Did you know that Subaru once offered a bakkie (or pick-up) in North America, Canada, the UK and Australia? Developed in Japan in 1977 at the request of the President of Subaru of America, the BRAT (as it was known) was introduced to match the demand for small pick-ups in the USA, from Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda. Unlike these trucks, all BRATs had four-wheel drive, being developed from the existing Leone station wagon. It seems though that we could be seeing a reintroduction…
The Subaru BRAT, short for “Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter”, known outside Canada and the United States as the 284 in the United Kingdom, Brumby in Australia, and Shifter, MV, or Targa in other markets was sold from 1978 to 1994.
Reports out of the land down under suggest that a reintroduction of the Brumby could be on the cards, although nothing has been confirmed. Subaru Australia has however confirmed that there is demand for such a vehicle from customers. One big advantage is that if they do decide to put an idea into production they will be starting with a decent base. For the unaware, Subaru and Toyota are partners in business in Japan, and Toyota is a majority shareholder in Subaru.
This means that if they were to produce a bakkie it would most likely be based on the Toyota Hilux. It won’t be the first time that the two automakers shared a platform. Remember the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins? Other reports suggest that the two are also collaborating on a new fully electric vehicle aimed primarily at Europe, and they are planning to share more technology and knowhow across future products in coming generations.
As mentioned, nothing has been confirmed however Subaru Australia general manager Blair Read told CarsGuide, “there’s always the possibility”. With more manufacturers sharing platforms and even products with a badge change we can only hope to see more brands entering uncharted markets.
Image: https://www.carsguide.com.au/
