The Subaru 360 is a rear-engined, two-door city car manufactured and marketed by Subaru from 1958 to 1971. As the company's first mass-produced automobile, production reached 392,000 over its 12-year model run.
Noted for its small overall size, curb weight, monocoque construction, swing axle rear suspension, fiberglass roof panel, and rear-hinged doors, the inexpensive car was designed in response to the Japanese government's light car or Kei car regulations and its proposal for a larger "national car," both intended to help motorize the post WWII Japanese population. The 360's overall size and engine capacity complied with Japan's Kei car regulations.
Nicknamed the "ladybug" in Japan, and ultimately superseded by R-2, the 360 was one of Japan's most popular cars and was available in a single generation in two-door, station wagon ("Custom"), "convertible" (a sedan with a roll-back fabric roof) and sporting variants. The two-door sedans' model code is K111, while the wagon is known as K142. Ten thousand were sold in the United States, imported by Malcolm Bricklin and advertised as "Cheap and Ugly."
The nameplate 360 derived from its tax-limited engine displacement: 356 cc.
Development
thumb|left|The remains of the Isesaki Plant no. 2 which was the "birthplace" of 360
Prior to the development of the Subaru 360, Fuji Auto Works had been working on the development of a regular passenger car since 1952, and had even managed to create a prototype of the "Subaru 1500," an advanced 1500cc four-door sedan with a monocoque structure. In February 1954, the prototype of the P-1 was completed. Nearly 20 units were made. However, due to concerns about profitability and market competitiveness, the plan to commercialize it was abandoned in 1955 and development was stalled.
In September 1954 , the "New Road Traffic Control Act" was enacted, and while the dimensions of overall length x overall width x overall height (mm) remained the same (3,000 x 1,300 x 2,000), the displacement of both 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines was standardized to 360 cc.
In December 1955, Fuji Heavy Industries decided to abandon the Subaru 1500. However, on the same day, they also decided to repurpose the production line for 250cc scooter engines, which were being produced at the Mitaka Plant at the time, to manufacture a 356cc engine for light vehicles, and to begin development of a four-seater light passenger car based on this engine. This was a car that surpassed the "National Car Concept " planned by the MITI at the time.
On 17 January 1956, the first meeting bearing the name "K-10" was held in the director's office at the Mitaka Plant. The main topics of discussion were reports on the technical studies conducted at each plant and the review of the draft order for prototype production. However, since this was a matter that would determine the future of Fuji Heavy Industries.
As a design base, Sasaki made a wooden mold with nails driven into it to indicate the limits of the body shell, and it was delivered to Sasaki in early June 1956.
The first prototype of the K-10 was completed in June 1957.
The clay model was completed in 1957. The production "K-10" was first widely introduced as the Subaru 360 at a press conference held at the Marunouchi headquarters on 3 March 1958. Then the Subaru 360 made his first public appearance at a public exhibition held over three days, in 28–30 March 1958.
Design
180px|left|thumb|[[List of Subaru engines#Subaru_EK_engine|EK31 engine of Subaru 360]]The 360 featured an air-cooled, two-stroke inline 2-cylinder 356 cc engine mounted transversely at the rear, and was introduced March 3, 1958.
Floor-mounted controls located between the driver and passenger seat included choke, heater and fuel cut-off—the latter to accommodate gravity fed fuel which obviated the need for a fuel pump. The initial production featured a full metal dash board and three-speed manual gearbox, while subsequent models featured a partially padded dash with an open glove compartment, pop-out rear quarter windows, split front bench seat, map pockets, a four-speed manual and optional three-speed-based 'Autoclutch' transmission
In contrast to the Volkswagen Beetle, the 360 is much smaller, less powerful, and was not nearly as well accepted in the global marketplace. The body was of monocoque construction and used a lightweight fiberglass roof panel. In the post war period, more automobiles would switch to unibody construction, which is now the norm for passenger cars and even many light trucks. Many of the ideas came from engineers from the former Nakajima Aircraft Company, which became Fuji Heavy Industries. The "suicide doors" are hinged at the rear, which Consumer Reports noted resulted in a partially locked door pulling open in the wind during testing.
Performance
Equipped with a three-speed manual transmission, the 360 had a top speed of , and with a curb weight under , the 360 was exempt from compliance with US safety regulations. Consumer Reports recorded a time of about 37 seconds and reported , despite Subaru's claimed . When introduced in 1958, the 360's engine produced . This later increased to and then . In August 1968, responding to a new crop of more powerful kei cars, power was increased to . An optional twin-carbureted engine also became available for the 360 Young SS in November 1968, achieving 100 PS per liter.
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Image:Subaru-360Custom.jpg|Subaru 360 Custom
Image:Subaru 360 004.JPG|Subaru 360 Convertible
Image:360Commercial.jpg|Subaru 360 Commercial
Image:360-youngSS.jpg|Subaru Young SS
</gallery>
Export
thumb|1970 Subaru 360 on display at the [[California Automobile Museum]]
A used car dealer in Ballarat, Victoria (Frank O'Brien) brought approximately 73 Subaru 360 vehicles into Australia in 1961. This was a mix of Maia sedans and Sambar vans and trucks. Unfortunately they suffered from overheating problems and although a solution was eventually found, it came too late, as the associated losses were too great for the dealership to cope with and further importations ceased.
thumb|1970 Subaru 360 Deluxe in the United States
From 1968, approximately 10,000 were exported to the US, with an original price of $1,297 ($ in dollars ). The 360 was imported to the United States by Malcolm Bricklin before he later manufactured his own cars. The Subaru 360 received notoriety in 1969, when Consumer Reports magazine branded the automobile "Not Acceptable" because of safety concerns and lack of power. Because the car weighed under 1000 pounds, it was exempt from normal safety standards, but it was reported that it fared badly in a test crash against a large American car with the bumper ending up in the passenger compartment of the Subaru.
Sales soon collapsed, and there were various rumors of Subaru 360s being tossed overboard or being shredded to pieces. It was also reported that many 360s sat on dealers' lots for two or three years without ever being purchased.
The Subaru 360 was replaced by the less popular but more advanced R-2 which was quickly superseded by the long-lived Subaru Rex model.