A 1969 Subaru Sambar 360 Surfaces on Bring a Trailer

A lime-green 1969 Subaru Sambar 360 van has appeared on the Bring a Trailer auction platform, drawing attention from microcar enthusiasts and Subaru historians alike. The vehicle is a left-hand-drive example of the tiny kei van that helped Subaru establish its first foothold in the U.S. market more than half a century ago.

Subaru's American journey began in 1968 when entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin imported the oddball 360 sedan, a two-door microcar designed to slip under import regulations with its minuscule engine and fuel-sipping nature. The Sambar van was essentially a commercial variant of that same platform, and while most Japanese market versions were right-hand drive, a limited number were built in left-hand drive for export—making this particular listing notably scarce.

The van is powered by a rear-mounted 356cc, air-cooled, two-stroke twin-cylinder engine producing a modest 25 horsepower, sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. The interior carries the same green theme with cloth accents on vinyl seats, and though the vehicle measures under ten feet long, it offers a surprisingly generous cargo area. The odometer shows approximately 32,000 miles, though true mileage is undocumented.

The auction ends on August 13, giving bidders a narrow window to acquire a conversation piece that represents the earliest chapter of Subaru's North American story—long before the Outbacks and Foresters dominated the road.

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Why This Tiny Van Matters to Collectors

Kei Cars and the Bricklin Connection

Japan's kei car regulations created a class of ultra-compact vehicles with engine displacement capped at 360cc, granting owners significant tax and insurance benefits. The Sambar 360 exploited those rules perfectly, but its left-hand-drive configuration was a deliberate move by Bricklin to sell the 360 sedan and Sambar van in markets where driving on the right side of the road was the norm. That makes surviving LHD examples rare finds today, with most imported kei vehicles being RHD Japanese models.

Collector Appeal of the Microvan

At 25 horsepower, the Sambar was never designed for speed—its appeal lies in novelty and historical significance. For collectors, a well-preserved or authentic example represents an early Subaru product that predates the brand's evolution into a mainstream all-wheel-drive specialist. The metallic lime finish and cheerful face add to the vehicle's character, while its cargo capacity makes it more than just a static display piece. Auction platforms like Bring a Trailer have increasingly spotlighted quirky commercial microcars, and this listing's short duration adds an element of urgency for enthusiasts watching the space.

How to Bid on the Green Microvan

  • The Bring a Trailer auction for this 1969 Subaru Sambar 360 closes on August 13; interested parties should place bids before the deadline to avoid missing out on a rarely seen LHD example.