Cumulative production of Subaru all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles at the Gunma Manufacturing Division of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) has reached 5 million units (excluding overseas production). Production is now entering its twenty-eighth year since the start of production in July 1972 of the Subaru Leone 4WD Station Wagon, the first passenger-type AWD vehicle made in Japan.

A pioneer in passenger AWD, FHI has expanded production of AWD vehicles since production began in July 1972. With a production volume of 1,099 vehicles in fiscal 1972 and 334,727 vehicles in fiscal 1998, FHI achieved a 300 fold increase. The cumulative total of AWD vehicles manufactured since production began, surpassed 1 million in October 1984 and 3 million in April 1992. On July 2, 1999, the cumulative total reached 5 million. The ratio of AWD vehicles to the total of all Subaru vehicles produced by FHI to date is approximately 40 percent. However, about 75 percent of Subaru vehicles produced in fiscal 1998 were AWD vehicles, demonstrating the superior reliability of Subaru AWD technology.

The AWD system is currently available in every Subaru model produced by FHI and a strategy of promoting AWD is supporting sales growth in overseas markets. Subaru employs its simple symmetrically laid-out, unique AWD system combined with Horizontally-Opposed Engine in its Legacy, Outback, Forester and Impreza. This feature delivers superior driving performance and a high level of safety not only on snow covered roads and mountain roads but under any road conditions. This high level of performance helped the Subaru Impreza become the first Japanese vehicle to win the Manufacturers' Championship in the World Rally Championship for three consecutive years from 1995 to 1997. It has also received high acclaim from consumers who demand the best in driving performance. The Subaru Legacy has been the best selling AWD model in Japan for two consecutive years from 1997.*

*From a survey by Japan Automobile Dealers Association