"Berang" (berang) 04/20/2016 at 10:05 • Filed to: mitsubishi minica, vintage cars

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The Mitsubishi Minica was one of Japan’s earliest Kei Jidosha. It features a 2 cylinder, air cooled engine, and a conventional front engine/rear drive layout.

It also features a three box body despite being shorter overall than a British Mini. Note: leaf spring rear suspension. The Minica was basically a conventional car scaled down to Kei proportions, unlike its competition. Mazda and Subaru were rear engined. Suzuki was front wheel drive. It might seem crazy given the space constraints to build such a small car with such an inefficiently packaged layout. But Mitsubishi had their reasons. The Minica was actually the car version of their 360 truck and van:

The layout made more sense in that context as originally rear seat passengers and a trunk were not envisaged as part of the package.

The “Super Deluxe” I spotted in Naha featured an upgraded, water cooled, 23 horsepower engine.

Strangely, when Daihatsu entered the Kei market, they too settled on an FR layout for their Fellow - although they used a more modern suspension and a slightly longer wheelbase for more interior room.

The Minica badge was the longest lived in Mitsubishi’s lineup lasting until 2011.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Berang 04/20/2016 at 10:14

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NEAT!

Flavien Vidal > Berang 04/20/2016 at 10:21

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Ha, Copy-Paste is from the Wikipedia article title lol... The  in between is a giveaway :) (I do it too lol)

Berang > Flavien Vidal 04/20/2016 at 10:24

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I did it because it’s easier when I tag my photos on flickr 0:

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > Berang 04/20/2016 at 10:53

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2 stroke?

Berang > 66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash 04/20/2016 at 10:54

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Yes.

ranwhenparked > Berang 04/20/2016 at 20:18

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I like how small cars used to still have proper car proportions - with a real hood, and everything. Today, the front wheels would be directly under the windshield and the front end would just be a rounded off blob.

Nauraushaun > Berang 04/20/2016 at 23:51

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Wow, was alive for even longer than the Lancer!