The Autozam AZ-1 was discontinued ages ago. But it seems that, even though it is long gone, it has not been forgotten. The model is making a comeback albeit digitally. Does it look like it could survive in the traffic jungle of today?
Mazda started the kei car adventure in 1992. The Autozam AZ-1 was small and cute and everything in between, and the automaker thought it would instantly become a major hit. It featured a mid-engine layout, with the engine being supplied by Suzuki and sporting a capacity of only 657 cc.
That tiny engine delivered 63 horsepower (64 metric horsepower) and 63 pound-feet (85 Newton meters) of torque, which went straight to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. Of course, it does not sound like much by today's standards or any standards for that matter.
But those were enough, though, to pull a car that measured only 129.7 inches (3,295 millimeters) in length, 54.9 inches (1,395 millimeters) in width, and 45.3 inches (1,150 millimeters) in height, sporting a wheelbase of 88 inches (2,235 millimeters). It only weighed 1,587 pounds (720 kilograms).
Mazda was hoping that the kei car's popularity would skyrocket but, in full recession, the automaker provided the project with a very small budget. The one who supervised the project, Toshiko Hirai, and his team somehow nailed it, though. And the Autozam AZ-1 saw the light of day.
Photo: Alessandro Gardini | Behance
However, the popularity they were all hoping for failed to happen. Therefore, two years and 4,392 units sold later, the automaker decided to discontinue the model. It just didn't have what it took at that time.
But it still remained a beloved model for some nostalgics. And one of them is Brazilian designer Alessandro Gardini. He envisioned the way the Autozam AZ-1 would look today if Mazda kept it in production.
He kept the original lines but turned them contemporary, going for some sharp edges every here and there, seemingly in all the right places. His version of the kei car rides on larger wheels than the production model, a choice that might just make it a head-turner if it left the digital world to hit the road.
One of the photos shows racing gloves and a helmet, which is a hint tht the digital artist also thought about an output upgrade. Nobody would actually need a helmet when dealing with 63 horsepower unless they wanted to be extra safe in traffic.
The Autozam AZ-1 kei car, a muse for tuners
Gardini is not the only one who saw potential in the Autozam AZ-1. Back in January, Liberty Walk took the... liberty of converting the kei car into a Ferrari F40.
Their LB40 body kit brought headlight covers, front canards, side skirts, door panels, and rear fenders. They also installed a huge wing and an air diffuser at the back, all made of fiber-reinforced plastic and carbon fiber. The price was around that of a Toyota Corolla in the United States: $22,660.
Wait, there is more! Four years ago, someone tried to turn the Autozam AZ-1 into an American icon: the C8 Chevrolet Corvette. And you could be tricked into believing into one if you looked at it from the moon. Well, the AZ-1 and the C8 Corvette: they both have a mid-mounted engine. One of them has a V8 and, for sure, it is not the Autozam!
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