Small and mighty: the history of the Japanese kei car, Part - 1

• The tiny Japanese kei car can trace its roots back as far as post-war Japan. Since then, the fun-size motors have conquered their domestic market and spread across the world. We celebrate the history of the kei car.

• The name stems from kei jidosha - or light vehicle - and it covers kei cars, kei trucks and kei minivans. Indeed, the earliest kei vehicles were delivery trucks, designed for small businesses and shops. This lineup of model cars shows the diversity.

•  The growth of the kei car was thanks to Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), as it looked to kickstart the economy after the Second World War.

• Many Japanese people were unable to afford a full-size car, so it was hoped that these kei cars would mobilise the nation by giving people an alternative to motorcycles.

• Kei cars were cheaper to buy, to insure and to tax. Initial growth was slow, not least because the engines were restricted to 150cc four-stroke or 100cc two-stroke capacities.

• In the early 1950s, the engine restrictions were slowly lifted. In 1950, 300cc four-stroke and 200cc two-stroke were permitted, with 1951 seeing the limit raised to 360cc and 240cc respectively. But the increase to 360cc for both four- and two-stroke engines heralded the real birth of the kei car. The Suzuki Suzulight goes down in history as the first kei car.

• When it went on sale in October 1955, three body styles were available, namely the Suzulight SS (saloon), Suzulight SL (light van) and Suzulight SP (pickup). The Suzulight brand lived on until 1969.

• But if the Suzulight laid the foundations, it was the Subaru 360 of 1958 that provided the building blocks for the kei. This was the first mass-produced kei car.

• The Subaru 360 - nicknamed the Ladybug - was a landmark vehicle. It was the first car to be sold under Fuji Heavy Industries’ Subaru brand and is one of the best selling microcars of all-time. A total of 300,000 cars were sold.

• Malcolm Bricklin established Subaru of America in 1968, simply to sell the 360 in the USA. Bricklin is the businessman responsible for the Bricklin SV-1 sports car, as well as importing Yugos from Yugoslavia.

• The Subaru kei car took its name from its two-stroke 356cc engine. With 16hp on tap, it wasn’t exactly quick, but it offered accommodation for four adults. In its day, the 360 was a credible rival to the Volkswagen Beetle.

• As kei cars developed, they grew ever more sophisticated. The Honda N360 of 1967 was a sign that the industry was finding its feet. Like the Subaru 360, this was a significant car.

• It was powered by a 354cc taken from the Honda CB450 motorcycle, with the displacement reduced to comply with kei car legislation. In many ways, the Honda N360 was the Japanese Mini.

• Indeed, the larger-engined N600 was developed for export market and was the first Japanese car to be officially exported to the United States.

• The Honda N600 wasn’t hugely successful on the global stage, but it did pave the way a certain Honda Civic, which arrived in 1973. In the 1970s, the kei car industry was coming under increasing pressure, with the Japanese government abolishing some of the benefits associated with kei car ownership.

• At the same time, the car industry as a whole was facing tougher control on emissions, which had a big effect on kei cars. The sector declined, with Honda and Mazda ceasing kei car production, while continuing to build kei trucks.

• From the start of 1976, the kei car began to fight back. The Japanese government introduced a new 550cc limit, while agreeing that cars could be longer and wider.

Keep visiting for Part - 2........