You know what’s a fantastic little car that’s not particularly well-known? The first-generation Mitsubishi Minica. Autopian reader Andrew Flores has imported a 1969 one and seems to now be selling it here, and has thoughtfully sent us the link and some pictures to this charmingly rugged little machine. This little car is the start of Mitsubishi’s passenger car ventures, and what I like about it is that unlike many of the tiny, Kei-class Japanese cars of the 360cc era, the Minica feels like an adapted truck or utility vehicle as opposed to a tiny passenger car. And the reason for that is pretty simple: it was one.
The Minica was derived from the Mitsubishi 360 truck and utility vehicles, little machines that were very much like conventional pickup trucks, just scaled down. They had very conventional drivetrains that would be familiar to Ford F-150s across the Pacific: front longitudinal engines driving rear wheels with live axles and leaf springs all around. The biggest difference is that the engines were tiny inline-twins instead of inline sixes or V8s.
Look at that adorable little truck! I love it! I love the very rugged, no-bullshit truck-like styling, just in friendly pocket form. In 1962, the Mitsubishi 360 truck was adapted into the Minica sedan, and the styling remained largely the same, just with a new, stylish rear end:
The inset rear window is a nice stylish touch, and there’s a useful little trunk back there in place of a pickup bed. It’s quite stylish! And up front, it still has that rugged styling from the pickup, making a unique and handsome package that stands out from early Japanese Kei cars.
There’s hardly any of these in America, so seeing one for sale is pretty remarkable. $15,000 is a good chunk of change for something that most likely isn’t going to get you anywhere near highway speeds, but I’d have trouble not being charmed by this little thing.
Plus, a four-on-the-tree! That’s always fun. Why did it take American cars so long to offer four speeds on base models, anyway?
Thanks for showing us this little gem, Andrew. Also, I bet you could bake a really fun-looking pound cake in those hubcaps.
I’ve been a bit busy and not logged in much over the holidays, so pardon my belated comment, but it’s lovely to have you back again Jason! 🙂
https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/company/history/car/images/9_02.jpg
I think my family had two of these ones (one for parts?)
Japanese metal recycling yards like to keep these old cars around as what seems like “trophies.” Pretty cool to drive by and see automotive history even though the cars aren’t in good shape:
Mazda Carol
https://maps.app.goo.gl/n7rWhDdxxdcxLXac6?g_st=ic
4 different cars
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3rh8nZhxYbMX7DB28?g_st=ic
I’ll be honest, most kei cars from about the early 90s to current day do absolutely nothing for me. They’re neat I guess but they’re just not my thing.
However, I do absolutely love Showa era kei cars, especially really early ones like this. In my opinion, they tend to have so much more character and are so much more interesting. The first gen Mazda Carol and first gen Suzuki Cervo are some of my favorites from the two stroke era.
Yep, a 1st gen Carol would be the bomb. Related: attend the Tokyo Motor Show – there’s a museum adjacent it full of this era’s microcars. One of the best days of my life was spent there back in 2019.
Parked in my carport is an ’89 Pao which is as close as I can get to that early Kei styling and still have a car that can sorta keep up with modern traffic.
Love the ground clearance. Wonder if you could shoehorn a v4 in there to Rallye-ize it?
Always a day dream of mine; many years ago I made some sketches to see if a Honda VFR800 engine could be accommodated and it ought to work just fine.
(Makes buzzing engine sounds):WHEEE!
I love how the back end slightly resembles that of a Trabant!
And suicide doors! What a cool little car.
Thanks for pointing that out! I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
I can’t help but think this is the result of a Fiat 124 and Citroen 2CV one night stand.
Or maybe a Ford Anglia somewhere in there…
This is the rare Kei car that doesn’t look like it fell, Wile E. Coyote style, from a great height. I love it.
That’s my new year’s resolution!
Also there is some fun to be had in making custom badging for it: minicab, minicat, minicar, minicad (for those saucy days), etc.
Or just subtly work in an original Austin Mini badge and tell people that Mitsubishi built them first and the British licensed the design. (Minicaper?)
Minica is how Bostonians refer to small autos.
Interesting that Mitsubishi used the reverse process of going from pickup to passenger space than Holden, Ford, and Chrysler in Australia, as well as Subaru( BRAT, Baja) Hyundai (Santa Cruz), Ford (Ranchero), GM (El Camino/Sprint), Chrysler (Rampage/Scamp), Morris (Minor/Mini Pickup) and others did by adapting passenger cars to utes.
Cool little truck. Happy new year!
Dammit Torch, now I’m hungry for pound cake. I’m gonna go get some breakfast.
Now I need to go and buy a pound cake after the New Year’s wake and bake.
Thanks a lot Torch!
Glad to see more from you amigo.