[NEWS] Subaru spinning off sub-brand for Outback and Forester

From Jalopnik.com ...


    Subaru Is Spinning Off A Sub-Brand For The Outback And Forester
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Subaru wants in on the sweet, sweet profit margins that upgraded
    models of current production cars bring, so it's going ahead
    with the strategy by forming a new sub-brand for the Outback and
    Forester.

    The Japanese carmaker is no longer oblivious to the upsell. It
    will launch a sub-brand called Wilderness, per Automotive News.
    The report calls it an off-road sub-brand, which is kind of
    like when Dodge Ram pickups spun off into their own brand. Or
    even something like VW's Chinese brand Jetta.

    The new Subaru models, which are set to launch along with the
    2022 Outback, will sport off-road upgrades like higher ground
    clearance and off-road tires straight from the dealer.

    But it's not exactly clear whether this is going to be a
    distinct brand or if it's an edition of the Outback and Forester
    that will sit atop the trim levels. If it is set to be a whole
    brand, I think they could have come up with something better
    than Wilderness. Maybe something with a space theme, or
    something space adjacent, since Subaru is known for its
    Pleiades badge.

    Sure, Wilderness is in line with the theme Subaru is going for,
    but the two nameplates already have that covered. And it's a
    going to feel a little strange referring to a souped-up Subie
    as a Wilderness Forester or Wilderness Outback. Or if it's
    just a trim, then maybe Wilderness will be tacked on at the
    end, like a Wrangler Rubicon.

    But I find it odd, because wilderness is a region among nature.
    And a forest is a wooded area outdoors. Uh, I think there's
    some overlap there. Same thing with the Outback, though to a
    lesser degree. The Outback refers to the remote region of
    Australia. So a Wilderness Outback sounds conflicting. The
    naming scheme with this sub-brand (or edition) sounds silly.

    But the dealers were clamoring for it and the chairman of the
    Subaru National Retailer Advisory Board, Patrick Wergin, said
    the new sub-brand is meant to satisfy consumer demand. Wergin
    said the following, per Automotive News:

        "We're hoping that the Wilderness edition will attract
         consumers that are active lifestyle families and that
         do like to go out and maybe do a little bit more
         off-roading. We're excited about the opportunity to
         have this vehicle capture new clients in the segment."

    Wally Sommer, president of a Subaru dealership in Mequon,
    Wisconsin, backed up Wergin, saying:

        "We've had customers asking for, and retailers have
         identified the demand for, these more capable
         off-road-type vehicles[.] Subaru has responded, and
         people are going to be very pleased with the product
         when they see it."

    I'm still a little suspicious of the move, but if it gets
    drivers excited about the beefier station wagons people insist
    on calling CUVs (in the case of the Outback) then by all means
    Subaru, go wild.


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