1961 Subaru Maia
Representing Japan’s ambitious post-war automotive vision, the 1961 Subaru Maia was a rare sedan variant closely related to the innovative Subaru 360 series. This diminutive city car featured distinctive rear-hinged doors and a lightweight steel monocoque construction, keeping its weight under 1,000 pounds.
Despite its compact proportions, the Maia could accommodate four adults, a remarkable achievement for vehicles in the Kei car class.
The Maia was powered by a 356cc air-cooled, two-stroke, inline twin-cylinder engine mounted at the rear, paired with a three-speed manual transmission. This setup delivered around 16 horsepower, enabling a top speed of approximately 60 mph and fuel economy figures near 66 mpg.
Nicknamed the “ladybug” (or “tentoumushi”) in Japan, this rear-engined microcar represented Subaru’s first mass-production automobile and Japan’s answer to affordable personal transportation.
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