Wednesday 19th May 2010

'Mini' 427 Cobra Offers 63hp And Looks To Thrill

Cappuccino-based replica unleashed with 660cc three-pot power

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Tax-busting Japanese Kei-cars were never designed to set the world on fire, but Suzuki's Cappuccino roadster at least manages to inspire a degree of enthusiasm from those who have driven them

But what if the car had looked like this? It's a full-blown 427 AC Cobra replica shrunk to fit the Cappuccino running gear, with an all-new grp body courtesy of a company named Baby Cobra in Japan.

The company website is not available in English, but there's an interesting pictorial build blog to look at. From what we can glean elsewhere in webland, a Baby Cobra will cost between £27k-£40, depending on whether you want the standard 600cc engine, or a bored out 720cc version with turbocharger making a fruity 158hp. As somebody once said, there's no substitute for cubic inches...

[Beefmeister]

[TU Tuning]

. Love the exhaust, I expect only one of those primaries is actually used lol

Edited by TU Tuning on Wednesday 19th May 12:16

[SystemParanoia]

A cobra can have no less than 8 cyls... ever!!!

the cuppuchino in itself is great fo what it is. but only for what it is. no more. no less lol

[300bhp/ton]

Kinda cool in a strange way. Suspect the hp is not far off an original AC Ace either.

Only Q, what's a Cobra 437??

[Mazda Baiter]

437 in the middle of the text. Should be 427.

I think this will have about as much credibility as a Ferrari MR2.

But fair play for having a go.

[Trommel]

That's great.

It's obviously not trying to deceive (like a Ferrari MR2 is), unless you pretend that you've parked it farther away than you have.

[soad]

They can keep it - steeply expensive for stupidly low bhp. I mean, common on. Probably has its use but not for me.

[cvegas]

Is that the car equivalent to half a pint of snakebite?

[soad]

cvegas said:

Is that the car equivalent to half a pint of snakebite?

Something like that, I'm sure

[300bhp/ton]

SystemParanoia said:

A cobra can have no less than 8 cyls... ever!!!

So what about these? They only had 4 pots...

[Gold]

I wouldn't buy one but I bet it's absolutely hilarious to drive

[SystemParanoia]

300bhp/ton said:

SystemParanoia said:

A cobra can have no less than 8 cyls... ever!!!

So what about these? They only had 4 pots...

they lost the other 4 down the back of the sofa

[spoonoff]

This sits at the opposite end of the spectrum-of-wrongness which has the spanner who put a Honda Fireblade engine in his Smart car at the other end.

[leon9191]

300bhp/ton said:

SystemParanoia said:

A cobra can have no less than 8 cyls... ever!!!

So what about these? They only had 4 pots...

That is because that is an AC Ace not a Cobra.

Edited by leon9191 on Wednesday 19th May 12:41

[Supervet]

Can't be too slow with 158bhp and the NOS I saw in one pic given that it can't weigh much. However, the noise and handling may not be desirable!

Mmm, wonder if that body kit would've fitted my old MX, or maybe something else quite a bit quicker......................?

[LuS1fer]

Love it. More an adder than a Cobra but so what, it's like a miniature masterpiece and plainly not trying to be a replica attempting to fool anyone.

[Mr Gearchange]

soad said:

cvegas said:

Is that the car equivalent to half a pint of snakebite?

Something like that, I'm sure

Only if the 'snakebite' is made with apple juice and alcohol free lager

[Graham E]

Awesome. I'd love to have a blast in one of those.

[[AJ]]

Perhaps this was their inspiration:

Edited by [AJ] on Wednesday 19th May 12:48

[FlossyThePig]

article said:

The company website is not available in English, but

Google can be your polyglot friend.