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Nov 19, 2005 17:34:04 GMT
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Been looking at kei cars again, found a few good movies too I found this mitsubishi called a dangan zz4, it has permanent 4wd intercooled turbocharged, 3cylinder with 5 valves per cylinder! this cappuccino does 0-60 in 5.8 secs heres a few japanese magazine articles videos of tuned kei cars in a gymkhana (autocross i guess) c-racing.web.infoseek.co.jp/index2.htmlcheers J
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Kei carsPaul H
@amazonsprite
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Nov 19, 2005 17:35:57 GMT
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Cappuccinos are deeply cool - the true successor to the Spridget!
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Nov 19, 2005 18:08:08 GMT
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I'd agree with you there Paul H, Japanese compaines have taken over lots of niches and markets that British firms used to dominate, besides the Cappucino and Honda beat, which have moved in to take over the Midget/Sprite market, we have the MX5, which is the closest you'll get to the Lotus Elan or an MGB/Sunbeam Alpine type car these days (Even before MG Rover went under the MG TF didn't come close really.) The Honda S2000 has taken over the Healey 3000/Sunbeam Tiger role, the more powerful end of the roadster market And my personal favourite on this list, the Daihatsu Sirion has taken over from the Mini. Controversial you might say, but I reckon the little Sirion (sadly the one I'm talking about is out of production now) was closer to a new Mini than the real new Mini is. Just take a look at it compared to the Mini Unlike the new Mini, the Sirion's a thoughrally modern car, like the original Mini started out as, even if the A series engine was tried and tested even then, and even if the Sirion does have some very slight retro touches. It isn't resting on any laurels, or trying to cash in on the reputation of another model. It's also a practical family car for four or maybe five people, just like the Mini, whearas the BMW Mini is an image-conscious city car trying its very hardest to be cool over everything else. As well as this, the Sirion has other merits, like that it could be had with four wheel drive, and I bet that little one litre three cylinder engine could be encouraged to pump out some serious power with a turbo, an intercooler, and a bit of mucking about! I've driven these little Sirions, actually I found myself with a loan of one ages ago from the Motability people while the awful, awful 1600cc Motability 'Zafira of Doom' was in getting fixed, and although I wasn't sure about it to begin with (this Sirion was right basic inside, even the bloody radio had been taken out and it was the front wheel drive, 50 something bhp model) but I grew to love the thing, I'd love to modify a four wheel drive one of them, I reckon it would be a great little car for the road, track days, RWYBs, even rallying! Not a kei class car I know (a little bigger, being a five door and all, and the engine is just under a litre, so it's a little bigger than a Kei engine), but they're great little cars!
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"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!"
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Nov 19, 2005 18:17:57 GMT
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Nov 19, 2005 18:24:24 GMT
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mmmm i love the az-1 its got a cappuccino engine aswell, identical apparently, and gull wing doors!
J
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Nov 19, 2005 18:31:10 GMT
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Yep it was some kind of joint project between Mazda and Suzuki, Suzuki released it as the Cara but the AZ-1 seems a lot more well known. I've got some old mag somewhere where they test drove a Cappuccino, AZ-1 and Beat, I'll see if I can find it and scan it. Oh yeah, and the panels on it aren't load bearing - they were going to release different panel sets for it so you could have totally different looks but the Japanese economy crashed at that point so people no longer had the money to spare on such things.
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Last Edit: Nov 19, 2005 18:32:04 GMT by Hirst
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Kris
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,631
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Nov 19, 2005 19:31:29 GMT
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Does anybody have a link to that drift Kei video posted a while ago?
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Kei carsarthurbrown
@GUEST
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Nov 19, 2005 20:05:19 GMT
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I farkin love these. Drove a rally-prepped one a while back. Utterly bonkers - who needs brakes!? Just lift off & flick the back round!
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RetroMat
Posted a lot
Column Shifting!
Posts: 3,444
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interesting little cars, never really looked at them before. What are the requirments that makes a Kei car? size of the engine or something?
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External dimensions and engine size iirc.
*n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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External dimensions and engine size iirc. *n yes not sure on the dimensions but if you don't have a parking space in the cities in Japan you are limited to owning cars like this. Cant remember the external dimensions but 650cc 64bhp and 115km/h max speed. Horsepower and speed limited so easy to de-restrict.
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Was introduced in the late 50's limited to length of 3000mm and width of 1300mm, maximum engine size 360cc creating vehicles like this: 1976 they changed to 3200mm/1400mm and engines up to 550cc - it didn't take long for them to start bolting turbos on, early as 1983 Daihatsu made the first Mira Turbo which was 550cc 2 Cylinder (!!) turbo. Suzuki and Daihatsu started to fight it out with the Mira Turbo and Suzuki Alto Works. In this period you could get absolutely insane spec cars, with turbos, aircon, 4WD (!), TV (!!), etc. all of which would cause serious performance decreases when turned on. In 1990 they increased size to 3300mm/1400mm and engine to 660cc - however they also introduced a maximum engine output as they were scared of how fast the Keis were getting. They were limited to 64hp. However! This power output isn't officially tested, so quite comically, the manufacturers totally disregarded it and put fake figures down on their official info. Most of them are a bit more than 64hp, the standard Mira Avanzato R4 and Copen would be more like 80hp!! They seem to turn a blind eye to it. In 1998 they increased size again (no change to power) to 3400mm/1400mm and some maximum height thing as things like the Daihatsu Move were starting to get a bit silly. The end!
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Nov 20, 2005 10:58:08 GMT
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what that one with the red wheels, alto works?
J
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Nov 20, 2005 12:27:30 GMT
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this things sound great...never really liked them before...
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Nov 20, 2005 13:38:09 GMT
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i don't know, but i think i might be getting the 'itch'
J
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Nov 20, 2005 16:17:17 GMT
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oh oh oh look at what ive found, the predecessor to the AZ-1, the AZ550. Mazda did these prototypes the type B and type C looking super cool, especially the type B mmm. type B type C RE-amimiya then got hold of the type C concept and went to town, ended up as a 700bhp group C racer (lots of porsche bits in it) J
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Nov 20, 2005 17:28:52 GMT
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what that one with the red wheels, alto works? Yup, an Alto Works. Basically an Alto tuned up by Suzuki engineers. Available in 4WD (RS-R) and FWD (RS-X). I love the little round lamps on it.
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Nov 20, 2005 17:31:43 GMT
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And cor, nice pics of the pre-AZ-1!! Never seen that before. Here's a heavily modified Cappuccino though -
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Nov 20, 2005 17:48:22 GMT
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Been looking at kei cars again, found a few good movies too this cappuccino does 0-60 in 5.8 secs cheers J That is the Nuts ;D Got any more links to that one J Always liked the Honda Beat as well Cheers Dom
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Nov 20, 2005 18:47:50 GMT
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www.cappuccinosport.com/try here, i think its their demonstrator, they have a rebuild facility with two or three specs to choose from. Sport spec is like the engine above, supersport involves fitting a hyabusa in the front! J
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