Subaru is on track to achieve its 11th consecutive record sales year.
Subaru is pinning its sales growth hopes for 2009 on an expanded Impreza lineup.
Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, credits the Impreza with having driven sales, particularly since the arrival of a sedan model earlier this year.
Next week the range will get another boost with the updated 2.5-litre WRX sedan and hatch.
Senior says that despite the recent new car sales slowdown, Subaru is on track to achieve its 11th consecutive record sales year.
The Impreza is a big contributor, he says.
“We've seen Impreza sales up 7 per cent this year in a small car market that is up only marginally up year to date and that is despite the fact that we haven't had a sedan, which accounted for 50 per cent of our sales in the previous Impreza,” he says.
“We launched the Impreza sedan in May and next week we launch the 2.5-litre WRX in sedan and hatch variants.
“We are anticipating that our WRX sales will also increase.”
Senior admitted that the past six months had been difficult but the company was performing solidly on the back of the Impreza and new Forester.
When the Impreza was launched last year it pushed sales up 7 per cent without the added bonus of the sedan by attracting new buyers.
“We had a thorough look at Impreza and in terms of a pure marketing campaign it has been a success in attracting those new audiences, particularly the professional womens' segment... female buyers from 25-30 right through to 50-55 that are working business professionals,” he says.
“So we have grown that audience despite not having a sedan model.”
Subaru will go into 2009 with the existing Liberty and Outback range, which is not due to be replaced until the end of the year.
Senior says the company is also close to signing off on the Exiga minivan.
“We're having a look at Exiga,” he says.
“We've done clinics here.
“There's one running around at the moment doing some preliminary work on testing.
“We haven't pressed the button on it, yet, that's probably going to come after a few more discussions in late January.
“So I imagine in January we'll be making a decision and if it is coming it's probably late next year.”
Senior says unlike Japan, which has both turbo and non-turbo Exigas, only one normally aspirated model will be available here.
That is expected to be a 2.0-litre four cylinder.
In Japan that engine produces 108kW at 6000 revs and 191Nm at 3200 revs.
