--- title: "Here’s the Apology Subaru Sent to American Dealers Over the Subaru F.U.C.K.S. Debacle" description: "The Drive has now acquired the sheepish apology note Subaru's American arm sent to dealers on Friday, shedding some light on how the Subaru F.U.C.K.S. edition came to be." date: "2020-01-11" modified: "2020-01-12" authors: - name: "Kyle Cheromcha" job_title: "Editor-in-Chief" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/31807/heres-the-apology-subaru-sent-to-american-dealers-over-the-subaru-f-u-c-k-s-debacle" categories: - "Culture" - "Features" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Subaru News" tags: - "Subaru" --- # Here’s the Apology Subaru Sent to American Dealers Over the Subaru F.U.C.K.S. Debacle ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Near the end [of a long, stressful week](), it was the Singapore Motor Show of all places serving up a much-needed laugh: [the new Subaru **F**orester **U**ltimate **C**ustomized **K**it **S**pecial]() edition in all its acronymic glory. As you might guess, the automaker stuck its head in the sand when we asked about the name of this freaky Forester—but *The Drive* has now acquired the sheepish apology note Subaru of America sent to dealerships on Friday, shedding light on how the best car of 2020 came to be. Sent in by an anonymous tipster, the letter calls the whole thing an "unfortunate situation" and pins blame on the company's local distributor in Singapore, who apparently created the special model for the auto show. There's a distinct tone of indignation in Subaru of America's words, which is both understandable given the note's intended recipients and a little unnecessary given how silly the whole thing is. It wants dealers to know it "had nothing to do with this... it goes without saying that this car will not be available in the United States market." https://youtube.com/embed/ToKLaxX4wvk The full text has been reproduced below, and the original letter is included at the bottom of the story. *Dear Retailer:* *Yesterday afternoon we learned about an unfortunate situation related to the name given to a special edition Forester by the independent distributor in Singapore. We want to make sure that you and all of your customers know that Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) and Subaru Corporation (SBR) had nothing to do with this.* *We apologize for any negative feedback this may have caused. SBR has had the name removed from the car at the Singapore Auto Show. We work very hard to build a strong brand image for this company and the naming of this vehicle in no way reflects the values and standards we hold true. Furthermore, we will always do our best to protect our brand’s integrity.* *This vehicle was created by the distributor for the Singapore Motor Show and it goes without saying that this car will not be available in the United States market.* Though the note claims the offending name had been removed from the show floor, the Subaru Forester Ultimate Customized Kit Special appellation could still be seen prominently displayed in new pictures taken by show attendees, location tagged and uploaded to Instagram on Friday. We haven't seen any reports on a rechristening, if one is actually happening. Reading between the lines, Subaru of America never mentions anything about a new name. And really, why should it be changed? If there were ever to be a Subaru F.U.C.K.S., it's hard to get it more right than a garish Forester with body underglow, Enkei wheels, and an STI interior. And lost among all the hilarity over missed translations is that English is one of four common languages spoken in Singapore, and in fact is the most widely spoken in schools and international businesses. It seems pretty likely that independent distributor knew exactly what it was doing: building a legend. ![message-editor%2F1578778338111-foresterspecialeditionapology.jpg]() **Subaru via Anonymous** *Got a tip? Send us a note:* *tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()