1968 Subaru 360 – Classified of the Week

When the name Subaru crops up in conversation most people will immediately think of the rally dominating Imprezas of the ’90s, complete with 555 fag branding and the legendary Colin McRae ensconced behind the wheel. What they won’t think of, generally speaking, is the Subaru 360 – a tiny little Japanese Kei car from the late ’50s. Exactly, but to ignore this cutesy, charming little runabout would be to do it a huge disservice because as far as classic microcars go it’s a wonderfully rare and incredibly fun entry into an increasingly popular classic segment.

You could be forgiven for not knowing much about the Subaru 360, not many of them made their way to the UK back when they were being produced between ’58 and ’71 but for a car to enjoy a 13 year production run a lot of people must have been buying them. Supply vs. demand and all that. And buy they did, at least in Japan anyway. Occupying the same rear-engined, rear-wheel drive, two-door space as cars like the Porsche 356 and VW Beetle, albeit with distinctly less power than either, the 360 was Subaru’s very first production car.

Built to comply with Japan’s Kei car regulations – rules put in place by the government specifying maximum vehicle size, engine capacity, and power output for the purpose of tax and insurance benefits – the 360 slotted neatly in line, what with its tiny footprint and air-cooled, two-stroke inline twin-cylinder engine. Nicknamed the ‘Ladybug’ in its native country it was a hugely popular car at the time. This was not a sentiment shared by Europeans, however and despite the likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini the Subaru was all but completely ignored outside of Japan.

Exported to America at a time when horsepower was king the 360 flopped. Hard. Much like other niche Japanese classics though we’re now beginning to see a rise in popularity and demand for these cars. Despite a rather meagre 16bhp the 360 was incredibly lightweight and available in a slew of body styles, including a convertible and five-door van. There were even “performance” versions that featured an uprated engine and four cogs instead of three in the gearbox with the later ‘Young SS’ model being equipped with dual Solex carburettors, producing a heart-pounding 36bhp.

The version we have available via our classifieds is a 1968 Subaru 360 Overtop, the latter part of the name denoting an overdrive option on the gearbox. It’s a highly original car that was imported into the UK from Japan in 2016 and is now fully registered and road legal with just under 56K (35,000 miles) on the clock.

It’s a solid affair with a well-earned patina to its factory, off-white paintwork, the most severe of which is a few small areas of surface corrosion to the single skin section around the bottom of the door, as well as some cracking here and there alongside light tarnishing to some of the brightwork. It’s an honest example that wears its age proudly. The interior is in fine fettle overall apart from the rear window rubbers, which will ideally need replacing.

Following a recent carb clean, some brake work and a fresh battery this 360 is in great shape, mechanically speaking and the little 356cc engine starts and runs wonderfully, springing immediately to life and eager to please like an excited puppy at the mere mention of a visit to the park.

The 360 was an important car for Subaru and collectors are starting to realise their quirky, characterful value. Will it be long before they command comparable prices to the similarly proportioned BMW Isetta? Perhaps not, so maybe it’s time to pick one up for yourself. To be fair, at a shade over 400kg you probably could quite literally. You won’t see another either, unless you’re mates with Paul Cowland, so if exclusivity is your thing then this is most definitely the car for you.