Subaru’s new head of STD wants to return to assembly: ‘Good opportunity’

In the Netherlands we now know Subaru as a seller of vintage crossovers, modified Toyotas and the popular Outback. The glory days of about 25 years ago, when the brand won everything was to be won at the conference, are no longer talked about.

Like the old arch-rival Mitsubishi, Subaru is already forgotten. The WRX sports flagship (now without the Impreza) is still there, but not available in Europe due to the heavy tax burden. Therefore, the old image cannot be maintained. Fortunately, after sixteen years, change seems to be coming to the Japanese.

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On the contrary Subaru Motorsport Magazine The new head of Subaru STI’s sports division made positive noises about its return to the World Rally Championship. Hiromi Tamou has only been involved since April 1, but she already wants to make a big difference.

It’s a great opportunity. It’s part of my future plans for an STD brand. It is very important to Subaru and fans around the world. The three pillars of STDs are racing, special cars and spare parts.

WRX STI rally at Rally America in 100 Acre Wood.

Shadow of 2008

The last time Subaru competed in the top class of the WRC was in 2008. With the then-new hatchback Impreza, the brand held its own against Citroen, Ford and Suzuki.

Australian Chris Atkinson took fifth place, while Petter Solberg had to settle for second place. Despite finishing third in the final standings, Subaru withdrew at the end of the season due to the effects of the financial crisis.

With the fiasco still fresh in his mind, Tamou-san will have a hard time convincing the Subaru board to return to the WRC. However, he tackles it fearlessly:

“If you compete, you have to win, and the big question is how much can you do to achieve that, and then there are tangible and intangible insights to be gained from our products’ feedback on racing.

“We also believe that STI special vehicles and sports segments should provide an enjoyable experience for customers. With this in mind, we will help improve the Subaru brand.

“We will see about the future with the board of directors in the coming months, and then we will make a decision.”

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Shadow of 2008

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