New Subaru Outback Production Starts After A Two Week Plant Shutdown

Subaru restarts its Lafayette, Indiana plant, where they manufacture the 2022 Outback today after a two-week shutdown. This time it wasn't because of the global microchip shortage but a planned summer closure. Subaru of Indiana Automotive closed for two weeks "For our usual two-week summer shutdown," Craig Koven, Communications and External Relations Manager for Subaru of Indiana Automotive, told Torque News.

Will the shutdown affect Outback supplies this summer? While 2021 Subaru Forester and 2021 Crosstrek inventory are low, Subaru of America should have a good supply of the 2022 Outback midsize SUV this summer. The 2022 Outback models have already begun to arrive at U.S. retailers.

photo credit: Victory Subaru

Subaru of Indiana Automotive manufactures the 2022 Outback, Ascent, Impreza, and Legacy models in Indiana only for North American customers. They only ship the models to retailers in the U.S. and Canada, resulting in ample supplies.

In Gunma, Japan, the Subaru plant manufactures the 2021 Forester, Crosstrek, WRX, WRX STI, and BRZ for the U.S. and all other global markets. The strong demand for Forester and Crosstrek has led to a lack of new models for the U.S., Subaru's largest market.

photo credit: Colonnial Subaru

However, interest for the all-new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness sub-brand trim is high, and a source close to Subaru told Torque News that they only have one Outback Wilderness model, and it has already been sold. The retailer near Denver, Colorado, has ten Wilderness models ordered, and all have been pre-sold to customers.

Customers wanting a 2022 Outback Wilderness may have to wait until August to get one of the new rugged models. Customers can pre-order a Wilderness trim now and get delivery in the next few weeks.

Many customers are also ordering the 2021 Forester and 2021 Crosstrek models and wait for their delivery from Japan. Sources tell us the 2021 Forester Sport and 2021 Crosstrek Sport are the most challenging models to find now.

The Subaru plant in Lafayette, Indiana, restarts production today, and the 2022 Outback and 2022 Outback Wilderness will roll off the assembly line for North American customers. There should be new models available for customers this summer.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: main image Subaru West Palm Beach