SUBARU INTRODUCES THE WORLD'S FIRST SPORT UTILITY SEDAN

Detroit, MI -  Subaru of America, Inc. introduced the world's first sport utility sedan, the Subaru Legacy Sport Utility Sedan, at the 1998 North American International Auto Show.  The Legacy Sport Utility Sedan is a 1999 model and went on sale immediately after the show at all Subaru dealers nationwide.

Designed to be both versatile and rugged the Legacy Sport Utility Sedan is the, only sedan available in the US that offers a combination of recreational use off-road capability along with the comfort, convenience and safety of a refined sedan.  The foundation of the Legacy Sport Utility Sedan is the Subaru All-Wheel Driving System consisting of the Subaru boxer engine, all-wheel drive and long travel four-wheel independent raised suspension.  But the Legacy Sport Utility Sedan also has four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel anti-lock that combine to give it the flexibility and safety demanded of a vehicle that can live both on and off the road. 

For comfort and convenience, the Legacy Sport Utility Sedan is equipped with power rack and pinion steering, four-speed automatic transmission, CFC-free air conditioning, AM/FM/Cassette stereo with Weatherband, power windows, locks, mirrors, cruise control, and overhead map lights.  In addition, the Legacy Sport Utility Sedan features as standard equipment a Cold Weather Package that consists of heated front seats, heated sideview mirrors and a windshield deicer.

Subaru has made its mark in the US automotive industry as a leader in developing hybrid vehicles for the rapidly expanding sport utility segment.  And Subaru is still the only manufacturer to feature the active safety of all-wheel drive on all of their vehicles sold int he RS.

Subaru expanded the sport utility segment and redefined what a sport utility vehicle is when it introduced the Outback as the "world's first sport utility wagon"   back in 1996.  The segment was pushed further with the Impreza Outback Sport which combines the features of the Outback with the lessons Subaru learned on the FIA World Rally Championship trail.  Subaru has won the FIA World Rally Championship Manufacturers' title for the third year in a row with the Impreza.

Forester, the most recent hybrid sport utility vehicle from Subaru - first revealed at the 1997 North American International Auto Show - is changing buyers' expectations of sport utilities by offering go-anywhere capability with passenger car safety, comfort and economy.

The result?  Outback, Outback Sport and Forester sales have combined to eclipse 1996's dramatic sales increase for Subaru of America, Inc.  which were up over twenty   percent over 1995.  In 1997 Subaru had its best retail sales year since 1988.