Who says that leopards can’t change their spots? One auto industry “leopard” is about to disprove that old saying. The Subaru Design Group led by Osamu Namba has set out to change the image for the entire line of vehicles from Fuji Heavy Industries, branded as Subaru.

Subaru hired (rehired actually as he began his design career with FHI right out of the university) Namba in 2008 to change the way their vehicles are perceived. Subaru had already started their transformation with updates of their Legacy and Outback models and Namba says he will build upon that.

Most recently, Obamu Namba has been running the styling studio he founded, doing work for Subaru and their competitors. FHI made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he closed up his independent shop and rejoined Subaru.

It is Namba’s intent to broaden the appeal of the Subaru vehicles so that they reach more people than just the small, loyal band that now purchases their cars, crossovers and SUVs.

Subaru got the engineering and performance right a while back, so much so that, despite “bland and boxy” styling, then have sold well and retained their value much more that their competitors. Critics still think that “Subaru styling is an oxymoron,” according to Hans Greimel in the Automotive News, but all of that is about to change.

The Subie styling hasn’t hurt that much, though, as their USA sales in the current “down market” are up 35% through June.

Nambu says that the new designs will be kept “clean and simple” while keeping their utilitarian spirit and functionality pure. Some of the latest changes are to enlarge some models to increase their American appeal, but not at the expense of added weight or diminished performance.

Industry insiders say that Subaru buyers want a unique look, not necessarily one that blends in with cookie-cutter designs of Toyota, Nissan and the emerging competition from Korea. Nambu answers this by saying that any form changes will embody functionality, not the industry trends that are dictated by successful mainstream designers. Subaru will still be uniquely Subaru.

Nambu’s challenge will be to retain their hard-core fans while still broadening the appeal to a wider audience with similar demographics to their current users; younger, mobile professionals who want great performance at a reasonable price . . . and who love their Subarus.