Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. (FHI), a global manufacturer of transportation and aerospace-related products and the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced the introduction of the Subaru Traviq, a new class of passenger vehicle that seats up to seven. The compact yet roomy Traviq, originally developed in Germany, is produced by General Motors and will be available at Subaru dealers in Japan.

The new Traviq was developed as a fun-to-drive compact vehicle that seats seven, and its innovative design has created a spacious interior inside a compact body. Its flexible seating system allows a variety of cabin options, including conversion of a seven-seater to a two-seater without the removal of a single seat. In keeping with Subaru's heritage of nimble maneuverability with outstanding driving performance, the Traviq is equipped with a 2.2-litre inline 4-cylinder DOHC engine that ensures outstanding torque output in low to medium speed ranges. Both the S and L packages feature optimal drivetrain specifications for stellar ride comfort and superb maneuverability.

Named to imply fun with travel in a quick, responsive car, the Traviq is the first model to embody the synergy of the recent cooperation between FHI and GM. The two companies formed a broad strategic alliance in December 1999 to collaborate in design, development, and manufacture of cars, and related technology, and GM now holds a 20% equity stake in FHI. The Traviq, which is assembled with stringent quality controls at the state-of-the-art production lines of General Motors Thailand Ltd., will be imported by General Motors Japan Ltd. and marketed in Japan by FHI.