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Subaru Releases “Launch Control”

Subaru of America Inc. has released the first episode of “Launch Control”, a bi-weekly web video series that chronicles Subaru Rally Team USA and the Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team as they prepare for and compete in a fast-paced 2013 race season spanning the globe. With a mix of in-car video, car prep and driver interviews, “Launch Control” is the story of two teams, everything it takes to win and everything that gets in the way.

In the debut episode of “Launch Control,” Subaru Rally Team USA driver and defending Rally America Champion David Higgins is training for the upcoming season at his home in Wales, UK, while the crew at Vermont Sports Car, the Subaru technical partner managing both teams, is hard at work in the shop preparing the 2013 Subaru WRX STI team cars for a the season ahead.

If there is a team that knows what goes into winning a championship, SRT USA would be it. Subaru’s 2012 Rally America championship victory marked their second in a row and their sixth in seven years.

RallyCross, on the other hand, is relatively new for the team. Competing in the emerging Global RallyCross Championship the team must tackle new venues, new race formats, new rules and new cars. Challenging the established RallyCross teams from Europe, the learning curve for team drivers Bucky Lasek, Dave Mirra and team leader and three-time European RallyCross Champion Sverre Isachsen, has been steep.

“Launch Control” will follow the trials and triumphs of these two teams throughout their 2013 seasons and give viewers a behind the scenes look at the efforts of the drivers, engineers and mechanics as they fight for victories.

“Launch Control” can be viewed at Subaru of America’s YouTube channel youtube.com/Subaru with new episodes launching every other Wednesday. The series can also be viewed on the Driving Sports Network which can be found on iTunes, Blip.tv, Roku, Mevio, and DivX TV among others. 

Courtesy of Subaru 

Subaru Uses Mimes and Amusing Animations to Explain Company Philosophy

When you think Subaru, you think all-wheel drive, boxer engines and rally pedigree. These are unquestionable brand traits that are, more or less, still present in many of their current (in-house designed) models – the BRZ is one of the exceptions, along with a few rebadge jobs based on cars from other automakers.
 
In these days of inline-four powerplants, front-wheel drive uniformity, Subaru cars are some of the most mechanically radical machines you can still buy brand new today. Choose any familiar model, and a flat-six or –four engine, with or without a turbo is the norm, along with their Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which ensures you won’t get suck or easily bored whenever you have a snow-covered parking lot and some spare time (and gas).
The fact that they have maintained their technical independence is definitely a source of pride for Subaru, and now they are using an equally unique way to promote these brand values through a series of ads that involve a mime and lots of amusing animated scenes, demonstrating the superiority of their way.
 
They show very basic models of conventional inline and “vee” engines, which fall over in turns, because of their higher center of gravity. These engines are also shown to be nowhere near as smooth as the boxer, and therefor inferior, a point they keep trying to prove in all of the nine videos they uploaded and we posted after the jump.


Courtesy of CarScoops 

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How Subaru Fell in Love and Never Looked Back

IDEA: Subaru owners knew it almost before the company did. It was always about love. "If you ask a Subaru owner what they think of their car, more times than not they'll tell you they love it," said Alan Bethke, director of marketing communications for Subaru of America. "It was always in front of us, but never utilized in the marketing." That changed five years ago, when Carmichael Lynch launched work with that simple theme: "Love." In the years since, the ads have told poignant stories across the four thematic pillars—longevity, safety, versatility and adventure—that resonate with the target, defined as doers deeply engaged with life, others and the world. The automaker is particularly adept at father-daughter tales—like "Baby Driver," the Emmy-nominated spot from 2010, and now "Cut the Cord," about a girl's first day of school. The results are impressive. The Japanese company has doubled U.S. sales in five years, and in March had its best U.S. sales month ever. "It's a testament to the great work happening all around the company," said Subaru spokesman Michael McHale, "but notably, I think, in marketing."

COPYWRITING: The writers try to find slice-of-life stories that humanize what those four themes mean to everyday people. Often, the ads are about life stages—in "Cut the Cord," a dad puts his daughter on the school bus for the first time, then drives alongside it to make sure she's OK. "That's a trying moment for anyone," said Carmichael executive creative director Randy Hughes. "He buys the safest car money can buy. And then he has to put his daughter in someone else's hands." The dialogue is minimal—small talk, mostly improvised. (Having the scripts be loose allows more truthful moments to emerge, the agency believes.) "I'm overprotective. That's why I got a Subaru," the dad says in a voiceover. "Love. It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru." The word "Love" appears—the letters stable at first, then cartwheeling joyfully around. It's followed by the Subaru logo and global brand statement, developed in Japan: "Confidence in motion."

FILMING/ART DIRECTION: Vince Squibb shot the spot in a day in Long Beach, Calif. He had a meticulous eye for detail, particularly with costuming. "Wardrobing that little girl and playing up her classic look—she has a timeless quality about her that's pretty charming—that was a really good move," said Hughes. The whole campaign has a brightness and warmth, rooted in realism. "These stories make you feel good in some way," said Hughes. "Sometimes they make you want to cry, but in a good way."

