Wishful Musings about a Subaru Truck in Albuquerque, NM

 

Once upon a time, from about 1987 through 1987, with the increase in popularity of small trucks in America, Subaru made a funky little vehicle like no other. It was called the BRAT, which stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter, and was a unibody design based on the Subaru Leone station wagon. You may have even seen a 1985 model driven by Joy on the mid-2000s TV show My Name is Earl or a 1982 BRAT in the movie Napoleon Dynamite. President Ronald Reagan was a fan and reportedly owned one until 1998, when he donated it to charity. It’s now on display, fully restored, at Reagan’s ranch. If you’re of a certain age (like some of us), you may have even had a friend who drove one (again, like some of us- ha!). Sales and demand weren’t high, so unfortunately, the model stopped being imported to America in 1987, even though a few overseas markets imported it until 1994. 

Suffice it to say, there’s an exciting history behind the BRAT, which we won’t get into here, but you may enjoy researching it yourself. At any rate, another quirky Subaru, let’s call it a trucklet, emerged in 2003, only to cease production in 2006 due to uninterested buyers and the rise in popularity of the full-size SUV. This one was the Subaru Baja, which also has an interesting history. It wasn’t a one-of-a-kind back then; the Ford Ranchero, Chevy El Camino, Dodge Rampage, and VW Caddy were beefier, albeit very similar in the truck/car concept. The Ford Explorer and its many rivals crushed the life out of the Baja back then. But now that we’re in a more “environmentally aware” era, the internet is abuzz with speculation on a future Subaru truck in Albuquerque, NM.

Rumors About the Subaru truck in Albuquerque, NM

With the recent resurgence and success of smaller trucks like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, many Subaru fans and automotive enthusiasts feel that the timing is perfect for Subaru to offer one of its own. The Maverick and the Santa Cruz are very similar to the build of the BRAT and the Baja in their design and under the hood. Smaller engines that get better fuel economy, and smaller sizes, work very well with today’s new take on the pickup truck. The ability to carry mountain bikes, gear, animals, or whatever you may need to haul, along with the ability to go off-roading, is also in line with what today’s adventure-seeking drivers are looking for. 

With vehicles like these coming into favor with American drivers, it’s no wonder there are rumors of a Subaru truck in Albuquerque, NM. There are even a few wishful renderings of what it could look like popping up online, and with this much interest Subaru would be remiss not to take advantage of the opportunity. The company even has a tall, unibody design in the form of the Subaru Outback already, which could easily be used for the underpinnings of a Subaru truck model.

Will Subaru Make a Truck?

Whether or not Subaru will produce a new Baja, BRAT, or any trucklet is unknown. The company has not indicated that anything like what we’ve discussed is even in the works. BUT- Subaru is a brand that listens to its customers and pays attention to trends. After all, the Wilderness Editions of the Outback and Forester were made because owners were outfitting their own models in that way already. So, why not bring back a model that was before its time?

Visit Fiesta

Until the company decides to act on the rumors, you can still view, and test drive some excellent AWD Subaru vehicles. Visit Fiesta Subaru at 8100 Lomas Blvd in Albuquerque, NM 87110.