Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. released a new seven-seat passenger vehicle Wednesday produced by alliance partner General Motors Corp.
The companies said the model is the first to embody the synergy between the two firms.
The Subaru Traviq, originally developed by GM in Germany and tuned up by Fuji Heavy, is assembled at the U.S. automaker's production facility in Thailand, imported by General Motors Japan Ltd. and marketed through Fuji Heavy dealerships, according to the Japanese firm.
Fuji Heavy is targeting monthly sales of 1,000 units of the 2.2-liter Subaru Traviq, equipped with a 4-cylinder DOHC engine. The car is priced between 1.99 million yen and 2.34 million yen in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
In December 1999, Fuji Heavy and GM formed a strategic alliance to cooperate in product development, design and manufacturing of cars. As part of the alliance, Subaru cars have been marketed through GM's distribution networks in the Philippines and Indonesia since earlier this year.
Rudolph Schlais, GM Group vice president and president of GM Asia Pacific, became a board member of Fuji Heavy in June, the firm said.
The U.S. auto giant, which also has partnership agreements with Isuzu Motor Ltd. and Suzuki Motor Corp., currently holds a 20 percent stake in Fuji Heavy.