Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Malcolm Bricklin's First Big Automotive Venture: The Subaru 360







 You can see one at Wagner Subaru just north of Dayton. In 1969 Malcolm Bricklin envisioned it as a solution to smog and safety problems (really?). It was a micro car, and with a market for these vehicles saturated in Japan, why not bring it into the United Sates on a loophole. It would solve parking congestion and garage space.

It had a small 2-stroke engine two cylinder engine, 360 cc. Its 4 speed transmission was non-synchro in first gear, and had to handle a mere 25 horsepower. You would think it got great gas mileage, but Road & Track was surprised to get only 28.9 mpg. 

Top speed was 56 mph and it took forever to get there. 

Subaru stayed with the American market and you can see where it got them. Moral of the story -- "all's well that ends well!" 




















I wonder how many of the van and truck survive in the US today?

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