The Subaru 360 forever changed the way the Japanese population understands displacement
The Subaru 360 turns 60. It was the first model manufactured by the Japanese company and, despite its humility, it was decisive for national reconstruction after the fight. Stopped production in 1971 but still very present in the memory of the country... and collectors.
After the end of the 2nd World War The Japanese motor industry sought by all means to hit a good acceleration, aware that transport would be one of the fundamental pillars for the reconstruction of the country.
With this objective, the union of five important shipowners that ended up forming the consortium known as Fuji Heavy industries LTD of Japan and one of its most outstanding results was the creation of the Subaru automaker subsidiary company , founded in 1953 . The meaning of the word "Subaru" in Japanese is "The Pleiades", a constellation of five stars that, logically, alludes to those five founding companies of the consortium.
In 1958 the first passenger model saw the light by Subaru. It was about the 360 which was presented in three different variants: two-door sedan and convertible and three-door wagon and all three had in common their small dimensions. A tiny toy-like utility vehicle that took its name from the 356 cc . that marked the fiscal limitation that its engineering had and that It was going to change forever the way of understanding displacement by the Japanese population.
The vehicle was for sale from 1958 to 1971 and was the germ of another emblematic model for the brand: the Subaru Sumo , also know as Combi, Libero or Sunday. It had a 1.0 or 1.2 3-cylinder engine, with optional 4-wheel drive.
In 1961, starting from the 360 engine, the brand launched a pickup and a van that were widely accepted among the merchants, since guaranteed speed transporting a considerable load and driving through narrow streets with low fuel consumption.
This was inside the Subaru 360
Contemplating this toy car today provokes a smile of tenderness, since it is impossible to compare it with one of the cars currently being manufactured by Subaru but, as they recognize from the brand, "without him we would not have reached the point where we are today. It was our first time, our first dream and our first road trip. Many more to come, and much better ones. But you know, to be big, you first have to be small!"
The Subaru 360 turns 60
Let's put ourselves in a situation to understand how the Subaru 360 responded to the needs of the moment: After World War 2, the Japanese only had the budget to buy a motorcycle. but they could not face the purchase of a large utility vehicle. For this reason, and with the intention of motorizing the population, the Japanese government created a tax category of vehicles known as Kei Car.
Among other regulations, these cars were exempt from the need for the certificate to park and, therefore, in addition to being used to travel comfortably around the city, p They hate to also serve to speed up the mobility of local businesses. Hence its size and engine characteristics.
The Subaru 360 remained a favorite of the Japanese, becoming known as the "people's car."
His weight was around 550 kg. And it had a manual transmission. 3 speeds , reaching the 95km/h, although to reach 80 km / h. it took about 37 seconds. It was made with monocoque bodywork (Now it's the usual, but at that time few models had it ) and a unique drivetrain.
An air-cooled, two-cylinder, two-stroke engine was placed in the rear. To get that engine running, the oil needed to be pre-mixed with gas, so the engineers and designers had to get creative. In the early years, the fuel tank cap doubled as a measuring cup and remained so until 1964, when Subaru invented the _S_ubarumatic lubrication system , which provided automatic mixing.
Memory will never say goodbye to the Subaru 360
In addition to the original 360 model, new designs were added to the range such as a Subaru 360 convertible and 2 sports models: the Subaru Young S, with a slightly improved EK32 F engine compared to the Subaru 360, 4 gears, bucket seats and a black and white striped roof. and the Subaru Young SS, which featured the improvements of the Subaru Young S, but the EK32 S engine had chrome-plated cylinders and a Mikuni Solex twin-barrel carb that produced 100 brake horsepower per liter.
In any case, it was the Subaru 360 that would remain the favorite of the Japanese, becoming known as the "people's car". Their size, functionality and accessibility made it one of the most popular cars, as the figures show, since in total, between 1958 and 1971 it was sold 392,000 units , reaching export very successfully to USA ., where 10,000 units were sold and Today it is a highly valued model among collectors.
To get an idea of its great popular depth, the Subaru 360 appears in racing video games like Gran Turismo or Auto Modellista, as well as in Japanese anime series like Pokemon or GetBackers . So that it reaches its sixties and has become an iconic model due to its simplicity, its functionality and its design that, in today's eyes, it's so irresistibly retro. Happy Anniversary!