BRAT/284 – 1978-94

Subaru developed the BRAT pick-up truck from the 1.6 litre all-wheel drive Leone Estate to satisfy a growing demand for light duty utility vehicles in the US. The name BRAT is an acronym and stands for ‘Bi- drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter, although the model was better known as the Subaru 284 in a lot of export markets, including the UK.

Oddly enough, Subaru never officially sold the BRAT on its home turf and from 1981 the 1.6 litre engine made way for a more powerful 1.8 litre flat four. The BRAT/ 284 continued to use the body panels from the original Leone even after a revised model had come on stream in 1979, although the pick-up’s bodywork was finally revised in 1982. The 284 proved popular with UK farmers and market gardeners and this useful utility vehicle remained in production until 1994.