Re: [NEWS] Subaru spinning off sub-brand for Outback and Forester
Your Name <[email protected]> Sat, 20 Feb 2021 15:32:09 +1300
| Newsgroups | alt.autos.subaru |
|---|---|
| Organization | Aioe.org NNTP Server |
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
On 2021-02-19 14:40:21 +0000, Frank said: > On 2/18/2021 2:06 PM, Your Name wrote: >> >> From Jalopnik.com ... >> >> >> Subaru Is Spinning Off A Sub-Brand For The Outback And Forester >> Â --------------------------------------------------------------- >> Â Subaru wants in on the sweet, sweet profit margins that upgraded >> Â models of current production cars bring, so it's going ahead >> Â with the strategy by forming a new sub-brand for the Outback and >> Â Forester. >> >> Â The Japanese carmaker is no longer oblivious to the upsell. It >> Â will launch a sub-brand called Wilderness, per Automotive News. >> Â The report calls it an off-road sub-brand, which is kind of >> Â like when Dodge Ram pickups spun off into their own brand. Or >> Â even something like VW's Chinese brand Jetta. >> >> Â The new Subaru models, which are set to launch along with the >> Â 2022 Outback, will sport off-road upgrades like higher ground >> Â clearance and off-road tires straight from the dealer. >> >> Â But it's not exactly clear whether this is going to be a >> Â distinct brand or if it's an edition of the Outback and Forester >> Â that will sit atop the trim levels. If it is set to be a whole >> Â brand, I think they could have come up with something better >> Â than Wilderness. Maybe something with a space theme, or >> Â something space adjacent, since Subaru is known for its >> Â Pleiades badge. >> >> Â Sure, Wilderness is in line with the theme Subaru is going for, >> Â but the two nameplates already have that covered. And it's a >> Â going to feel a little strange referring to a souped-up Subie >> Â as a Wilderness Forester or Wilderness Outback. Or if it's >> Â just a trim, then maybe Wilderness will be tacked on at the >> Â end, like a Wrangler Rubicon. >> >> Â But I find it odd, because wilderness is a region among nature. >> Â And a forest is a wooded area outdoors. Uh, I think there's >> Â some overlap there. Same thing with the Outback, though to a >> Â lesser degree. The Outback refers to the remote region of >> Â Australia. So a Wilderness Outback sounds conflicting. The >> Â naming scheme with this sub-brand (or edition) sounds silly. >> >> Â But the dealers were clamoring for it and the chairman of the >> Â Subaru National Retailer Advisory Board, Patrick Wergin, said >> Â the new sub-brand is meant to satisfy consumer demand. Wergin >> Â said the following, per Automotive News: >> >> Â Â Â "We're hoping that the Wilderness edition will attract >> Â Â Â Â consumers that are active lifestyle families and that >> Â Â Â Â do like to go out and maybe do a little bit more >> Â Â Â Â off-roading. We're excited about the opportunity to >> Â Â Â Â have this vehicle capture new clients in the segment." >> >> Â Wally Sommer, president of a Subaru dealership in Mequon, >> Â Wisconsin, backed up Wergin, saying: >> >> Â Â "We've had customers asking for, and retailers have >> Â Â Â Â identified the demand for, these more capable >> Â Â Â Â off-road-type vehicles[.] Subaru has responded, and >> Â Â Â Â people are going to be very pleased with the product >> Â Â Â Â when they see it." >> >> Â Â I'm still a little suspicious of the move, but if it gets >> Â Â drivers excited about the beefier station wagons people insist >> Â Â on calling CUVs (in the case of the Outback) then by all means >> Â Â Subaru, go wild. >> >> >> <https://jalopnik.com/subaru-is-spinning-off-with-a-sub-brand-for-the-outback-1846294441> >> > > Sounds like a new package to me, not a spin off brand: > > https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a35206089/subaru-outback-wilderness-spied/ Yep. It definitely sounds more like some sort of special edition or top-end version with a bundled package of add-ons, maybe with an extra name plate stuck on the vehicle as well.