The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

Was on the cards back when they came out made in the Usa if we could buy sixty thousand units a year _ it is all our fault our market not big enough to support the idea ......

did they sell that many in the US?

Good point !

"We" could buy that many or the RHD market could buy that many ?

Japan, UK, Thailand, NZ, etc...Japan and UK would have been bigger markets than us.

Unfortunately I don't think any RHD market had an overwhelming desire for a 4 door ute...then again, nor did the US market

Story came from long term Subaru dealer staff where someone had enquired how to get it into Australian dealerships. The figure may have just been thrown at them. Think was said Oz was biggest market for MY and or Brumby, maybe just Brumby, and maybe not big enough numbers to consider L Series ute way back then.

Would be interesting to see the economics of it all , if its viable to bring in 200 BRZ's, then why not??
With the price of the "real 4wds"and their cost of running, a lightweight, capable awd ute would sell
edit : especially with the right goodi bits

I thought they were made in the US for the US market only.

maybe, but someone felt the need to ask what was required to get them into Oz with steering on our side and the figure was the result - a deterent ?

We don't want a baja. Look ugly and the tray is tiny.
What we want is a new range of utes.
STi to compete with the hsv/ fpv utes.
Then a single and a dual range 4wd ute. Like a landcruiser/ hilux.
But Subaru designed etc. (why would you put a suby badge on a toyota?)
My 2c

Cheers Cam

Brumby Kid wrote:We don't want a baja. Look ugly and the tray is tiny.
What we want is a new range of utes.
STi to compete with the hsv/ fpv utes.
Then a single and a dual range 4wd ute. Like a landcruiser/ hilux.
But Subaru designed etc. (why would you put a suby badge on a toyota?)
My 2c

And roughly the same size as the brumby or jumbuck. In the current ute market a light weight economical dual range 4wd ute would be a killer in the sales department! Farmers of the older generation that want a small ute are turning to the jumbuck due to there being no other option. Add 4wd with dual range and watch them drive out the door!

The Baja looks funny with the 4 doors and the tiny tray tacked on the back end - a longer wheel base is really needed to centre the tray over the rear wheels. The Baja looks like those finnish brumbys with the long trays IMO.

Cheers

Bennie

El_Freddo wrote:And roughly the same size as the brumby or jumbuck. In the current ute market a light weight economical dual range 4wd ute would be a killer in the sales department! Farmers of the older generation that want a small ute are turning to the jumbuck due to there being no other option. Add 4wd with dual range and watch them drive out the door!

The Baja looks funny with the 4 doors and the tiny tray tacked on the back end - a longer wheel base is really needed to centre the tray over the rear wheels. The Baja looks like those finnish brumbys with the long trays IMO.

Cheers

Bennie

The classic farm ute the landcruiser 70 series is great. But the price tag is enormous!
Totally agree with above Bennie.
What are these long tray brumbies you speak of?

Cam

But are there enough "older generation farmers" who want small dual range utes to make designing, manufacturing and shipping a completely new car over to our small market worth while? I don't think so somehow. As for competing with hsv's etc nobody wants those either, only cashed up tradies drive the utes and commonwhores aren't selling like the used to.

Australia is just too small to make a big risk like this pay off. But hey, they did it with the Baja in the US so why not here?

Maybe just restart the brumby production line?

Hehe easier said than done; that line is most definitely long gone replaced by newer models.

Brumby Kid wrote:The classic farm ute the landcruiser 70 series is great. But the price tag is enormous!
Totally agree with above Bennie.
What are these long tray brumbies you speak of?

Cam

Thread recently on here...I think the longer tray was to meet commercial vehicle requirements in Norway, Finland etc.

Bajas are simply just awful (having spent time in one) and am glad they did not make it to the AUDM!

Its a wonder a korean or chinese car company hasnt picked-up the rights to remake the brumby like chery and great wall have seemed to have done with the rav4 and rodeo...
Proton did it too in the early days with the lancers i think...

Brumby Kid wrote:Maybe just restart the brumby production line?

Would love to see the brumby again great little ute that just goes and goes I'm on the look out for one as a project car for next year not too many around