Subaru Posts April 2006 Sales Numbers

Subaru Reports April 2006 Sales

 

-- Subaru Impreza sales up 8% --

CHERRY HILL, N.J., May 2 -- Subaru of America, Inc. today reported April sales totaling 16,073 units. Strong sales of the Subaru Impreza led the month, climbing eight percent from the same period last year.

 

The Subaru B9 Tribeca recorded a strong 1,803 units for the month of April. The Subaru Legacy model line posted a total of 6,259 units, with Subaru Outback posting 4,283 units for the month. Subaru Impreza posted 3,066 unit sales, while Subaru Forester totaled 4,512 units for the month. Subaru Baja recorded 433 units in April.

For a complete sales chart and additional information about Subaru of America, Inc. and Subaru vehicles, visit our media website at http://www.media.subaru.com/.

 

link to full stats

 

http://vocuspr.vocus.com/vocuspr30/DotNet/Newsroom/ViewAttachment.aspx?SiteName=Subaru&Entity=PRAsset&AttachmentType=F&EntityID=100606&AttachmentID=e2859400-a06c-4112-aa17-5267eb9608b3

It's a disaster, the money spent on developing the Legacy and the Tribeca was not well spent. The only thing keeping them afloat is the Impreza and that will n ot ikely last.

It's a disaster, the money spent on developing the Legacy and the Tribeca was not well spent. The only thing keeping them afloat is the Impreza and that will not ikely last.

 

I R confused, for how butt ugly it is i think the numbers for the Tribeca are pretty good.. and why is it the impreza keeping them afloat when they sell more outbacks?

The Legacy line is down 16% off of last year and the Tribeca hasn't met sales goals and never will. They spent several hundred million dollars developing the Legacy and the Tribeca and if they would have kept the money in the bank the sales would not be much worse and they would still have the money. It is a very bad thing for newly developed models to be down on sales so soon after release. With the Tribeca they added a whole new model line and it isn't working.

 

The fact is that they are losing their Outback niche and that is very bad news for them. Competing head to head with the larger players like Honda and Toyota is not what they want to do, or can do.

The Legacy line is down 16% off of last year and the Tribeca hasn't met sales goals and never will. They spent several hundred million dollars developing the Legacy and the Tribeca and if they would have kept the money in the bank the sales would not be much worse and they would still have the money. It is a very bad thing for newly developed models to be down on sales so soon after release. With the Tribeca they added a whole new model line and it isn't working.

 

The fact is that they are losing their Outback niche and that is very bad news for them. Competing head to head with the larger players like Honda and Toyota is not what they want to do, or can do.

 

Noted.. I just looked at the full doc.. not suprised that the press release doesnt tell you Legacy sales are down 28%

 

bew

I'd like to see those legacy numbers higher, but we know that won't happen until they actually get some marketing that's worth a darn.

It's a disaster, the money spent on developing the Legacy and the Tribeca was not well spent.

 

how's the legacy development money wasted?

Thanks for the update...

 

I see 06 Outbacks out here in Colorado EVERYWHERE!!!

IMO - they need to spend more money on advertisement on the 6 cyl. motor. Look at the Mitsu eclipse, when that car went to a v-6 it almost doubled the number of cars sold. People in general don't understand how a turbo works. All they hear is a 4-cyl. and that turns them off for the price of the car. When people think of 4-cyl they think of twenty thousand or less a lot less.

 

People also don't want to buy premium gas and they don't understand why they need to buy premium gas for there American cars don't need premuim.

 

There is more, but that is the main points in my opion.

 

Kelly

I have never seen a Legacy ad promoting what this site is all about...how much fun it is to drive a Legacy!

 

Yes the safety is probably second to none and most people associate that with a Subaru...they need to start cross marketing it as 'Can a safe car also be fun to drive?' Well it can be in a Subaru!

 

The Zoom Zoom theme worked wonderfully for Mazda...it worked so much I drove it and thought to myself afterwards wow their marketing department should talk to their engineers! The Subaru is more of the Zoom Zoom car...

 

I think the large increase in Impreza's was the financing deals they had on them (at least here they did). 0.0% loan as well as 24 month leases.

 

What has suprised me the most is the ridiculous games SOA plays like the big 3 of rebates, incentives, big hold back's to play with, etc. When you buy a Honda or a Toyota, Audi, Mercedes, BMW the sticker is the price they charge for its worth! And that is such a big reason why they hold their resale value...Subaru's do too but not nearly like an Accord or Camry.

 

I have lost my ass buying American cars for 12 years this is the first Japanese car I have bought...keeping my fingers crossed on this thing holding its value like CR said it would.

With the Tribeca they added a whole new model line and it isn't working.

 

wasn't it previously reported that 60% of Tribeca sales are conquest (customers stolen from other brands)?

^ agreed.

 

people keep asking me, "your car has 4 cylinder only?"

60% of tribeca sales may be conquests, but if it is only 50% of projections, it still isn't good.

