Production 1954 Class compact Layout FR layout | Designer Shinroku Momose Body style Sedan | |
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Manufacturer Subaru (Fuji Heavy Industries) | ||
The first vehicle built by the automotive division of Fuji Heavy Industries was called the Subaru 1500, with the development code-name of P1. The prototype used a monocoque body structure and adopting the "ponton" style appearance, with an independent front wishbone suspension and a rear leaf spring suspension with three plates and a live rear axle.
The 1.5 litre four-cylinder OHV engine, code named "FG4A" was sourced from Peugeot from the Peugeot 202, and built by Fuji Precision Technology, later known as the Prince Motor Company. The FG4A engine was related to the Prince GA4 with some modification, and was shared with the Prince Sedan introduced in 1952. The 1500 has a similar appearance to the Peugeot 403. Later a different engine was developed in-house by Fuji Heavy Industries, code named "L4-1" which was also a 1.5 litre OHV engine, that was 20 percent lighter than the previous engine used. The "P-1" was water-cooled and used a four-cylinder inline engine.
Only 20 "P-1"'s were built, all in 1954, with 11 vehicles using the "FG4A" engine. Six units were provided to the taxi companies in Isesaki, Ota and Honjo Cities for private testing, with successful results.
It was Subaru's first (and until the introduction of the BRZ in 2012, only) Front engine Rear drive vehicle.