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2023 Subaru Forester, WRX & Outback: 50 Years Edition announced

Subaru Australia has introduced a host of special edition vehicles to commemorate 50 years since it commenced local operations

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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".

Pricing: Subaru 50 Years Editions
Subaru Forester 2.5i AWD 50 Years Edition$38,890
Subaru Forester 2.5i-S AWD 50 Years Edition$46,840
Subaru Outback AWD Touring XT 50 Years Edition$56,490
Subaru WRX AWD 50 Years Edition (MT)$47,690
Subaru WRX AWD 50 Years Edition (CVT)$51,690
Subaru WRX AWD Sportswagon 50 Years Edition$52,190
Prices exclude on-road costs
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FEATURES

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i 50 Years Edition

  • $38,890 before on-road costs

Includes all Subaru Forester 2.5i AWD specification and features, along with the following features.

Subaru Forester 2.5i AWD 50 Years Edition
Black leather accented seat trimAvailable 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

Includes all Subaru Forester 2.5i-S AWD specification and features, along with the following features.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S 50 Years Edition
Dark Grey high lustre 18-inch alloy wheelsBlack front and rear under guards
Black front grilleBlack lustre rear badges
Crystal Black shark fin antenna, door mirror caps, side and rear garnishAvailable in all Forester external colours, with internal black trim only
Black roof railsSpecial 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

Includes Outback AWD Touring XT specifications and features, with some extras picked up from the Outback AWD Sport XT.

Subaru Outback AWD Touring XT 50 Years Edition
Available in Geyser Blue only, with internal black trim onlyCrystal 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 wheelsSpecial 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

The 2023 Subaru WRX 50 Years Edition is available in sedan and Sportswagon guise, manual (sedan only) and CVT, with several additions over the base WRX grade.

2023 Subaru WRX 50 Years Edition
Crystal Black door mirror caps, rear spoiler and shark fin antennaBlue stitching on the seat and door trims, instrument panel, steering wheel, shift boot, centre console padding and front centre armrest
Black rear badgingPremium leather steering wheel
Ultrasuede® seat trim (black and grey only)Sedan colours: Ceramic White, WR Blue, Crystal Black and Solar Orange
Powered driver and front passenger seatsSportswagon colours: Crystal White, WR Blue and Crystal Black external colour.
2 x rear USB-A charging portsSpecial 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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Subaru Brumby

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 – Subaru Australia opens for business
  • 1978 – Subaru Brumby arrives in Australia
  • 1985 – 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 – Subaru launches Legacy. Renamed Liberty for Australia, to avoid clash with the charity
  • 1994 – Subaru Australia launches the Impreza WRX
  • 1998 – Australia becomes one of the first places in the world outside Japan to officially receive Impreza WRX STI vehicles
  • 1998 – Subaru Australia makes the move to AWD vehicles only
  • 2005 – Subaru Australia wins tenth consecutive Australian rally title
  • 2012 – EyeSight camera-based safety tech is introduced in Australia
  • 2012 – BRZ launches in Australia, returning a RWD model to the range
  • 2017 – Levorg launches in Oz, 'spiritual successor' to fourth-gen Liberty
  • 2019 – Subaru Australia sells its one-millionth car, a Subaru Forester
  • 2020 – Liberty leaves Oz range, leaving Outback the only model in that family
  • 2021 – Subaru celebrates 50,000 WRX sales in Australia
  • 2021 – Subaru wins Roy Morgan Annual Customer Satisfaction Award: Major Car Manufacturer of the Year
  • 2022 – Subaru celebrates 100,000 XV sales in Australia
  • 2022 – Subaru confirms no STI variant for new WRX
  • 2023 – Subaru Australia celebrates 50 Years
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2023 Subaru Forester pricing

Prices exclude on-road costs.

Model Pricing
2.5i $37,890
2.5X Special Edition $37,890
2.5i 50 Years Edition (new) $38,890
2.5i-L $40,290
2.5i Premium $43,090
Hybrid L $43,290
2.5i Sport $44,840
2.5i-S $46,340
2.5i-S 50 Years Edition (new) $46,840
Hybrid S $49,340

2023 Subaru WRX pricing

Prices exclude on-road costs.

Model Pricing
WRX manual $45,990
WRX 50 Years Edition manual (new) $47,690
WRX auto $49,990
WRX Sportswagon $50,990
WRX 50 Years Edition auto (new) $51,690
WRX RS manual $51,490
WRX Sportswagon 50 Years Edition (new) $52,190
WRX RS auto $55,490
WRX Sportswagon RS $56,490
WRX tS auto $57,990
WRX Sportswagon tS $58,990

2023 Subaru Outback pricing

Prices exclude on-road costs.

Model Pricing
AWD $42,690
Sport $47,190
Touring $50,990
Sport XT $52,190
Touring XT $55,990
Touring XT 50 Years Edition (new) $56,590
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