SAMBAR is a light commercial vehicle sold by SUBARU (former Fuji Heavy Industries). The company was in-house developed and produced in-house, from the first model released on February 1, 1961 to the sixth-generation model that was on sale from April 1, 2012. From the 7th generation onward, it became the OEM of Daihatsu Hijet and is produced by Daihatsu.
As of August 2020, it is the oldest trademark in Subaru brand excluding "Subaru" itself, and the second longevity model after Hijet, which is the original OEM brand, as a trademark of mini vehicles, light trucks and light vans as a whole. Yes, it is the 7th longest-lived model among all Japanese cars.
During the in-house production era from 1961 to 2012, the "rear engine" layout with the engine installed horizontally under the rear end floor has been adopted despite repeated model changes. Especially for light trucks, which have a large difference in loading and unloading, the engine under the floor of the cargo bed plays a good role as a ballast, so sufficient traction is secured even when the vehicle is empty and stable running and climbing ability is obtained. In addition, four-wheel independent suspension, which was not widely used in passenger cars in Japan, has been adopted since it was first released in 1961. These two were the characteristics that only Sambar had in the light truck/light cab overvan market for a long time. Because of these configurations, users sometimes joke with the words “Porsche on the farm road” and sometimes with respect. These features were the result of applying the technology of the passenger car Subaru 360 that preceded in the development of the first model, but even after the 1980s when Fuji Heavy Industries moved to the front wheel drive system in the category of normal type light passenger cars, The rear engine system continued to be used in Sambar.
Furthermore, since the 1990s after the introduction of the 4-cylinder engine, a model with roots type supercharger, which is rare in Japan, has been set. It is a model that generates 58 horsepower (net value. In the case of the 6th generation model), and was heavily used for red cap flights such as those often used on highways (so-called "red cap sambar", described later). The intercooler is not installed due to space and layout restrictions. Rival cars Suzuki Every/Carry, Daihatsu Atrai/Hijet, etc. later moved to the same intercooler turbo engine as the passenger wagon system, but after that, light truck supercharged models disappeared from the lineup one after another and produced in-house. At the end of the era, it was the only model in the light truck market that had a supercharged engine.
Due to these unique features, there are many users who use it heavily, and it was a presence that has maintained its own position in the light truck market, but due to the withdrawal of the light vehicle business from Subaru, the passenger model Sunbirdia Swagon was discontinued earlier. Production of both commercial model trucks and vans ended on February 28, 2012. From April 2, 2012, Daihatsu switched to Hijet truck and Hijet Cargo OEM supply (Daihatsu has already been supplying OEM to Toyota Motor as Pixis Truck and Pixis Van, thereby became). Currently, Sambar's production line has been switched to BRZ and its sibling Toyota 86.
https://www.everycar.jp/subaru/sambar-truck/1997/4798435/
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