Subaru has started a new series about the history of their vehicles called Subaru Vintage Garage. Subaru fans and history buffs alike will want to keep an eye on this series to see the evolution of Subaru over time. The second episode features the first Subaru car that made it to America, the Subaru 360.
Let's look at some features of the Subaru 360 and compare it
today's models, just to see how far Subaru as come:
The Subaru 360 had a 360 CC 2-cyclinder engine that produced
16hp with a top speed of 52 mph. Today's BRZ has a 2.0L engine that produces
200hp with a top speed of around 143mph. That puts the BRZ at 12.5 times
stronger in horsepower than the 360 and nearly 3 times a fast. In terms of
power, Subaru has come a long way.
Where Subaru has made the biggest strides, however, is in
the safety of its cars. The Forester is the safest car in its class compared to
the Subaru 360, which featured unibody construction that was pretty much the
only safety feature at the time. But it's clear there's a history to be seen in
the unibody beginnings of the Subaru 360.
Today's Subarus use frame construction to increase the
strength of their vehicles by creating strong egg shaped rings that create a
box around the passenger compartment. These rings provide the strength for a
crash that keeps the passengers safe even in the event of a serious crash.
These pieces are made from a single piece of metal to prevent weak spots, just
like the unibody construction the original Subaru 360 had taken from the
aeronautic industry.
Subaru has come a long way from their beginnings as the
ladybug car with bug eyes, to say the least.
