Here are five weird Subarus from 60-years of manufacturing

It's Subaru's 60th year as a manufacturer! Which means that, like the parents of a 21-year old, we get to go back and show you some of the most embarrassing cars from the brand.

From beige geography teachers to graffiti 'enthusiasts' in hoodies, everybody loves a good Subie. They're safe, functional, and make for some pretty decent second-hand buys.

But, like the Impreza Casa Blanca, not all of them are completely conventional machines. After all, you can't go through 60-years of manufacturing without making the odd hiccup.

Here is our top five.

Subaru 360

It has rear-hinged doors - just like a Phantom!

Powered by a 356cc rear-mounted, air-cooled two-cylinder that made 19kW, the brand's first car. Featuring a three-speed manual transmission and weighing in at just 410kg, the 360 was aptly nicknamed the 'ladybug' in Japan due to its odd face and minuscule size.

Top speed? Ooh, that was around 96 km/h flat out. At least it's faster than walking.

Subaru Baja

Business up front, party in the back.

Named after the famous 1000-mile off-road race in Mexico, this Outback/ute hybrid is one of Subaru's strangest constructions to hit the American market.

Up front, it's classic Subaru Outback: climate control, comfy leather seats - you could even get a sunroof.

Out the back though was where it got weird; the Outback's boot and tailgate were replaced with a tray bed.

While Subaru argued that the rugged-looking Baja featured the handling and composure of a suburban on-road wagon - which it seemingly did - the rear suspension still used the Outback's original coil-spring design. Meaning that, unlike the traditional leaf-spring set-up, it couldn't carry as much weight as a 'proper' traditional ute. Despite the bed, it was mostly just for show.

Still, what early-2000's HiLux has a turbocharged 2.5-litre flat-four from an Impreza WRX?

Subaru Brumby

Imagine a 70-series Land Cruiser. Now shrink it by about 40 per cent.

If you're like me and grew up in regional Australia, you should be pretty familiar with this tiny rugrat. My primary school librarian had one. As did my uncle, right before he drove it through a cow...

Sometimes regarded as "the poor man's HiLux", the 1.6-litre Brumby is not the most flattering car to drive, or be driven in. But while it lacks on-road speed, refinement, and comfort, the 4X4 Brumby is one of those 'go anywhere' cars once you take it off the beaten track.

Lock it into 4X4-mode, and the little Brumby will headbutt everything you throw at it.

Subaru Tribeca (first-gen)

Imagine going to pick up your kids from school, only to have them run away.

I love Subaru, but the Tribeca's face is something only a mother - or a giant international conglomerate - could love.

Subaru's decision to enter the booming SUV market in 2005 was a good idea. Its range wasn't that diverse, it didn't have anything we'd refer to now as an SUV, and while the Outback still had that individualistic 'rugged wagon' appeal in the dealerships, it wasn't quite cutting it like it did in the '90s.

The seven-seat Tribeca was a great idea... It's just a shame Subaru gave it the face of a terrified piglet.

Presumably, sales didn't really take off due to its 'distinctive' design, and despite a facelift in '07, Subaru killed off the Tribeca in 2014.

Subaru XT6

No, it's not the Vortex that we got in Australia. Instead, we opted for its crazy predecessor.

Despite the crazy, angular design, it had a low drag coefficient. There was also a height-adjustable hydropneumatic suspension system, as well as an aircraft-inspired cockpit, an asymmetrical steering wheel, fan settings down on the centre console, and a massive, 56cm single windscreen wiper.

You need to see it in order to believe how weird this thing is.

What do you think is the weirdest car from Subaru? Tell us in the comments below.