I made the switch to conventional gasoline after struggling with my first front-wheel-drive cars. I bought an MX-5.
It’s my little project car and after a serious rust repair I’m not far off buying a supercharger and turning it into a performance little car. But after driving through my neighborhood, I came across a small car that obviously hasn’t moved in years. And I want. It’s here.
1,182 cappuccinos arrived in the UK in red and silver in a 4:1 ratio, making this little beauty a bit of a rarity.
It’s a Suzuki Cappuccino and it’s been priceless in this car park since I moved to London. With this quaint little grip and scale of the car compared to all the gargantuan TTs and Beetles parked nearby, my savings look set to take a serious dip.
I think it’s the coolest entry into sports car ownership, and the Cappuccino deserves far more praise than it’s currently getting – so let me try to convince you to look for one of these tiny ones in used ads. rockets.
It’s the perfect alternative to the MX-5
Like most small Japanese roadsters, this little nugget is front-engine and rear-wheel drive. But what makes Cappuccino even more impressive is that it manages to achieve a 50:50 weight distribution (when driver and passenger are in place).
It achieves this by pushing the engine as far away from the front axle as possible and will give it a distinct dynamic advantage over the much-loved Mazda MX-5. I love my MkII MX-5 but the added exclusivity and nicer Cappuccino would easily leave a £3000 hole in my bank account. But that wouldn’t do for a run-down two-car garage.
A 657cc turbo engine is a pleasingly small powertrain
The Japanese downsized before it was legal due to government tax legislation and the Suzuki Cappuccino is easily the coolest package to find the sub 660cc engines used in Kei cars.
Considering how much noise the automotive world has made about Ford’s 1.0-liter turbocharged Ecoboost power unit, the Suzuki’s motorcycle-style low-boost engine deserves a lot more credit for providing an engine fun and thrash before the makers did. with decreasing displacement.
It spins at 9,300 rpm
Tiny cylinders combined with equally delicate pistons mean that there is very little reciprocal mass thrown around the engine block. And with decent balance, Suzuki engineers decided to limit the cappuccino to 9,300 rpm.
This hits the reciprocity levels of the bike and will have you dropping it at low revs all the way to redline. Rotaries, step back, there’s a new howler in town. And that’s from 1991.
Weighs only 725 kg
Of course, having an MX-5 or MR2 flirting around the 1000kg mark is great. But if you want brake weight that would make even Colin Chapman foam at the mouth, then the Suzuki Kei car is a great candidate to spend your pennies on.
You can even remove all the accessories and have one of the lightest cars possible on a track day. Although you might stick to the climbs – 63hp won’t get you very far on a straight in the pit.
There is a hot version
During the development of the Cappuccino throughout its life, it changed from the F6A engine to the K6A engine, which featured chain-driven camshafts, resulting in increased torque. The engine was also lighter and had the option of a three-speed automatic transmission, although it was crazy not to find a five-speed manual car.
The latest version also came with lighter wheels and a limited-slip differential – as if you needed more convincing that this is now your dream car and a huge classifieds session is just around the corner. hand.
You can get an imported cappuccino for £3,000 to £4,000 on eBay these days. And with the prices of the MX-5 and MR2 rising, it’s definitely time to invest in one of those rare sports cars of yesteryear.
Do you agree with me? Or is there a future classic that caught your eye recently that would put an end to this little three-pot gnat? Comment with your suggestions below!