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Subaru Australia has launched five special-edition models to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Following the launch of the limited-run Impreza S-Edition in March and the all-new Crosstrek small SUV due this month, the brand has unveiled Forester, WRX and Outback 50 Years Edition specials.
All vehicles receive 50 Years Edition insignia on the front doors and black rear badging, with other changes specific to each model line.
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While the WRX and Outback are limited to a single 50 Years Edition – based on the base WRX and flagship Outback Touring XT – the Forester is available in entry-level 2.5i and flagship 2.5i-S guise.
A spokesperson for Subaru Australia told Wheels Media today that while there are no specific numbers of each 50 Years model available, “we can confirm there is currently a healthy amount of stock available for each of these special editions”.
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FEATURES
2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i 50 Years Edition
- $38,890 before on-road costs
| Subaru Forester 2.5i AWD 50 Years Edition | |
|---|---|
| Black leather accented seat trim | Available in Crystal White, Ice Silver, Horizon Blue, Magnetite Grey, Crimson Red and Crystal Black external colour |
| Upgraded dash panel, sides of the centre console and door trims (same as the Forester 2.5i-S AWD) | Special 50 Years Edition badge |
2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S 50 Years Edition
- $46,840 before on-road costs
| 2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S 50 Years Edition | |
|---|---|
| Dark Grey high lustre 18-inch alloy wheels | Black front and rear under guards |
| Black front grille | Black lustre rear badges |
| Crystal Black shark fin antenna, door mirror caps, side and rear garnish | Available in all Forester external colours, with internal black trim only |
| Black roof rails | Special 50 Years Edition badge |
| Black front fog light garnish | |
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Subaru Outback AWD Touring XT 50 Years Edition
- $56,490 before on-road costs
| Subaru Outback AWD Touring XT 50 Years Edition | |
|---|---|
| Available in Geyser Blue only, with internal black trim only | Crystal Black rear garnish and rear spoiler |
| Sport model exterior styling (including fixed roof rails, green highlights and black rear badges) and dark metallic finish alloy wheels | Special 50 Years Edition badge |
| Crystal Black rear garnish and rear spoiler | |
While Subaru’s off-road-focused Wilderness range (available for the Crosstrek, Forester and Outback in North America) has yet to reach Australia, the 50 Years Edition’s Geyser Blue paint makes it out closest look yet.
This is the most-expensive 50 Years Edition, with a list price of $56,490 plus on-roads – up $500 over the standard Outback Touring XT.
The Outback XT launched in Australia earlier this year with a detuned version of the WRX’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 183kW and 350Nm.
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2023 Subaru WRX 50 Years Edition
- Manual sedan – $47,690 before on-road costs
- CVT sedan – $51,690 before on-road costs
- Sportswagon – $52,190 before on-road costs
| 2023 Subaru WRX 50 Years Edition | |
|---|---|
| Crystal Black door mirror caps, rear spoiler and shark fin antenna | Blue stitching on the seat and door trims, instrument panel, steering wheel, shift boot, centre console padding and front centre armrest |
| Black rear badging | Premium leather steering wheel |
| Ultrasuedeu00ae seat trim (black and grey only) | Sedan colours: Ceramic White, WR Blue, Crystal Black and Solar Orange |
| Powered driver and front passenger seats | Sportswagon colours: Crystal White, WR Blue and Crystal Black external colour. |
| 2 x rear USB-A charging ports | Special 50 Years Edition badge |
The WRX 50 Years sedan is priced from $47,690 before on-roads for the manual or $51,690 plus on-roads for the automatic, representing an increase of $1700 over the base variant.
The WRX Sportswagon 50 Years is priced at $52,190 before on-roads – representing a $1200 increase – and remains exclusively fitted with a CVT automatic transmission, with no manual option.
? 50 years of Subaru in Oz
Subaru Australia kicked off official operations in 1973, with the Leone debuting all-wheel-drive for the brand in 1975.
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However, the Brumby ute’s success kick-started the brand locally after its arrival in 1978.
From 1998 onwards, Subaru committed to selling only all-wheel-drive cars in Australia – breaking tradition with the joint venture Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 sports cars.
More than 50,000 WRX-badged cars have been sold in Australia since the model’s arrival in 1994, with the nameplate awarded five MOTOR ‘Bang for Your Buck’ commendations.
Subaru Australia timeline
- 1973 u2013 Subaru Australia opens for business
- 1978 u2013 Subaru Brumby arrives in Australia
- 1985 u2013 Subaru Australia claims first rally victory in the Western Mail Rally, with Ross Dunkerton driving a Subaru RX Turbo (the first time an AWD vehicle had won a national rally event)
- 1989 u2013 Subaru launches Legacy. Renamed Liberty for Australia, to avoid clash with the charity
- 1994 u2013 Subaru Australia launches the Impreza WRX
- 1998 u2013 Australia becomes one of the first places in the world outside Japan to officially receive Impreza WRX STI vehicles
- 1998 u2013 Subaru Australia makes the move to AWD vehicles only
- 2005 u2013 Subaru Australia wins tenth consecutive Australian rally title
- 2012 u2013 EyeSight camera-based safety tech is introduced in Australia
- 2012 u2013u00a0BRZ launches in Australia, returning a RWD model to the range
- 2017 u2013 Levorg launches in Oz, ‘spiritual successor’ to fourth-gen Liberty
- 2019 u2013 Subaru Australia sells its one-millionth car, a Subaru Forester
- 2020 u2013u00a0Liberty leaves Oz range, leaving Outback the only model in that family
- 2021 u2013 Subaru celebrates 50,000 WRX sales in Australia
- 2021 u2013 Subaru wins Roy Morgan Annual Customer Satisfaction Award: Major Car Manufacturer of the Year
- 2022 u2013 Subaru celebrates 100,000 XV sales in Australia
- 2022 u2013u00a0Subaru confirms no STI variant for new WRX
- 2023 u2013 Subaru Australia celebrates 50 Years
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2023 Subaru Forester pricing
Prices exclude on-road costs.
2023 Subaru WRX pricing
Prices exclude on-road costs.
2023 Subaru Outback pricing
Prices exclude on-road costs.
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