Suzuki Cappuccino: Spotted
It's got the same engine as the Caterham Seven 160 with a little more froth and a lot less money
Dinky and delightful
With about 20hp less than the new car, the Cappuccino won't scoot away from a standstill quite as swiftly (Suzuki pun intended) as the Seven. But it should still sprint to 62mph in around eight seconds, which will undoubtedly feel fast enough in such a low and tiny package.
90mph and 8,500rpm? Interesting
With relatively few making it to Britain officially, finding a good one now is hard, hence we've not been able to write about one. See the bodykitted car and the one with the poorly written ad in the classifieds.
But N27AWM appears a good'un. Cappuccinos are often blighted by rust, but the pictures imply this one looks clean enough. And the lightweight, minimalist (ok, basic) interior looks fairly fresh given its 18 years old also.
Lithe kerbweight means 660cc is just fine
Sure, it's hardly the most rational or practical option available at four grand. But the Seven 160 rather makes us hanker for a back-to-basics roadster, and for those on an even tighter budget the Cappuccino fits the bill perfectly.
SUZUKI CAPPUCCINO
Engine: 660cc 3-cyl turbocharged
Transmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 64@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 63@4,000rpm
MPG: 42.7
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1995
Recorded mileage: 48,000
Price new: £11,995
Yours for: £3,995
See the original advert here
Yes space inside is a bit tight but a couple of small mods to the seat and I then fit quite comfortably ( and I'm 6'3")
with few tweaks mine was quite nippy and still averaged out 40 mpg even when being pasted
If you can find a rust free one then its well worth a punt as they're pretty unique
I love my Cappuccino.
Its currently undergoing a complete underside restoration owing to the dreaded tinworm.
It didn't look too bad until I started stripping the interior out and both sills had gone again as well as patches of the floor and a big hole behind the passenger seat. The diff also needed dropped as the mounting point on the body was gone too!
Should be getting it back in a couple of weeks then a full service, belts etc and it will replace my 924 as my daily.
Banzai Magazine in September last year I believe?
I'd love one of these with an engine like that, but it doesn't seem like the most cost effective way to reach certain goals. But still, love it!
On the left with the other two tech team steeds (still in le mans garb...)
And this one a couple of years before...
I had two! One was still mine when I started at PH.
Both sadly succumbed to rust (though one was cut short by an errant ford) but I've still got both engines and running gear somewhere...
Both cars were cracking good fun. Tiny (very tiny) but surprisingly enough leg room for 6'2" me.
Performance with a passenger was noticeably worse.
But on some twisty B-roads in a familiar part of the world you could have excellent fun due to the diminutive width, multiple "lines" became available while still broadly speaking sticking to your side of the road. If the tail got a bit happy (which it would in damp conditions) then again due to the size this wasn't really much of an issue.
With your arse mm from the rear axle you have loads of feel for what it's doing or is about to do.
The fuel economy (40-50mpg, less at high motorway speeds) alone was amazing for commuting. compared to the XJ6 I'm using now....
I'd have another one tomorrow if I could find one I wanted.
I'd love one of these with an engine like that, but it doesn't seem like the most cost effective way to reach certain goals. But still, love it!
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