Earlier this week I shared an interesting article of what can be best described as a Time Capsule of nine brand new Subarus left unsold in a neglected showroom in Malta. Since then lots of questions have been asked and so I thought I will summarize the major part of them below with the bonus of a short walk around of the said Subaru showroom.
Disclaimer: The photos I shared in my initial article were from an archive I had taken on November 2015. However the video below is from February 2018 and confirms that every car is still in the same place.
How could they not been stolen yet?
The major part of Malta is a peaceful country and in some parts people still leave their cars unlocked with keys still in the ignition. Also the location of the place is at a busy junction so the thought of heisting nine cars out of a showroom is highly unlikely to happen.
What is the prices for each Subaru?
Prices were speculated from a group of locals whom during the past years enquired on certain cars. Yes, prices are in Maltese Lira (Lm) which was discontinued in 2008 but the dealer still preferred that currency. There is no indication if the above prices are correct or if they include the appropriate registration papers and cost.
- Subaru Justy (J10 997cc) - Lm4000 (€9300 / $11400)
- Subaru Impreza (CS 1.6 FWD) - Lm7000 (€16300 / $20000)
- Subaru XT (2.0 AWD) - Lm10000 (€23300 / $28600)
Can they be bought?
Goodluck! Several people have tried in the past with no luck. Between the exaggerated prices, and the lack of cooperation from the seller leaves us what you see in the video.
It's not abandoned I can see plants and inflated tyres and a 2004 Rally Car poster
I pass by this junction weekly and the cars haven't moved in years, however it might be the case that the garage is used to park one car during the night. Several years ago you an old chap, the owner could be spotted sitting in the showroom, but these days that's rarely the case.
I want the only Zero mile right hand drive Subaru XT in existence
If money is not an issue, I guess you can get the proper paperwork somehow, and I guess exporting the car to your country should be straight forward. But the only way I can see these cars getting released is if the whole building goes on sale.