 

I think they stepped in too late with the tribeca. Gas prices and waning fads are putting the crimp on SUV sales. It isn't horrible to get into that market, but it is more challenging than it has been in recent years. You can't merely show up, you have to now bring your A-game, and Tribeca is too devisive looking to be that A-game.

 

Legacy has no such problem. It's problem is more post-production. No advertizing. No one knows. AWD sedan and wagon pair with some performance. People know Magnum/Charger. People know Mercedes, BMW, and other sport sedans and wagons. People know Volvo makes that. People are being exposed to the 500/Freestyle.

 

As someone mentioned, so many competitors are arriving and getting upgraded, that the Outback is being crowded out of it's own niche.

 

People don't know about the Legacy. the 01-04 Legacy may be a nice car, but it is not nearly the looker that the competition is, nor even the 05+ car.

I don't mean to demean the car, but it was a market no-show. People who bought that either got a smoking deal on a lot bargain car, or already knew and liked Subaru.

 

With the re-intro of the turbocharged Legacy, the CAR came back into it's own. But the marketing didn't, and people still don't think about it unless they know about Subarus before they make their car shopping lists.

 

I have been over and over and over how SOA could add options, trim lines, color choices, transmission choices, and the 3.0L 6-cylinder to more appeal to conquest customers, and not just enthusiasts. I know options cost money. SOA NEEDS TO SPEND MONEY TO MAKE MONEY. On options, choices, and advertizing.

 

But it all doesn't matter, as long as the Legacy is the best kept sport sedan secret. Subaru will go in the red while keeping that secret, if they aren't careful.

 

They also need new product. They need something no one else yet has. Audi is coming out with the A5 series coupe and convertible with 6-cyl and AWD, probably in 08. Coupes are coming back, but AWD 4-season GT coupes haven't really hit yet.

 

Who better than Subaru to be in on that ground floor? The Legacy could spawn one VERY easily, it is the right size for a substantial but not obese coupe, especially a 5-door (a-la rageous, mc4, RX8+hatch) pseudo-coupe with practicality.

 

They could, if they use some brain-power and common sense, crack that market they way the Outback cracked the SUV-alternate genre about a decade ago, which is now too crowded for it.

 

You have to have product that is either a better value than other similar products, or a product that has no other similar products, that fills a new need. Subaru is losing the value and unique-AWD edge it has had, and hasn't pushed the new product envelope in a while.

 

Cliff notes: Subaru needs to compete in their markets and new markets, or they'll be left behind. The auto industry as a whole needs a huge infusion of ingenuity, common sense, and focus on building good, competetive products that people want.

 

It seems to me that people who make decisions in the auto industry have no idea what their products are for. They aren't car people, at least not most of them. We aren't getting truly HOT subaru performance cars or really practical new ideas because the people making the decisions are corporate entities, not people interested in the actual end resultant product. Many other companies share that malaise.

 

If there were car guys in these companies, we would be seeing VERY exciting things as concept cars, and new products on the showroom. Instead, we seem to be collectively having mixed emotions, and left somewhat wanting.

These numbers mean nothing without knowing how the industry is doing as a whole.

 

Nervousness about the economy and the continued falling of real wages may be more of a problem than brand perception.

 

P.

I agree the Outback has lost its niche market. It used to be unique but now everyone has at least one small SUV/crossover vehicle and most sit higher than the Outback. Lots of people go for the truck feel you get from sitting up high. Maybe they couldn't afford to not get into the mainstream SUV market - i.e. Tribeca but for the most part Subaru needs to exploit the niche market and play on the fringes that Toyota/Honda don't really cover. I think it's really hard to maintain a healthy small car company without feeling lots of pressure to constantly gain market share. Lets face it, all the car companies are trying to increase market share and its just not going to happen for everyone, there will be some losers. There are so many players out there now, competition is fierce.

Subaru sales are really up only .4%

 

http://wardsauto.com/keydata/USSalesSummary0604/ check out the second tab.

 

Plenty of manufacturers are showing healthy increases.

 

Subbaru's investment in the Legacy and Tribeca was a waste because if they did nothing their sales would likely be similar and they would have a lot ore money.

 

Subaru's problem is marketing and distribution. Until they sort that out nothing will change for the better.

 

The real scary thing is the erosion of the Outback brand; that is big trouble.

I really do not know why you guys claim Subaru Legacy sales are so dismal. Yes, sales are bad since the numbers dropped when compared to itself...but DISMAL ?

 

What standards are you referring to ? Are you guys comparing Legacy sales to that of Toyota Camry ?

 

Subaru is a niche manufacturer. Boxer like Porsche. Well that puts people off. It is not V engine (180 degrees I know) so people will be skeptical...It is a 4 cylinder and people will think it is underpowered especially since the engine size 2.5 L is small....much like a Corolla. It is turbo which people associate with sporty cars yet bad fuel economy. And we live in an era of record high gas phucking prices. It is all wheel drive which makes people think they spend extra when they do not need it and it will burn more fuel. If you just wanted a car to go to work, say live in southern US where there is little snow... WHY bother with a Subaru awd ? Factor in poor advertising by SOA and you get the sales numbers we get.

