The used Subaru market in this country can be a cutthroat place. That’s why it’s a good thing this abandoned dealership featuring zero-mile, time capsule examples of some of the brand’s most iconic models is safely tucked away on the Mediterranean island of Malta—safe from the athleisure-clad hordes.
Abandoned cars are one thing, but an entire dealership getting mothballed is a rare sight. The website Cars Addiction recently posted a video highlighting the dusty showroom of an old Subaru dealership that’s somehow survived in the town of Mosta, Malta. Everything about it looks out of place in time, from the Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) logo to the sign advertising air conditioning—to, of course, the stock on display.
There are a few early Subaru Imprezas, a passel of Subaru Justy 4WD hatchbacks, some kei vans and trucks, and the pièce de résistance: A 1987 Subaru XT, the wedge-shaped, turbo-powered, 4WD coupe that the New York Times once called “the ultimate in jazzy design.” Well, they’re not wrong. The futuristic safari sportster was designed and built to push the company forward, and even if it wasn’t a hot seller, it’s become a huge hit with collectors thanks to its outrageous Eighties design. Just look at that steering wheel and seven-segment digital gauge cluster and try not to hear a little synth line bumping through your mind.
Of course, the question is why. Cars Addiction previously posted an older photo gallery of the cars and stated that the dealership went out of business in the mid-Nineties after a better-funded rival opened up shop on the small island. Several people have commented that the cars look a little more fresh than one might expect if they were truly abandoned for 25 years, and in an update, Cars Addiction wrote that the old man who owned the dealership used to maintain them somewhat until a few years ago. He also reportedly refused to sell the cars to anyone.
So if you’re a Subaru obsessive, consider planning your next vacation to Malta. There’s only one catch—since it used to be a British colony, they’re all right-hand-drive.