Autozam AZ-1/Suzuki Cara Options

[moe]

The Autozam AZ-1, known as the framecode PG6SA, is a mid-engined two-seat sports coup£ kei car, designed and manufactured by Suzuki but sold by Mazda under its Autozam brand. It debuted in October 1992 until production ceased in 1994, and was perhaps most noted for its gullwing doors. Power came from the same Suzuki-sourced 657 cc turbocharged engine used by the Mazda Carol that produced 64 PS (47 kW) at 6500 rpm and 85 N·m (63 ft·lbf) at 4000 rpm. Suzuki produced its own badge engineered version named the Suzuki Cara (PG6SS). The car is also popular as a grey import in some markets, and has been converted to left-hand drive for the Canadian and other left hand drive markets.

The car was made available to the buying public on September 1992, with two colour options, Siberia Blue and Classic Red, both came with Venetian Gray lower panels. Each cars were sold through the Autozam dealer network in Japan.[11]

Unfortunately by the time car came into production, the recession in Japan had just came into force. Selling for 1,498 million ¥ (the equivalent of $12,400), it was slightly less than a Eunos Roadster, but marginally higher than its competitor, the Honda Beat selling at 1,388 million ¥[12] and the Suzuki Cappuccino at 1,458 million ¥,[13] the AZ-1 was considered to be too expensive and too cramped, both for a kei car, the car failed to sell within its target of 800 per month, even in the midst of an economic recession, production of the car ended after the following year, but Mazda had plenty of stocks to shift off.[14]

With the total production of 4,392 over a year, plus 531 for the Cara version (mentioned later in the article) to 28,010 to the Cappuccino[15] and 33,600 for the Beat,[16] both with production reaching into the latter half of the 1990s; this makes the AZ-1 the rarest of the kei sports car.

Mazda also introduced the Mazdaspeed version to showcase the parts that were available for the car, the A-spec, the body kit features an enhanced bonnet, front spoiler and rear wing. Unlike the production version, the car came in an all-red or blue body colour. It also came with a host of options including shock absorbers with sports spring sets, strut bars for the front and rear, mechanical LSD, enhanced air filterand a stainless steel and ceramic muffler. It also came with its own brand of alloy wheels as opposed to the production's steel wheels.[17]

Suzuki Cara

The AZ-1 was also sold by Suzuki as the Cara, with only minor detail changes including the addition of fog lamps.

[clarkma5]

It looks kinda goofy, like a Ford RS2000 that got Digi-Q'd, but it's cool in its own weird way.

[Lancer007]

Looks like something I drew when I was 7. It's awesome.

[moe]

This is probably my favorite of the Kei sports cars, though I love them all. Gullwing doors, and there's a Mazdaspeed version to boot. It's also a real crowd stopper. I've seen all three in real life, and while all three of them are ice cold, this one really really gets attention.

[Aircooled]

Just goofy

[armandjones82]

That car is a good one. You can even customize some parts like the Strut Bars, Shock Asborber and the and the Muffler. It's exterior looks like weird, but I hope that this car would last longer.