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Subaru 1600 4WD - Farmer's Ferrari and all-purpose vehicle

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Created on March 9, 2016

Reading time 8min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Subaru Schweiz

Subaru / Werk

Bruno von Rotz

Montage Zwischengas

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Subaru Schweiz

Subaru / Werk

Bruno von Rotz

Montage Zwischengas

Archiv

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - mit Bernhard Russi am Lenkrad

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - schmal und hochbeinig

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - kompakt und übersichtlich

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - auch für grobe Strassen praktisch

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - auch ohne eingeschalteten Allradantrieb kommt man meist schon gut durch

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfach gestaltetes Heck

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - mit Kombi-Heckklappe

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfach und pragmatisch

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - ein Sportwagen ist es natürlich nicht

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - durch Wald und Wies'

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - hohe Türe hinten

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - da passt eben auch die berühmte Milchkanne hinein

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - gute Zugänglichkeit des Kofferraums

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - ein Kombi, der auch fürs Grobe taugt

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - das Interieur ist einfach gestaltet

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - funktionales Cockpit in Kunststoff

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Anzeigen für das Nötigste

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfaches Cockpit

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Drehknöpfe an der Lenksäule

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Tacho bis 180 km/h, aber so schnell war er nicht

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - die Gänge des Vierganggetriebes wird per Mittelschalthebel gewechselt, daneben der Hebel für den zuschaltbaren Allradantrieb

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfache Bedienung - Hebel nach hinten und die Hinterräder drehen mit

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - viertürig und Platz für fünf

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Vierzylinder-Boxermotor

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - der Motor ist tief eingebaut und verleiht einen niedrigen Schwerpunkt

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Subaru-Markenzeichen auf dem Bug

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - komplett beschriftet

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - runde Frontscheinwerfer

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Subaru- und Modellschriftzug

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Entlüftung auf der Motorhaube

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfache Türgriffe

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - einfache Kunststoffverkleidungen im Kofferraum

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Stahlräder mit Subaru-Markenzeichen

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - schmale und hohe Heckleuchten

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Subaru Leone 1400 4WD (1972) - bereits früh gab es den Subaru mit Allradantrieb

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Subaru 1400 Estate (1975) - als Marke neu im Schweizer Markt vertreten, im Angebot gibt es den GSR, die Limousine und den Kombi - Genfer Automobilsalon 1975

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Subaru 1400 DL - der Vorbote, ab Oktober 1974 soll der Import in die Schweiz beginnen, die Limousine soll 11'000, das Coupé 12'000 Franken kosten - am Genfer Automobilsalon 1974

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Subaru Leone 1400 (1976) - als Stationswagen, bereits mit Vierradantrieb

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Subaru 1600 WD (1978) - Produktion im Werk

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Spass im Schnee beim TV-Spot-Dreh

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Russis Subaru im Schnee

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Werbeillustration von damals, Russi am Steuer

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Bernhard Russi bei ersten Probefahrten

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1978) - beim ersten Händler-Treffen im Verkehrssicherheitszentrum Veltheim noch vor der offiziellen Präsentation des Wagens

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Lancierung - die Händler erhalten ihre Vorführfahrzeuge im Verkehrssicherheitszentrum Veltheim

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - jeder Händler erhält im Verkehrssicherheitszentrum Veltheim die Verkaufsunterlagen gleich im Kofferraum des Vorführfahrzeugs

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Blick in den Kofferraum

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - am Genfer Autosalon im Jahr 1979

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Präsentation des Subaru 1600 4WD am Genfer Autosalon 1979 - Importeuer Walter Frey mit Bernhard Russi und Bundespräsident Kurt Furgler

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1978) - erste Probefahrten

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Bernhard Russi in seinem Subaru

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Bernhard Russi und sein zweiter Subaru

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Bernhard Russi und sein Subaru mit dem Kennzeichen UR 5000

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Erprobung in den Alpen

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - harte Erprobung

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Subaru 1600 4WD Station Wagon (1979) - aus dem Verkaufsprospekt

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Subaru 1800 Super Station (1982) - am Genfer Automobilsalon von 1982 - in der Schweiz wegen seines Allradantriebs beliebt

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Subaru 1800 WD (1982) - Bernhard Russi am Rallye Paris-Dakar

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Das Händlernetz bei der Lancierung des Allradlers Subaru 1600 4WD in der Schweiz im Jahr 1979

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Drehen des Fernsehspots mit dem Subaru 1600 4 WD im Jahr 1979

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Subaru 1600 4WD (1979) - Lancierung im Schweizer Fernsehen

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Subaru 1600 4WD - Ganzseitige Inserate in der Tagespresse - jetzt mit Preis

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Subaru 1600 4WD - Ganzseitige Inserate in der Tagespresse - noch ohne Preis

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Subaru 1600 (1979) - am Oldtimer Grandprix Safenwil 2014

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Summary

Subaru is a pioneer of the popular four-wheel drive, as early as the 1970s, when it built passenger cars with four-wheel drive almost a decade before Audi. However, they did not really gain a foothold in Europe until imports began on a large scale in Switzerland in 1979. Thanks to a solid vehicle and a clever marketing strategy, the Subaru 1600 4WD estate became a trendsetter and a successful business. This report takes a look at the history of the all-wheel drive Subaru, showing the car in historical and current pictures and in sales and marketing literature.

This article contains the following chapters

The boss as visionary
No new model
Innovative package
Ambassador Russi
Marketing the Swiss way
Unpretentious
Why a farmer's Ferrari?
Rarity
Further information

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

"At last, a real all-purpose car," announces Olympic downhill skiing champion Bernhard Russi, beaming, in the television commercial broadcast at prime time in February 1979, ushering in a new chapter in the motorization of the Swiss. Up to that point, it had mainly been the VW Beetle that had performed difficult transportation tasks in winter. There were only a few four-wheel drive cars at the time and they were mostly pure off-road vehicles like the Land Rover or the Jeep and were correspondingly clumsy and thirsty. The Subaru 1600, however, had selectable four-wheel drive and, as a four-door estate car, was up to almost any challenge. And it was cheap to boot: 14,990 Swiss francs was downright popular for what it offered.

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