The Subaru BRAT was certainly eye-catching, its design bringing trucks and coupes together to create a unique blend of both. This small coupe with a truck bed is as memorable today as it was back in the day.
lovers, the answer is clearly the BRAT, combining the best of both worlds.
But what exactly is the BRAT, and what happened to it? Here's what we found out.
Meet the BRAT
The Subaru BRAT had a good run; it was in production from 1978–1987 before being retired. The name BRAT stood for Bi-Drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter. According to
, the driver could activate a part-time all-wheel-drive system with the flip of a switch.
In other countries where it was marketed, the BRAT was known as 284, Brumby, Shifter, MV, and Targa.
There's a lot of debate as to what the BRAT actually was. It had the front end of a coupe, and the back end of a truck. Its small size made many believe it was a utility-coupe, which is essentially a car-based truck. A more modern term is a compact truck.
The BRAT may not fit that definition completely, but the US government considered it a truck. This meant that an increased tax of 25% could be applied, so Subaru added rear facing jump seats in the back. This made it a coupe, which at the time, came with only a 2.5% tax.
The Subaru BRAT wasn't all that powerful
Subaru has developed a bit of a reputation for making adventure-ready cars that have created a
. While the BRAT had some awesome features that made it stand out from the crowd, its powerful engine wasn't one of them.
The BRAT came equipped with a 1.6-liter H-4 engine that could generate 67 horsepower and 81 lb-ft of torque. This was paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. An updated 1.8-liter engine saw the power increased to 73 horsepower and 94 lb-ft of torque.
Despite its lack of power, the BRAT had some very cool features that made it stand out from competitors like the Chevrolet El Camino or Ford Ranchero. For example, there was an optional T-top split roof, a spare tire in the engine bay, and a spring-loaded hidden door.
Back in its time, it was fairly recognizable due to the odd, cool looking design. Tragically, though, the BRAT never became that popular. There are very few on the road today, and while it might turn heads, most people wouldn't recognize it as the BRAT.
In spite of this, the Subaru BRAT has a solid following, and has made a few discreet appearances on TV. The show My Name is Earl featured a 1985 BRAT, and fans of Napoleon Dynamite probably recognized the 1982 BRAT. There are also a few websites for dedicated BRAT lovers.
Given the fact that compact trucks are making a huge comeback, it would be the ideal time to bring the Subaru BRAT back. Sadly, that doesn't appear to be the case at the moment, although no one knows what the future holds. For anyone who wants a BRAT, you'll have to track down a used model.
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