TALENT: The girl has a remarkable presence. "She was so measured. It was amazing," said Hughes. "We're saying, 'Just look a little scared,' and she had a way of doing it that was very natural. We didn't get 100 takes like this one. The little crinkle of her face was just right, and a shock wave goes through the set, and you know you got it." The dad exudes pain and love. "He's a professional," said Hughes. "He's got a suit on, he's got a nice Legacy, he's going to work. But this is an important moment, and he goes with it. And your heart goes out to him as he reacts to her."

SOUND: The song is "Keep Me in Mind," by Tashaki Miyaki. The lyrics fit perfectly, if obliquely. ("I want to be the one that's on your mind/I want to be the one that's by your side.") "We look for tonality that is part of the emotion we're trying to bring forward," Hughes said, "and then lyrics that help the story get a little bit richer."

Courtesy of AD Week

Subaru New Zealand Release The All New 4th Generation Subaru Forester

Having just launched the all new Subaru Forester (4th generation) in Queenstown, the team at Subaru New Zealand are keen to press home their launch message which is: “The Forester ‘Can Do’ what pretender SUV’s can’t” –“IT CAN IF YOU CAN.” The target audience for the Subaru Forester is diverse in lifestyle and age, looking for a vehicle that gives them flexibility and versatility in their lifestyle needs without compromising on fun, superior safety, AWD handling and technology. The launch was made to reaffirm brand preference by showing that Subaru Forester is the perfect SUV for New Zealand roads. It was also the chance to reinforce the relevance in the New Zealand market of the Subaru brand by showcasing their legendary DNA, capability and authenticity, and the lifestyle it brings, with their unique product difference – Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. The launch campaign objective was also to communicate the Forester’s newness, authenticity and capability (AWD). To this end they have succeeded as the Forester is now one of many vehicles in a crowded SUV segment that has exploded. 

“We are sticking to our roots,” said Wallis Dumper, the Managing Director of Subaru of New Zealand. “While other SUV manufacturers are offering 2WD models, we are staying 100 per cent All Wheel Drive all the time and improving the technology to offer a wider range of capability. Kiwis with an active lifestyle can be even more assured of reaching and returning from that remote hiking, fishing or hunting spot and the top of the road to the remotest ski field.” Mr Dumper is quite certain that Forester’s everyday usability and practicality has not been compromised either, with its strengthened suspension and more All-Wheel Drive focused transmission. 

The new-look Forester has been increased in size, offering more interior room for greater comfort and convenience, and a bold new look means these cars will not look out of place at the school drop-off zone, the supermarket car park or at weekend sports events. This new Forester has adopted a multi-function display with information on fuel economy, audio information and the Eyesight Safety technology information when those systems are fitted to the car. Also, the latest version of Subaru Intelligent Drive is fitted to the XT, 2.5 Sport and 2.5 Premium models to match performance to driving style. This new version has a powerful, sophisticated appearance with a soft-touch, high quality interior trim, offering a new level of refinement and improved noise, vibration and harshness suppression.

Courtesy of the SF Gate

2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid LIVE at the New York Auto Show

Subaru kicked off their first hybrid in a big way!

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Subaru splashes through March, sales up 13%

Subaru set a sales record in March. Its sales hit 36,701, a 13% jump from the month a year ago.
Year-to-date sales are 92,527, up 15% over the same period last year,. That gave the Japanese automaker its best quarter in the U.S. ever.

The results extend the momentum the brand had for 2012, when is passed the 300,000 mark for the first time in the U.S.

The biggest gainer was the redesigned Forester crossover, up 46.2% to 9,050. Newly launched vehicles showing strength were the BRZ sports car, with 905 sold in the month, and the new XV Crosstrek, a crossover hatchback based on the Impreza, with sales 4,688 in March.

The XV Crosstrek appeared to be drawing some sales from the regular Impreza, however, which was down 37.7% from a year ago at 5,327 in March. Last week at the New York Auto Show, Subaru showed its first-ever gas-electric hybrid -- a model based on the XV Crosstrek.

"Subaru achieved record first-quarter sales with a strong product lineup," said Bill Cyphers, senior vice president of sales, in a statement. "Bringing a hybrid vehicle to market will give our retailers an additional offering for shoppers."

(Source: USA Today)

SUBARU SURRENDERS AND CONFIRMS AWD TURBO CONVERTIBLE TWO-SEATER DIESEL HYBRID BRZ

Bowing to continued media and internet speculation, Subaru of America has confirmed that it will launch an AWD Twin-Turbo Convertible two-seater Diesel Hybrid BRZ for sale in 2015. The new model essentially takes all of the media and internet rumors surrounding the highly successful BRZ sports car and delivers them in one fell swoop.

A spokesman for the company said: “Having just launched the current model to widespread critical acclaim, we are tired of fighting off the constant speculation about what’s “next” and so we are just giving in and delivering all the speculation in one vehicle.”

The new model, which is expected to have a starting price, will however NOT come with a much anticipated rear back-up camera. The spokesman confirmed that after shoehorning two convertible switches (up and down) onto the fascia there just wasn’t room for any more instruments. The AWD Turbo Convertible two-seater Diesel Hybrid BRZ will come in a single color, noseeum black and will be hand produced at Subaru’s Brigadoon facility.

More denials about future BRZ variants can be found at media.subaru.com

Happy April 1. 

Courtesy of Subaru