The meaning of Subaru's Six Star Badge
03-08-06, 08:13 AM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
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The meaning of Subaru's Six Star Badge
Subaru's Six-Star Badge
A short history
Fifty-three years ago, five Japanese companies merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI). Adopting a cluster of six stars as the official logo, one arm of this newly formed company was dedicated to the manufacture of motor vehicles this company was called Subaru.
The history of the Subaru name and six-star badge is well known among enthusiast groups and employees, with its background entrenched in both Japanese and Greek tradition.
The term Subaru comes from the Japanese language meaning unite. It is also a term identifying a cluster of six stars, which the Greeks called the Pleiades - part of the Taurus constellation. According to Greek mythology, Atlas' daughters turned into this group of stars.
The six-stars cluster featured in the Subaru badge design is known in Japan as mutsuraboshi (six stars), and FHI was the first vehicle manufacturer to use a Japanese word for a brand of automobile.
The first vehicle to wear the Subaru name was the Subaru 1500 a car designed to comfortably seat four adults. Lessons learned in the development of the Subaru 1500 led to the debut of the Subaru 360 a milestone that established Subaru as a builder of small, affordable, yet technologically advanced cars.
Today, Fuji Heavy Industries is a global engineering and transportation conglomerate.
The Subaru Timeline
1953 Five corporations merge to form Fuji Heavy Industries, adopting the name Subaru taken from a cluster of stars. FHI rolls out the P-1 as the Subaru 1500 with the first Japanese manufactured monocoque body.
1958 Launch of the Subaru 360 minicar
1971 Subaru Leone Coupe introduced
1972 Subaru Rex introduced
1973 Launch of the Subaru brand in Australia
1989 Subaru Legacy introduced into overseas markets
1997 New Subaru Forester introduced
2003 Subaru celebrates 50 years in Australia
Fifty-three years ago, five Japanese companies merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI). Adopting a cluster of six stars as the official logo, one arm of this newly formed company was dedicated to the manufacture of motor vehicles this company was called Subaru.
The history of the Subaru name and six-star badge is well known among enthusiast groups and employees, with its background entrenched in both Japanese and Greek tradition.
The term Subaru comes from the Japanese language meaning unite. It is also a term identifying a cluster of six stars, which the Greeks called the Pleiades - part of the Taurus constellation. According to Greek mythology, Atlas' daughters turned into this group of stars.
The six-stars cluster featured in the Subaru badge design is known in Japan as mutsuraboshi (six stars), and FHI was the first vehicle manufacturer to use a Japanese word for a brand of automobile.
The first vehicle to wear the Subaru name was the Subaru 1500 a car designed to comfortably seat four adults. Lessons learned in the development of the Subaru 1500 led to the debut of the Subaru 360 a milestone that established Subaru as a builder of small, affordable, yet technologically advanced cars.
Today, Fuji Heavy Industries is a global engineering and transportation conglomerate.
The Subaru Timeline
1953 Five corporations merge to form Fuji Heavy Industries, adopting the name Subaru taken from a cluster of stars. FHI rolls out the P-1 as the Subaru 1500 with the first Japanese manufactured monocoque body.
1958 Launch of the Subaru 360 minicar
1971 Subaru Leone Coupe introduced
1972 Subaru Rex introduced
1973 Launch of the Subaru brand in Australia
1989 Subaru Legacy introduced into overseas markets
1997 New Subaru Forester introduced
2003 Subaru celebrates 50 years in Australia
03-08-06, 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by genearch
In Japanese, 'Toyo' means an abundance of, and 'ta' is rice. I'm told that some Asian cultures believe that those blessed with an abundance of rice are blessed with great wealth.
03-08-06, 02:10 PM
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Not much of a Subaru fan but knowledge is always welcome! Thanx Magneto and Genearch for the background info. Some of which I knew and some that I wasn't aware of. Great stuff 
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03-08-06, 02:33 PM
#8
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SVX Alcyone
The largest star in the Subaru badge is Alcyone. Subaru also named its coupe SVX in the 90s "SVX Alcyone" in Japan. Here's what I found in dictionary.com:
Alcyone:
Greek Mythology. The daughter of Aeolus who, in grief over the death of her husband Ceyx, threw herself into the sea and was changed into a kingfisher.
Greek Mythology. A nymph, one of the Pleiades.
Astronomy. The brightest star in the Pleiades, in the constellation Taurus.
Relatively sad story... just like their sales record despite the beautiful and contemporary design of the car.
Alcyone:
Greek Mythology. The daughter of Aeolus who, in grief over the death of her husband Ceyx, threw herself into the sea and was changed into a kingfisher.
Greek Mythology. A nymph, one of the Pleiades.
Astronomy. The brightest star in the Pleiades, in the constellation Taurus.
Relatively sad story... just like their sales record despite the beautiful and contemporary design of the car.
03-08-06, 05:18 PM
#9
Originally Posted by PhilipMSPT
I wonder what the "L" stands for...
03-09-06, 03:50 AM
#12
Pole Position
Originally Posted by magneto112
Subaru's Six-Star Badge
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