---
title: "This Old Abandoned Subaru Dealership Is Full of Pristine Time Capsule Cars"
description: "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."
date: "2018-02-12"
modified: "2018-02-12"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/18347/this-old-abandoned-subaru-dealership-is-full-of-time-capsule-cars"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Subaru News"
tags:
  - "abandoned"
  - "dealership"
  - "Subaru"
  - "Time Capsule"
---

# This Old Abandoned Subaru Dealership Is Full of Pristine Time Capsule Cars

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/02/subaru-1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The used Subaru market in this country [can be a cutthroat place.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/12310/colorado-subaru-enthusiast-club-cars-are-being-stolen-left-and-right>) 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,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/15783/how-did-this-honda-nsx-end-up-abandoned-in-the-middle-of-a-russian-forest>) but an entire dealership getting mothballed is a rare sight. The website [*Cars Addiction*](<https://www.carsaddiction.com/articles/2018/02/subaru-time-capsule-dealership>) recently posted a video highlighting the dusty showroom of an old [Subaru](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/9831/watch-a-200000-mile-subaru-forester-get-detailed>) 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.

https://youtube.com/embed/jRd6TD7aqrI

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](<https://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/1986-Subaru-XT-Turbo-Coupe-For-Sale-Dash-Steering-Wheel.jpg>) and seven-segment digital gauge cluster and try not to hear a little synth line bumping through your mind.

![message-editor%2F1518421242896-subaru2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1518421242896-subaru2.jpg>)
**YouTube | Cars Addiction**

Of course, the question is why. *Cars Addiction* [previously posted](<https://www.carsaddiction.com/articles/2018/02/abandoned-subaru-ghost-car-showroom>) 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.

![message-editor%2F1518421468474-subaru3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1518421468474-subaru3.jpg>)
**YouTube | Cars Addiction**

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.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)