Mazda K360
The tiny 1959 K360 looked friendlier and more car-like than many work tricycles. It put two people behind a circular steering wheel inside a weather-protected steel cabin, with a compact V-twin engine tucked behind them and a useful cargo bed over the rear wheels.
Mazda K360 (23110312584).jpg · 先従隗始 · CC0
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More than a set of wheels.
Mazda's K360 was developed quietly because its engineers wanted to surprise a crowded three-wheel-truck market. Launched in May 1959, it paired an enclosed steel cab with a steering wheel and a four-stroke V-twin. Mazda reports that more than 170,000 were built in three years and that the K360 helped lift the company's share of Japan's light three-wheel market from about 30 percent in its launch year toward roughly 40 to 50 percent afterward.
Look a little closer.
People nicknamed the K360 “Kesaburo,” a playful Japanese reading of the letter K and the number 360.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A secret project with a very visible cab
The team hid development from competitors, then made the finished truck stand out with a rounded steel cabin and a circular steering wheel. Those choices mattered to working drivers: the cab offered better weather protection and the wheel felt more familiar than motorcycle handlebars.
Source: Mazda Virtual Museum — The K360's Secret Project ↗Small engine, carefully placed
The 356 cc V-twin sat behind the cabin in a rear-mid position. That made the power path to the rear wheels compact and left the nose free for its single steering wheel. A dry-sump lubrication system stored oil outside the crankcase, useful in a tightly packaged work vehicle.
Source: Web Motor Magazine — Fukuyama Auto & Clock Museum K360 ↗Where these facts come from
- Mazda Virtual Museum — The K360's Secret Project
- Web Motor Magazine — Mazda K360 at Fukuyama Auto & Clock Museum
- Nostalgic Patrol Car — Mazda K360 technical history
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-01.