 

YET we have to report those to the same kind of product. It may be unfair to compare it to car in the luxury division yet...the only other manufacturer that puts AWD on most of their cars is AUDI How many A4 did Audi sell in April 2006 ?

 

Well Houdini...it turns out AUDI sold 3,623 A4 models. And that's a 25% increase from a year ago. Subaru nearly doubled that.

 

What about Infinity G35x ?

Not sure since it doesn't say...but these are the sales for Infinity G35 sedan overall.

G35 Sedan 2,831 (april 2006) 3,275 (april 2005) Down 10%.

 

Well...I think the higher gas prices has severely dented the sports, luxury market a bit...and certainly, the more specialized, sophisticated the car is...the less it will sell. I do not wonder that a small-engined turbo AWD car with an unfamiliar engine type that requires premium gasoline will not sell well in the 3 $ a gallon era...

Nice post by Iwanna. If Subaru offers a Legacy - level coupe, then I might well have two Subarus in my garage.

 

Regarding the G35 coupe and sedan I have two words - Ugly and lack-o-storage-space.

 

=\

New article on zee #'s

 

Subaru sales off 4% in April

 

By Max Showalter

mshowalter@journalandcourier.com

Despite a strong showing by the Impreza, overall sales of Subaru vehicles declined by 4 percent in April when compared to the same month a year ago.

 

A report from Subaru of America Inc. showed sales totaled 16,073 units last month. That falls short of the 16,717 vehicles sold in April 2005.

 

During the first four months of 2006, total Subaru sales of 61,141 units is slightly above the 60,882 sold in January-April of last year.

 

Among Japanese-made vehicles, sales of the Impreza model climbed 8 percent in April, to 3,066 units, while sales of the Forester fell by 1 percent, to 4,512.

 

Sales of the B9 Tribeca, which is produced at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. plant in Lafayette, totaled 1,803 last month. That's an improvement over the average of 1,650 units per month reached during the January-March period this year.

 

Among other SIA-built vehicles, sales of the Legacy line, which includes Outback models, tumbled 28 percent, to 6,259 units.

 

Production of the 2007 Legacy models will begin in June at SIA, and the Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B performance sedan was introduced last month at the New York International Auto Show.

 

"Changes for the new model year include driver selection of engine output, a version of the six-speed manual transmission from the Impreza WRX, and vehicle dynamics control from the Outback and all-wheel drive, of course," wrote Ken Zino on the Web site www.thecarconnection.com.

 

"The sport mode emulates the performance characteristics of the 2006 model, while the 'sport sharp' mode provides faster throttle response and more power sooner."

Subaru halted production of the Baja sport-utility truck in mid-April and last month sold 433 units of the vehicle that was introduced in September 2002.

 

"The Subaru Baja is an exciting vehicle, but the industry-wide demand for sport-utility trucks has not developed as projected. Therefore, it's more cost-effective for Subaru to focus production at SIA on our top-selling vehicles -- the Legacy, Outback and B9 Tribeca," said SIA senior vice president Tom Easterday, who stressed that the vehicle is still available at Subaru dealerships.

 

"The small number of SIA associates working exclusively on Baja production will be transferred to other production positions at SIA for training in anticipation of production of the export version of the B9 Tribeca this summer."

 

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060504/NEWS/605040331/1152

I agree with what others have said. Marketing, some key features other cars in the class have that Subaru lacks, and offering H6 on more models would be a good thing and not much money compared to what else I think they should bey doing (direct injection comes to mind).

 

Subaru really should be right there against the Mazda6 in terms of being sportier and slightly smaller than the Toyota/Honda/Nissan competition.

Don't count the 4 cylinders out just yet, with the gas prices climbing like crazy, the 4's are gonna get popular. It's the reason I just traded in my V8 Jeep.

Don't count the 4 cylinders out just yet, with the gas prices climbing like crazy, the 4's are gonna get popular. It's the reason I just traded in my V8 Jeep.

 

Well except for the part that unless you drive your turbo 4 gently you can end up with v8 gas milage

Don't count the 4 cylinders out just yet, with the gas prices climbing like crazy, the 4's are gonna get popular. It's the reason I just traded in my V8 Jeep.

 

Yup that's why I traded mine in too...but mind you its LGT 4 cylinder has the worst gas mileage in its class full of 6 cylinders. There goal should be improving the gas mileage....

Yup that's why I traded mine in too...but mind you its LGT 4 cylinder has the worst gas mileage in its class full of 6 cylinders. There goal should be improving the gas mileage....

 

Maybe thats why they have that cool new knob!

I didnt get the Turbo, I got the lame 2.5i

I guess I don't really belong on this forum.