Japan Car of the Year award
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Japan Car of the Year award
Subaru's Legacy wins Japan Car of the Year award
Reuters, 11.13.03, 10:01 PM ET
TOKYO, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The latest version of the Subaru Legacy, Fuji Heavy Industries flagship model, received the Japanese auto industry's Car of the Year award for 2003-2004, the auto maker said on Friday.
It was the first time Fuji Heavy won the award, with the Legacy beating tough competition from the likes of Honda Motor Co's Odyssey minivan and Toyota Motor Corp's gas-electric hybrid Prius.
Although no major breakthrough in styling, the fourth-generation Legacy has won plaudits for its driving performance and has been compared to a well-built German sports sedan.
The award should add much-needed sales momentum for the niche maker of off-road vehicles known for its boxer engines.
With only a small model line-up, Fuji Heavy's domestic sales had been weak until the launch of the Legacy in June.
Some analysts said that the vehicle, despite its extremely loyal following, may still have trouble appealing to a wider market in Japan, where small cars and minivans are favoured over sedans and wagons.
Fuji Heavy may have to wait until the car is launched in the United States next year before it sees a big lift in earnings, the analysts said.
"People who like this car are fanatics about it and it will be an even bigger deal in the U.S. market when it is launched in the spring," said Christopher Richter, an analyst at HSBC Securities.
Reuters, 11.13.03, 10:01 PM ET
TOKYO, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The latest version of the Subaru Legacy, Fuji Heavy Industries flagship model, received the Japanese auto industry's Car of the Year award for 2003-2004, the auto maker said on Friday.
It was the first time Fuji Heavy won the award, with the Legacy beating tough competition from the likes of Honda Motor Co's Odyssey minivan and Toyota Motor Corp's gas-electric hybrid Prius.
Although no major breakthrough in styling, the fourth-generation Legacy has won plaudits for its driving performance and has been compared to a well-built German sports sedan.
The award should add much-needed sales momentum for the niche maker of off-road vehicles known for its boxer engines.
With only a small model line-up, Fuji Heavy's domestic sales had been weak until the launch of the Legacy in June.
Some analysts said that the vehicle, despite its extremely loyal following, may still have trouble appealing to a wider market in Japan, where small cars and minivans are favoured over sedans and wagons.
Fuji Heavy may have to wait until the car is launched in the United States next year before it sees a big lift in earnings, the analysts said.
"People who like this car are fanatics about it and it will be an even bigger deal in the U.S. market when it is launched in the spring," said Christopher Richter, an analyst at HSBC Securities.
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