2006 Subaru Sti on 2040-cars

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How Subaru saved itself by marketing to the gay community

Almost everyone who's in the car community, and even people that aren't, have probably heard the stereotype that lesbians drive Subarus. What you may not realize is that stereotype was fostered by Subaru, and it helped make the company relevant again in the '90s. This is the story told by NPR's Planet Money podcast. Apparently, as the company was trying to figure out who was buying its cars, the marketing folks discovered that gay and lesbian people were a large segment – along with all those outdoorsy types. The discovery led to subtle advertising directed specifically at what we now refer to as the LGBT community, which in turn led to more sales to gay and lesbian consumers. There were other components to Subaru's sales strategy in the '90s, but this particular campaign was an important part and quite successful. Thanks to that success, today we still have Subaru around building reliable, all-wheel-drive transportation, as well as rally-inspired sport compacts. There are of course many more details, but we don't want to spoil them for you. For the whole story, you need to head over to the Planet Money site and listen in. Related Video: News Source: NPR / Planet MoneyImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Marketing/Advertising Read This Subaru lgbt

Subaru suppliers rely on gray market labor

The Subaru Forester is currently the Japanese brand's bestselling model in the US. A new investigation by Reuters is making some scathing allegations about how the popular model is actually made, though. The piece claims that many of Subaru's suppliers in Ota, Japan, are using low-paid foreign workers and asylum seekers to produce components that go into the CUV. The report says that these laborers are coming from places like China and Bangladesh, and they allegedly receive a pittance compared to their Japanese counterparts. Many said that they get about $6.60 an hour, but employment brokers can take a large portion of that pay. At just four suppliers Reuters estimates there are 580 foreign workers, or about 30 percent of the total workforce. The situation has turned Ota into a cultural melting pot because of the significant population of immigrant labor. The problem stems in part from Japan's tiny labor market, and the country's odd asylum system that doesn't allow some applicants to work legally. These suppliers produce many components for the Forester, including the seats, shocks, and fuel tanks. Reuters admits that the businesses have contracts with other Japanese automakers, as well, but Subaru receives the main focus of this piece, which you can read in full, here. When asked for comment about Reuters' report, Subaru of America provided Autoblog with the following statement: "Fuji Heavy Industries does not condone the exploitation of any class of worker, either in its own operations or within its supply chain. FHI expects all employees to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect and to be provided with appropriate workplace protections. The FHI CSR policy respects and adheres to the law and regulations of business as well as upholding human rights and international standards of behavior and the ethical standards of our stakeholders. Our supply chain network has been made aware of our policy and expectations."

You can own this legendary Subaru rally car

Why would you want to buy a 19-year old Subaru? Because racecar. The '90s was the heyday of Subaru and Mitsubishi rally cars, a heritage the WRX and Evo still carry. A matching '97 WRC car cost $123,000 back in 2009, but this new listing does not name a price. If ex-Colin McRae cars are any yardstick, expect to write a check for more than $200,000 to get this in your garage. A competition-built car lives a hard life from the moment it's unleashed on its first rally stage. The fate of this Subaru is no exception, as the 1997 Monte Carlo Rally, its first outing, was cut short due to an accident. McRae, known for his vigorous driving style, slid the Impreza into the woods in a right-hand corner of the wintery stage and mangled the right rear corner: the rear wheel wouldn't even turn as he limped the car back to the pits. Subaru did claim a win from Monte Carlo thanks to Pedro Liatti's efforts, beating Carlos Sainz's Ford Escort WRC by nearly a minute. The next year, the repaired Impreza saw use by the Polish rally driver Krzysztof Holowczyc in a handful of WRC events. During the following decade the car went from one private team to another and ended up being completely restored between 2008 and 2009 – probably a well-deserved overhaul at that point. It hasn't seen a rally stage since, as it's been in collector hands and remains in perfect technical condition. For anyone who grew up either watching Subarus like this conquering rally stage after another, or having wrestled them on virtual gravel with video game controller in hand, this car is one of the essential 1990s motorsport machines. It would serve it right to be bought by someone who used to have a Subaru WRC poster on their bedroom wall 20 years ago. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.