Suzuki’s Tiny Mid-Engine Supercar Has Gullwing Doors And Just 64 HP

It seems Kei cars are having a bit of a moment in the United States. The rules around them are shifting; plenty are being imported thanks to the 25-year rule, and even President Trump has expressed interest in seeing new examples sold on local shores. With all that in motion, now could be a smart time to buy one, before demand pushes prices higher.

Only a week ago, we covered a 1993 Autozam AZ-1 that went on to sell for a staggering $63,000. Now another excellent Kei car has surfaced at auction, and this time it’s a Suzuki Cara that has never had the same spotlight as its twin.

Read: Mazda’s Kei Supercar Only Has 63 HP But Still Pulls Miata Money

For anyone unfamiliar, the Cara is a rebadged version of the AZ-1, and while it lacks the name recognition of the Autozam, it holds one serious trump card. Mazda built 4,392 examples of the AZ-1, but total production of the Cara is thought to have topped out at just 533 units, making it far rarer than its better-known twin.

Photos BaT

Except “rebadge” undersells Suzuki’s role. The whole concept traces back to Suzuki’s mid-engined RS/1 show car from 1985, and Suzuki supplied the 657 cc turbocharged three-cylinder that powers both versions. Mazda’s team, led by MX-5 father Toshihiko Hirai, carried the idea to production, and Suzuki then sold its own take with little more than a few trim changes to set it apart.

This particular Cara is a 1993 example brought into the United States last March. It has covered roughly 32,000 km (20,000 miles) since new, and although that’s nearly 10 times the mileage of the AZ-1 that recently sold, the Suzuki still presents in very good shape. Someone clearly looked after it, both in Japan and here in the States.

The Perfect Mini-Supercar Recipe

It still wears its original Classic Red paint with Venetian Gray bumpers and rocker panels, and it keeps every one of the supercar-inspired touches that made the AZ-1 special, from the hood scoop to those wonderful gullwing doors.

As with any proper exotic regardless of size, the engine sits behind the cabin, though the 657 cc turbocharged three-cylinder musters only 64 hp and 63 lb-ft (85 Nm). The upside is that all of it goes to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual.

Photos BaT

The cabin looks every bit as sporty as the bodywork, with a pair of fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in black cloth and red inserts. A three-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of the driver, and the car even holds onto its air conditioning and original cassette stereo.

Bidding on this pint-sized Suzuki wraps up in less than a week, so anyone who wants to get behind the wheel should head over to the BaT listing before it closes. Check out the listing here.

Photos BaT