How Subaru became masters of AWD with Datsun in 1969

[Joker]

"I have a Datsun, I have a Subaru uggh! AWD" (sing to the tune of Pen Pineapple Apple Pen)

 

 

from http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/how-subaru-became-masters-of-awd/

 

read more on the link here's the first Paragraph to get you hooked

 

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The story of how Subaru became masters of AWD is one of pure chance. In 1969, Tohoku Electric Power Co., northeast Japan’s power company, was looking for vehicles to replace their fleet of Land Cruisers

Prior to this, 4WD vehicles were seen as the domain of trucks and trucks alone. From 1968-71 Jensen built 3oo or so AWD Interceptors. These are considered the first passenger car use of AWD

 

kinda helps explain all the Nissan Tie-ins eh (DAT13 key profile and AFM's & stuff

[Joker]

a tad more copy/paste from the above article

 

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Fuji Heavy Industires was already ahead of the curve in employing front-wheel-drive with the ff-1. Most Japanese cars of its era and size were still rear-wheel-drive. Because the weight of their engines (and even spare tires) were located directly over the drive wheels, they garnered a reputation for superb traction and performed extraordinarily well in snow.

The fateful moment that put Subaru on a path to AWD dominance came when a Tohoku Electric manager walked in to a Subaru dealership in Miyagi Prefecture, asking if they would consider making the ff-1 wagon in AWD.

Subaru Miyagi complied, modifying a handful of them to be fitted with propellor shafts, rear differentials and semi-trailing arms. The diffs and rear axle, in fact, were taken from a Datsun 510 wagon as Nissan owned 20 percent of Subaru at the time (which is also why modern Impreza diffs work so well with RWD Nissans in the aftermarket world). The AWD wagons had a 20mm higher ride height than the FF ones, and combined with the ff-1’s existing boxer motors the template for all modern Subarus was born.

 

RIP FHI

[Joker]

(some it seems are just finding out about Toyota's Buy in, in recent decades

 

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"Toyota is boosting its stake in Subaru to about a fifth of the smaller automaker, as Japan's biggest car company arms itself for a future of self-driving vehicles, electric cars and evolving transport services."

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/116189926/toyota-raising-its-stake-in-subaru?fbclid=IwAR3AJgbH9n8LX2Z6z44D9eZpxWwdnJzFqhS-4DPC3GIDGXIR2S3Cu5cz3jU

 

 

SUPPLIED

As well as increasing its stake in Subaru, Toyota also announced the two companies will develop a successor to the 86/BRZ.