the Forester]
| October 1996 | The Forester sets a new world record with an average speed of 180.082 km/h in a FIA certified, 24-hour endurance challenge |
|---|---|
| December 1996 | Production of the Forester starts at the Gunma Yajima Plant |
| February 1997 | Debut in Japan |
| July 1997 | U.S. introduction |
| September 1997 | European introduction |
| February 2002 | The second-generation Forester introduced |
| February 2006 | Cumulative production reaches the 1-million mark |
[Forester production]
| Fiscal years ending March 31 | First generation | Second generation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 7,688 | 7,688 | |
| 1997 | 101,497 | 101,497 | |
| 1998 | 106,350 | 106,350 | |
| 1999 | 109,701 | 109,701 | |
| 2000 | 115,433 | 115,433 | |
| 2001 | 78,912 | 16,588 | 95,500 |
| 2002 | 934 | 123,007 | 123,941 |
| 2003 | 120,487 | 120,487 | |
| 2004 | 109,024 | 109,024 | |
| 2005 | 110,397 | 110,397 | |
| Total | 520,515 | 479,503 | 1,000,018 |
| (FY2005 indicates the total units produced from April 1, 2005 to February 17, 2006) | |
Note
1) On October 30, 1996, the Forester set the new world record for average speed in a 24-hour endurance race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the result was certified by the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA) as well as by the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS).
2) Worldwide sales in 2005 combine sales units in Japan and exports to overseas markets.