New York, 2 April 2015: Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, has unveiled the “STI Performance Concept” at the 2015 New York International Auto Show.
The “STI Performance Concept” signifies a plan for the US-expansion of Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI)*1 in its three core business areas; aftermarket parts, complete cars and motorsports.
Featuring STI technologies and components including STI suspension and brake enhancements as well as other exterior and To signify STI’s commitment to motorsports, it employs the STI-tuned EJ20 horizontally-opposed 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo racing engine currently used for the Subaru GT race in Japan.
“At STI we know from our racing that to win, it is important not only to have high power, but also that all aspects of performance are balanced over the whole car,” said Yoshio Hirakawa, president of Subaru Tecnica International, Inc. “When we achieve this balance, the driver feels that the car is easy to handle and reliable, and he can use it fully to the limits of its performance. Our plan is to produce cars and accessories that drivers can really enjoy.”
The STI Performance Concept is a showcase for the engineering prowess and tuning capability of STI, featuring the racing engine developed by STI for the BRZ Super GT racecar, suspension and chassis components and aerodynamic upgrades.
Complete cars (extensive tuning by STI) and performance parts available now in Japan focus on the WRX STI, Forester and BRZ models. The Japanese domestic market uses the nomenclature “S model” as its naming for the WRX STI and uses “tS” on BRZ and Forester vehicles that have STI components, but a naming convention for any future US models has not yet been established.
In May 2014, FHI announced its new mid-term management vision, “Prominence 2020” in the aim of sustainable growth of the company. Under this vision, FHI set a corporate vision for 2020 of being a high-quality company that is not big in size but has distinctive strengths. To achieve this goal, the company has set out to focus on two activities – “enhancing the Subaru brand” and “building a strong business structure” – through which it will further pursue added-value business and increase tolerance for changes in the business environment.
As part of the key initiatives to build a strong business structure, FHI developed a plan to enhance the STI brand in its product strategy. The presentation of the “STI Performance Concept” at the New York International Auto Show marks the beginning of materialization of this initiative.
Future activities will include expansion of the STI-brand aftermarket parts as well as introduction of complete STI-tuned cars in the US, Subaru’s largest market. In the motorsports area, STI will increase its engineering presence in Subaru of America’s 2 Global Rallycross 3 team.
Under our management philosophy of aiming to be a compelling company with a strong market presence built upon its customer-first principle, FHI will continue to offer our customers “Enjoyment and Peace of Mind” in our pursuit of engineering excellence and our further enhancement of the distinctive appeal of the Subaru brand.
