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Junkyard Gem: 1982 Subaru BRAT

Like the AMC Eagle, the Subaru BRAT was a big sales hit in Colorado, much more than in the rest of North America, and you still see plenty of examples of both vehicles on Colorado streets ... and in Colorado wrecking yards. Here's a 1982 BRAT with camper shell that made it to age 35 before being forcibly retired. Based on the Subaru Leone (which was sold in the United States as "The Subaru"), the BRAT was a lightweight, four-wheel-drive truck that could slog through mud and snow, but didn't slurp gas quite as hard as other 4WD trucks. They rusted instantly in the Midwest and Northeast, but held together pretty well in the West. This one has the "Twin-Halo" sunroof setup. How much power do you need in a pickup? In 1982, 72 horses, from this 1,781cc boxer-four engine, were enough for BRAT buyers. Subaru evaded paying the Chicken Tax on early BRATs by installing jumpseats in the bed, which (legally speaking) made the BRAT a four-seat passenger car; like most BRATs that end up in junkyards, the jumpseats are long gone from this one. Many personal-injury lawsuits later, the jumpseats were nixed and BRAT buyers had to pay the tax. Note the Subaru-owner-stereotype-defying bumper stickers on the back window. It's faded and bent and worn out, but will provide parts for the many BRATs (and Leones) still roaming Colorado streets and trails. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In Australia, this truck was called the Brumby. Happy with the ride, Porky? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In the United States, Ruth Gordon pitched the BRAT. Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1982 Subaru BRAT View 14 Photos Auto News Subaru Automotive History Truck subaru brat

Subaru to stop building Camry for Toyota in the US

It was back in 2007 that Subaru of Indiana Automotive, under contract from Subaru minority shareholder Toyota, built the first Toyota Camry at its plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Rumblings of the end of that contract work have been around for a while, as Subaru talked of expanding capacity to build more units and add a line for the Impreza, and Toyota talked of moving Camry production to its Georgetown, KY plant. The news was official internally last November when SIA Executive Vice President Tom Easterday told the Louisville Courier-Journal that Camry production would end. Now, Automotive News reports that both automakers have admitted publicly that the end will come in 2016.
SIA currently has a 170,000-unit capacity devoted to the home-brand Legacy and Outback models, while a $400-million expansion increases that to 300,000 units to prepare the facility for Impreza production in two years. Freeing up the 100,000 units of production devoted to the Camry means a 400,000-unit capability, which is far more than Subaru needs at the moment, but the Toyota exit will allow it to expand any way it sees fit. Subaru has said it will absorb the workers on the Camry line and no jobs will be lost, the mayor of Lafayette saying the development could change the timetable for the expansion.

Toyota, Mazda drop Takata as Mitsubishi, Subaru weigh options

It's not a very good time to be Takata right now. Fresh on the heels of longtime partner Honda ditching them, Toyota and Mazda have both come out and said they will not use the company's airbag inflators if they continue to rely on ammonium nitrate. Bloomberg reports that Subaru and Mitsubishi are also contemplating a divorce. "The inflator using ammonium nitrate produced by Takata will not be adopted by Toyota," President Akio Toyoda said during a briefing today. "What's most important above anything else is the safety and peace of mind of customers." Mazda echoed that position, simply saying it "will not use Takata airbag inflators which contain ammonium nitrate in our new cars." When you lose three huge OEM accounts in as many days, it's certainly going to have a deleterious effect on your fortunes. In Takata's case, that's meant a staggering 39-percent drop in their share price over the last three days. Yesterday alone, the company saw a 6.2-percent fall, Bloomberg reports. As the business publication reports, though, Takata isn't going down without a fight. The company is "considering some plans to survive," including a fundraising plan that will see it potentially offer up additional shares for sale. Still, at least one analyst doesn't see whatever company survives staying involved in the airbag inflator business. "I really don't see how they're going to be able to survive as an inflator manufacturer," Valient Market Research founder Scott Upham told Bloomberg. "When your major clients publicly come out and say that they're not going to use your products anymore, it makes this very difficult to sustain your business." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Carlos Osorio / AP Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Toyota Safety supplier