TOKYO -- Subaru is targeting a 20 percent surge in U.S. sales to a record 320,000 units in 2012, helped by the debut of such new models as the BRZ sporty coupe and the XV small crossover.
But sales of the redesigned Impreza will account for the bulk of the increase over last year?s sales of 267,000, said Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, president of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. About 35,000 units of the increase will come from the Impreza.
A redesigned generation of that small car was introduced last fall.
The XV small crossover, which is based on the Impreza, is forecast to account for around 7,500 vehicles, while the BRZ chips in a couple thousand of the increase, Subaru said.
That means relatively low volume for these new vehicles, which will debut later this year in the United States. Subaru has not announced their launch dates yet.
Meanwhile, Subaru is expecting an increase of 10,000 units from the Legacy and Outback.
The overall advance will be tempered by sales declines in the Forester and Tribeca SUVs.
Yoshinaga offered the outlook this past week as Fuji Heavy announced fiscal third-quarter earnings for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011. Net income fell 37 percent to 36.8 billion yen ($475.5 million) in the quarter, as global sales slid 12 percent to 1.03 trillion yen ($13.3 billion).
But the United States remains a hot market for Subaru, whose factory in Indiana is working at full capacity to keep up with demand. The sales target of 320,000 units for 2012 puts the brand well on its way to achieving the company?s U.S. sales goal of 350,000 vehicles by 2016.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120204/RETAIL01/120209907#ixzz1o46Pku00
But sales of the redesigned Impreza will account for the bulk of the increase over last year?s sales of 267,000, said Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, president of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. About 35,000 units of the increase will come from the Impreza.
A redesigned generation of that small car was introduced last fall.
The XV small crossover, which is based on the Impreza, is forecast to account for around 7,500 vehicles, while the BRZ chips in a couple thousand of the increase, Subaru said.
That means relatively low volume for these new vehicles, which will debut later this year in the United States. Subaru has not announced their launch dates yet.
Meanwhile, Subaru is expecting an increase of 10,000 units from the Legacy and Outback.
The overall advance will be tempered by sales declines in the Forester and Tribeca SUVs.
Yoshinaga offered the outlook this past week as Fuji Heavy announced fiscal third-quarter earnings for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011. Net income fell 37 percent to 36.8 billion yen ($475.5 million) in the quarter, as global sales slid 12 percent to 1.03 trillion yen ($13.3 billion).
But the United States remains a hot market for Subaru, whose factory in Indiana is working at full capacity to keep up with demand. The sales target of 320,000 units for 2012 puts the brand well on its way to achieving the company?s U.S. sales goal of 350,000 vehicles by 2016.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120204/RETAIL01/120209907#ixzz1o46Pku00
