Late last year, Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries made a big announcement: it will undergo a name change. Not just any name would do for the highly regarded Japanese automaker, and the choice couldn't be more predictable: Subaru Corp. That's right. As of April 1, 2017 (complete coincidence to also being April Fool's Day), the name change went into effect, and the move really does make complete sense for the automaker.
"In recent years, our effort has been expanded from making good products to delivering distinctive value which only Subaru can bring to customers," stated CEO Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. "This change in company name declares Subaru's determination to thrive as a brand that delivers value." So why was the name Fuji Heavy Industries used in the first place? Because it manufactured more than just cars, such as helicopters and various other industrial products. Over the years though, a huge chunk of its revenue came from its cars division, a factor that led to the corporate name change.
Subaru, for many years, was simply the car division of Fuji Heavy Industries, which was founded in 1953. The first Subaru, the 360, arrived in 1958 – and it had only 16 hp. Today's WRX STI, because the comparison is hilarious, has 268 hp. It's doubtful most Subaru owners even knew Fuji Heavy Industries existed to begin with, assuming 'Subaru' was the official name. And today, their assumptions are now correct.
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