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Subaru Outback
The first Subaru Legacy
Outback was introduced in the United States
in 1996. It was a Legacy station wagon with
all wheel drive, body-cladding, off-road tires
and slightly higher ground clearance. It was
marketed using Subaru's trademarked phrase:
"The World's First Sport Utility Wagon."
The
phrase may be trademarked, but it is not entirely
accurate. In 1979, American Motors launched
the AMC Concord-based AMC Eagle, which was
similar, but had suffered poor sales and was
discontinued in 1988.
Subaru of America executives
created the Outback because the SUV craze
had at that point reached a fevered pitch
with customers demanding SUVs and shunning
Subarus station wagons (even when equipped
with all wheel drive) based on image concerns,
leaving dealers clamoring for a SUV-like product
to sell. The
Outback turned out to be a success, handily
outselling its Legacy progenitor. Clever ads
featured Australian "Crocodile Dundee"
star Paul Hogan using the Outback in adventurous
situations where it was portrayed besting
its competitors, notably the Ford Explorer.
An
Outback Sport, based on the Subaru Impreza
five-door hatchback was introduced in 1998.
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