We won't even list the reasons for which the C8 Corvette is already famous, while face swap renderings like the one we have here can be considered pretty popular, at least among aficionados that spend enough time online. But what the heck is an AZ-1?
Well, for one thing, this isn't exactly a Mazda, since the Japanese automotive producer produced this under its Autozam brand. We're looking at a Japanese kei car here, a genre that's built to fit the tax and insurance brackets in the Land of the Rising Sun, mixing a limited footprint with a 660cc three-cylinder engine.
Powered by a turbocharged Suzuki engine, the AZ-1, which was produced in the early 1990s, this little thing offers 64 hp and 63 lb-ft (85 Nm) and, since it tips the scales at over 1,500 lbs (700 kilos), the thing moves, at least as far as the driver’s perception is concerned.
Come to think about it, there are a few similarities between the C8 Chevrolet Corvette and the Autozam AZ-1. Just to state the obvious, they're both mid-engined toys, so they feel at home on the track.
Then there's the fact that while neither is a supercar, the C8 challenges this genre via its price, while the AZ-1 does this relying on size. Oh, and you can thank Instagram label carfrontswaps for the smile-inducting pixel exercise we have here. And no, the 'Vette hasn't borrowed the AZ-1's gullwing doors.
Now, if you're willing to know more about the AZ-1, you might want to check out the YouTube clip below, with this showing the little sportscar visiting Jay Leno's Garage.
While we’re talking about the connection between kei cars and American icons, you’ll be reminded there’s an aftermarket developer in Japan that transforms these tiny vehicles into classic US machines. And, as we discussed earlier this month, the company’s Chevrolet C10 conversion kit is nothing short of adorable.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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