After 30 years as the title sponsor of CARS (Canadian Association of Rally Sport) Subaru Canada is pulling the plug on sponsorship and financial support of CRC (Canadian Rally Championship). They’re going to focus marketing efforts on electric vehicles, and stray away from flat-four rumble in Ontario forests
It seems strange for a company that built it’s legendary status on all-wheel-drive grip (especially important in Canada) to talk away from a perfect partnership.
Subject: Subaru Contingency and CRC media program
Date: February 12, 2024CARS has been given notice by Subaru Canada, Inc. that as of March 31, 2024, they will no longer be running the Subaru contingency program and will not be renewing as the title sponsor for the CRC. This is due to change in the strategic direction within Subaru.
“Subaru has enjoyed an incredible partnership with the Canadian Association of Rally Sport these past thirty years. The series has offered us incredible visibility both on TV and online and have been a bright light in our rally heritage over the decades,” said Tomohiro Kubota, Chairman, President and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc. “But as our business shifts to electrification, we must re-imagine how we market our vehicles. It is for this and no other reason that we’re making this change.”
This is very unfortunate news for CARS, the CRC and our competitors, but I want to speak to the actual effects this will have on the CRC. This change means that after Rallye Perce Neige, the CRC TV show will be unfunded. The CARS board and our partners are hard at work trying to find new sponsorship for this and other projects. We plan to continue the social media program that we started last season with some potential for increased coverage.
I would like to take the time to give a heartfelt thank you to Subaru Canada for the many years of support and its 30-year partnership as the presenting sponsor of the Canadian Rally Championship.
Chris Kremer
President
Canadian Association of Rallysport
Gearheads looking to get into racing often choose rally racing as a first step. With little modification, an AWD production car like a Subaru can compete in motorsports. Far from the grassroots level, Subaru has continued to promote itself globally as rally cars for the road, even though it’s been 20+ years since Petter Solberg last won the WRC crown in a Subaru.
“As our business shifts to electrification, we must re-imagine how we market our vehicles. It is for this and no other reason that we’re making this change.”
Tomohiro Kubota, Subaru Canada
The Subaru enthusiast community itself will not give up on rally as easily as the Subaru head office in Mississauga did. It’s just sad to see that Subaru is still willing to pour marketing dollars into the Subaru IRONMAN Canada. to promote a ‘lifestyle image’ that has nothing to do with their cars.
Many in the motorsports community saw this coming. From the time that Subaru’s Canadian rally program at Can-Jam Motorsports ended, now to the partnership between Subaru and Rally perishing. Surely there is someone at Subaru who still loves cars, who can right the ship. This is more than just an outdoorsy lifestyle brand like The North Face.
This is really too bad. I guess the pursuit of $$ really drives corporations. Sorry to hear that Subaru is pulling out.
I can totally understand that companies must chase the almighty dollar. But for a car company to sponsor triathalon (swim/run/bike) seems less than genuine. As if its only about ‘image’
Well, who am I to say anything in this matter but in a time when automakers are slowing down their enthusiasm toward electrification, maybe Subaru should rethink this decision.
Pleeease, don’t go Subaru!!!!
You are preaching to the choir, brother. I believe that both automakers and drivers are cooling on EV cars. Something about ‘coal burning’ to generate electricity making people doubt this electric car craze.
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What bothers me is that Subaru had established supporters with this rally series sponsorship and they’re just DUMPING them, which is a bad idea.
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You need every customer you can. Not just the new ones who want a Solterra… old customers who buy Imprezas too.