Here’s a promotional video from 1969 extolling the virtues of the new wondercar from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Sue-BARR-oo 360. Look, it can park perpendicular to the curb between two massive Detroit land yachts! It may be “Cheap and Ugly” but it’s the car of choice for chefs, Vegas showgirls, and “very groovy chicks.” The Autodrive feature means “No clutch, just touch” and there’s even a “Super Sport” version with bucket seats. Watch as it catches major air and goes to the track for some loose-tail drifts that almost puts it into a fence!

And who wouldn’t want a 360 side-loading pickup? Known as the Sambar in Japan, it had a twin in a van body and is perfect for moving your giant wooden TVs! Follow that up with the 1000, known as the Star in the US, which climbs the hills of San Francisco with ease, and you’ve got the 1969 Subaru lineup. It’s what’s happening!

Thanks to TSiSS350 for the tip!

We’re getting on our favorite hobby horse again and talking about how Japanese automakers don’t talk about enough their past products. We’re lookin’ at you, US subsidiaries! For example, this year was Nissan USA’s 50th anniversary, but you wouldn’t know it from attending the LA Auto Show. The event was dominated by Nissan, but at no point, not in CEO Carlos “Mr. Bean” Ghosn’s keynote address, or the debuts of the Nissan 370Z, Cube or Infiniti G37 convertible did the speakers give any hint of this milestone.

On the other hand, if you have Issue 2 of Japanese Nostalgic Car magazine, you’ll know that Subaru’s 50th birthday party in Japan has been one year-long bash. In fact, they won’t shut up about it. Here’s a cute post titled “Grandfather and Grandson” from the company’s blog, talking about a photo shoot that paired up a 360 with a new Impreza STI for Cartopia, their monthly magazine. Here they are teaming up with toymaker Tomica for vintage Sambar Fire Truck and FF-1 models. (more…)

This is a ways off, but we thought you Subaru 360, Honda N/Z/S and various kei-car owners might be interested in making plans for the World Micro/Mini Car meet. It’s the brainchild of Ken & Sylvia Weger, owners/curators of the Small Wonders Microcar Museum and will take place in downtown Crystal Lake, IL at the University Center, located at 100 S. Main Street, on August 21-22, 2010.

From the website:

This will be the first ever WORLD MEET of its kind. Microcar and Minicar owners and their cars, will gather from all over the world to share their enthusiasm for these small wonders. The Weger’s are expecting over 500 Micro and Mini cars. Those cars under 500cc are considered to be “Microcars”, and those between 500-1500cc are considered “Minicars”. Many marques are expected to fill the lush lawns surrounding the University Center. Vendors will provide food and beverages. Alongside the car show, workshops and classes/seminars are being planned.

[Edmunds]

More T-shirts featuring old Japanese cars are popping up all over the place. Normally they’re all the popular models from Nissan and Toyota, leaving kei car fans a bit left out. But thanks to JNCer xemoto, here’s one of a Honda N600! It’s part of a series that also features a Subaru 360, BRE Datsun 510 leading an Alfa Romeo, and a whole host of other European microcars.

Speaking of microcars, someone sent in four old Subaru 360 commercials to Jalopnik today. The car’s $1297 price tag and 66mpg are heavily touted, as is the price of a carburetor, just 13 dollars. I guess when you’re calling your own car “Cheap and Ugly” right there in the ad, cheap is the selling point you want to go with. These spots also raise the question, when did they change the pronunciation from SuBARu to SUbaru?

[Jalopnik]

Two UK-based teams have taken first and second place in the Spirit 425cc Class of the Liége-Brescia-Liége microcar rally. Covering 2000 miles through Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy and Slovenia, these little kei cars even conquered the Stelvio (not Kev’s dream car, the Alpine road) and Gavia Passes of Italy, some of Europe’s most grueling terrain.

Regulars know that this year marks Subaru’s 50th anniversary, but 2008 is also the 50th anniversary of the Liége-Brescia-Liége. It was started in 1958 during the Suez Canal Crisis, which threatened to cut Europe off from its oil supply in the Middle East. In response, rally organizers wanted to prove that small, fuel-efficient cars could perform just as well as their gas-guzzling counterparts over Europe’s most demanding roads (making it all the more disappointing that we’re still grappling with the same oil issues today). The original allowed only cars 500cc or under, and the intense schedule meant almost three non-stop days of driving. The modern rally is a bit more leisurely - 10 days, and cars up to 1000cc are allowed.

Congratulations to Jane Puttock, James Ewing, Vic Sayer and Craig Lawson!

[Subaru UK]

Subaru’s 50th Anniversary tour, the Fan! Fan! Festival, recently made a stop in Osaka, Japan and the 360s came out to celebrate. That WRC Blue pedal car is probably not much smaller than an actual 360.

[Subaru]