The Secret Subaru Heritage Collection

Years before Subaru became a household name, they were Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), which is still Subaru’s parent company today. Interestingly, FHI started life in 1915 as Aircraft Research Laboratory, which would later become the Nakajima Aircraft Company during World War II. Finally, in 1953, after more changes, FHI was officially born. Subaru would produce its first car in 1954 and its namesake Subaru Boxer engine in 1965. 

A Rich History

Subaru has a vibrant history, even beyond cars. While some may be less familiar with their lineage, MotorTrend recently took a tour of a top-secret headquarters for Subaru’s heritage and its 71 years of automotive development. 

A Word From MotorTrend

MotorTrend was obviously excited to go through the history of the all-wheel drive automaker, saying, “For most of us kicking off 2024, Subaru is synonymous with one of two things: clad-tacular and off-road-capable SUVs or the rally-inspired WRX. These are fair associations because they are what Subaru has devoted the past few years to perfecting. But if we start winding back the decades, we’re reminded of the times the famously quirky Subaru got spectacularly weird.”

Rare and Unique

Some of the first-ever Subaru vehicles are featured in the collection, including a 1963 Rabbit scooter that was made from leftover aircraft parts. Some truly rare and wonderful automobiles are also on display, such as the fan-favorite 2006 Legacy 2.5GT Spec.B sedan with a 5-speed manual transmission, Momo steering wheel, and red seats, which was limited to only 500 vehicles for that year, or the legendary 1987 Justy that holds the land speed record in the 1.0-liter engine category with a 123.2 mph run at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Justy had a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder with 120 horsepower that came in at a screaming 9,200 rpm. 

Quirky & Special

Even the quirky side of Subaru is on display with the 1999 Subaru Forester “Woody,” complete with wood-style paneling, wood roof rails, and leather straps for the rails. MotorTrend showed off the 1997 SVX coupe, which was styled by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and had a 3.3-liter flat-six engine with 230 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque. Then there was the ‘86 XT GL-10 coupe, which had a drag coefficient of just .29 and Electromagnetic-Pneumatic Suspension with Height Control. 

A Museum Not For The Public

It is a real shame that this secret headquarters isn’t open to the public.  The exhibits show off how unique and special Subaru is willing to go to create fun and inspiring cars and SUVs. 

At Twin Falls Subaru, we are happy to offer our customers hundreds of new and used vehicles. Our fantastic sales team and finance department will work hard to find the best car that fits your needs. And our dedicated service department will always ensure that your vehicle is taken care of in the best way possible.

We look forward to serving you soon.