History Overview
After WWII, the Subaru created a scooter, the Fuji Rabbit with the spare parts that came from airplanes. Soon, the company split up into different business that manufactured scooters, coaches, engines and chassis. Kenji Kita, the CEO decided that it would be a great idea to get involved in car making and the first Subaru car was created, the Subaru 1500 (1954).
The 1500 or P1 was followed by the 360 in 1958, the Sambar in 1961, the 1000 in 1965, the 1100 and the R2 in 1969. Subaru of America was started in 1968 by two entrepreneurs, Malcolm Bricklin and Harvey Lamm. During the 70s, the Leone came out and then later, in the 80s, the Alcyclone (1985) and the Legacy (1989) were added to the Subaru line-up.
Slowly, in the 90s, the company moved away from the manufacture of small vehicles and concentrated on rally cars, such as the Vivio and Impreza. Using the technology from the aeronautical industry, Subaru employed many successful inventions in the automotive industry. It is the only car manufacturer to offer all-wheel drive as a standard on most of its models. The Japanese manufacturer was also the first to introduce electronic continuously variable transmission (ECTV) which replaces standard gears and gives smooth acceleration while reducing emissions and fuel consumption.
Subaru also has an interest in environmental protection, and an extensive recycling program for its own cars, not to mention the program for hybrid and fuel efficient cars.
The Subaru Logo and what the Six Stars Signify
Subaru means "unite" in Japanese and it refers to the six stars on the logo that stand for the 6 companies that are united under the FHI group. The largest of the stars represents Fuji Heavy Industries. The company started out in 1917 in Japan as a aircraft research laboratory but soon moved to producing airplanes.
What Do the Six Stars Of Subaru’s Logo Signify? Discover how Subaru’s name and emblem are connected—and are out of this world… As the first automaker to use a Japanese word as its name, Subaru has established a universal brand identity thanks to global use of its six-star emblem. Have you ever wondered what those stars represent, and where the automaker got its name? Back in 1953, FujiHeavy Industries was created through an investment in five separate companies.
Soon, these five entities merged with FHI, including the automobile manufacturing division. The term “Subaru” is also the Japanese name for a cluster of stars in the Taurus constellation, known to many by the name “Pleiades.” These stars are also known as Messier 45 or “The Seven Sisters,” because according to Greek mythology, they were once Atlas’ daughters: Alcyone, Asterope, Merope, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, and Electra. Surely you’re already wondering, why are there only six stars in Subaru’s logo if it’s named after a constellation of seven daughters? The reason is to the naked eye, the cluster of stars appears to only have six stars–two are so close together, they appear as one big star. Thus, the Pleiades constellation is known for being a “unification of the stars.”
In Subaru’s logo, the large star symbolizes Fuji Heavy Industries and the five smaller stars indicate the five companies that merged to form FHI. The emblem’s background is nearly always blue, as the color of the actual Pleiades stars are blue. Subaru’s emblem has remained consistently used around the world since 1958, emphasizing the brand’s ongoing, global unity. Subaru logo is a representation of the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. Six hot blue stars are neatly organized inside the dark blue background, standing for space or night sky. The big star on the left also represents Fuji Heavy Industries, while five smaller stars on the right stand for its subsidiaries, including Subaru, the automobile division. The Subaru symbol is a flattened silver oval, containing six four-point figures, representing stars. The biggest star rises above the other ones in the upper left side of the logo, while the rest are combined nicely on the right. All of them actually have different sizes. Earlier emblems seemed less organized, but featured a more correct representation of the Pleiades star cluster. The colors of the Subaru logo are meant to symbolize the sight of the Pleiades star cluster in night sky. Silver stars lie on the deep blue background to form a somewhat romantic image. The oval, completing the logo, is painted silver. The earlier Subaru emblems featured black, red and gold colors, invariably matched with silver.