SPT (SUBARU PERFORMANCE TUNING): COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMIZATION WITHOUT COMPROMISE

SUBARU DEALERSHIPS IN TUNE WITH PERFORMANCE.

SUBARU PROMISED TO BUILD VEHICLES FEATURING DRIVING PERFORMANCE, AND IT HAS DELIVERED. LOOKING BACK OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU CAN SEE THE STEADY BUILDUP OF PERFORMANCE VEHICLES IN THE SUBARU LIGNUP, STARTING WITH WRX AND WRX STi AND GOING THROUGH THE RECENTLY INTRODUCED 2005 LEGACY AND OUTBACK. TODAY, PERFORMANCE IS A PART OF EVERY SUBARU MODEL LINE.

The performance initiative has worked into other areas of the company as well. Robert LaBossiere, Vice President of Parts for Subaru of America, talked about the effect that performance has had in his part of the company: “Demand for such performance products also led to a demand for performance parts. To support this demand, Subaru nearly tripled the number of performance parts we offer and added a heavy mix of the very popular STi brand products.”

Customer demand for enhanced performance also prompted the creation of the Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) Authorized Dealers program for dealerships that cater to enthusiasts. Of approximately 600 Subaru dealers in the United States, 50 are already expected to be SPT Authorized Dealers by the end of the year.

TUNERS

A few years ago, use of the word tuner in the United States probably would have applied only to the fields of electronics or music. Unless a person was well-versed in European performance cars, tuning was something done to capture radio waves or make the orchestra sound better.

Americans have been tuning cars for as long as cars have been manufactured. They’ve used performance components and aftermarket body parts to make their vehicles unique. That’s what the SPT program does for Subaru owners. SPT stands for “Subaru Performance Tuning.” Through its SPT program, Subaru has expanded its list of performance parts and accessories and has developed dealers who want to be more involved with performance vehicles and the enthusiasts who drive them. This program grew out of the Subaru philosophy that the customer is the number-one priority.

SPT PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

As the performance parts business blossomed across America, Subaru saw the growing popularity of Subaru Tecnica International (STi) and SPT brands. SPT has steadily increased the number of parts and accessories that it offers, with several favorites emerging. These include:

WRX STi 6-Speed Short-Throw Shifter

• SPT Cat-Back Performance Exhaust System
• SPT Performance Suspension Kit
• STi Performance Spring Set
• STi Short-Throw Shifter
• STi Turbo Boost Gauge

These and the other Subaru Performance Parts and Accessories are specifically engineered for Subaru vehicles. They are designed to enhance performance, endurance or appearance while maintaining the premium quality and integrity of the Subaru on which they’re installed.

Some of the manufacturers that produce SPT parts for Subaru are:

• Bosal Performance
• Eibach Springs
• HKS
• KYB Gas Shocks
• STi

Subaru engineers are involved with the products, too, running them through numerous tests to determine if they meet Subaru standards and any applicable federal regulations. One example is the testing for sound levels and emissions that the WRX Performance Exhaust System had to pass before it could be labeled SPT. (See the article “WRX Performance Exhaust System” in this issue.)

SPT Parts and Accessories can be purchased from any Subaru dealership. The full range of parts can be found at www.spt.subaru.com.

SPT AUTHORIZED DEALERS

Dealerships must meet certain criteria before they become authorized SPT dealers. They must commit to maintaining an inventory of Genuine Subaru performance parts as well as having Subaru-specified displays on the dealership floor.

SPT WRX STi Suspension Kit

The dealer also has to commit to presence on the Internet, with a comprehensive menu for online customers. Browsers will find that many of the Web sites include links not only to SPT inventory but to dealership “autosports” offerings as well.

Most important, however, is that SPT dealers must have performance-trained personnel. SPT dealerships send technicians and sales consultants to be certified in training courses on the WRX STi. The dealership also designates a performance parts specialist to focus on the performance parts business and to provide technical support to performance parts customers.

Find SPT Authorized Dealers by logging on to www.spt.subaru.com and clicking on “Locate a Dealer.”

MORE THAN A NAME

SPT is more than a parts label. Becoming an SPT Authorized Dealer represents a purposefully chosen direction that enables Subaru dealers to embrace the needs of a burgeoning group of performance-oriented customers. SPT is at the heart of the Subaru performance philosophy.