Kei Cars

[denniswise9]

Anyone here drive one - cappuchino/honda beat/autozam AZ1 etc?

I have always been interested in what they are like to drive, how a turbo-charged 650cc pulls and what the running costs are like.

I assume they have cheap tax and insurance?

Would love to get one of these imported:

[832ark]

I've always wanted a Beat. Somewhere there's one with an Integra Type R engine which must be pretty mental.

Edited by 832ark on Tuesday 17th May 15:45

[NiceCupOfTea]

cappo is loads of fun, great noise, feels quick, but very tight for space. makes an MX-5 feel huge. bit plasticky and very rust prone. beat is fwd isn't it?

smart roadster isn't strictly a kei but worth consideration...

[denniswise9]

NiceCupOfTea said:

cappo is loads of fun, great noise, feels quick, but very tight for space. makes an MX-5 feel huge. bit plasticky and very rust prone. beat is fwd isn't it?

smart roadster isn't strictly a kei but worth consideration...

This one has been kicking around on ebay for a while, I think it looks pretty smart!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suzuki-Cappuccino-Sports-Cou...

[EDLT]

Beats are mid engined and rear wheel drive. I'd have though putting an Integra Type-R engine in something that short would produce interesting results.

They sound good too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35e0I5mCqbc

[Risotto]

denniswise9 said:

Would love to get one of these imported:

There are plenty of Mazda AZ-1s/Suzuki Caras available in Japan but unfortunately they go for crazy money so you'd have to be prepared to pay through the nose for one. Great cars though.

[denniswise9]

Risotto said:

There are plenty of Mazda AZ-1s/Suzuki Caras available in Japan but unfortunately they go for crazy money so you'd have to be prepared to pay through the nose for one. Great cars though.

Do you reckon they would be a nightmare for parts and servicing too?

[Fahd]

They seem awesome to me. Pretty ideal for town driving in England. I find myself looking through the classifieds for one of these as a pointless toy far too often:

Edited by Fahd on Tuesday 17th May 16:18

[denniswise9]

Fahd said:

They seem awesome to me. Pretty ideal for town driving in England. I find myself looking through the classifieds for one of these far too often:

Want!!

[Galsia]

Risotto said:

There are plenty of Mazda AZ-1s/Suzuki Caras available in Japan but unfortunately they go for crazy money so you'd have to be prepared to pay through the nose for one. Great cars though.

I'd love one of these.

[Risotto]

denniswise9 said:

Risotto said:

There are plenty of Mazda AZ-1s/Suzuki Caras available in Japan but unfortunately they go for crazy money so you'd have to be prepared to pay through the nose for one. Great cars though.

Do you reckon they would be a nightmare for parts and servicing too?

I would imagine a fair few parts are shared with the Cappuccino and they're pretty simple in mechanical terms, but wouldn't like to have to source body panels for an AZ-1! Although I think they simply bolt on, so if you did find any, fitting them should be a doddle.

[denniswise9]

I cant believe how rare the AZ1/Cara is in the UK.

Haven't seen any on import websites or the usual for sale sections...

[Baryonyx]

I have always loved the Autozam. I'd love to get one on Japanese roads and tour the country in it!

[Gizmo!]

Not forgetting the Toyota Sera.

Gullwing doors.

Bonkers.

[TRUENOSAM]

I couldnt find anybody to insure a Autozam

Daishatsu Charade GTTI was the closest thing to a kei car we had over here

[MKnight702]

Wife had a Cappuccino and it was superb fun, much more so than the MX5 we tested before we bought the Suzuki. Didn't one of the car magazines put the Cappo in a list of the 100 best drivers cars ever?

[denniswise9]

On a slightly different note, anyone seen these weird kei cars before?





...also I quite fancy this for a track day!! Looks like a remote controlled car compared to whats behind it:

[Targarama]

I think my Panda 100HP is about as close as a European manufacturer gets to a sporty Kei car (if we politely ignore the Twingo Mk1).

[Fahd]

Dennis, that classic Kei car looks fantastic, I have no idea what it was though. These Japanese Kei cars converted into miniature classic American style trucks and vans in the video on this web page look pretty awesome too:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/14/video-translogi...

Targarama, I'm not sure what it is about Fiat Pandas but they appeal to me in absolutely no way that a Kei car does. Maybe if they had a turbo I'd be interested.

[Balmoral Green]

denniswise9 said:

I like that, what is it? Looks like the mutant offspring of some weird ménage à trois between an Anglia, an Ami and a GTR.