The first Mazda MX-5 Miata was praised for its light weight, tipping the scales at just over 2,000 pounds. It was in a class of its own: the British roadsters that had inspired it all were mostly gone but for the Lotus Elan, which was front-wheel-drive. It didn’t stay alone for long: 1991 heralded the arrival of the Suzuki Cappuccino, an even lighter, front mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive roadster.
The featherweight Cappuccino weighed just 1,600 pounds. The turbocharged engine was also considerably smaller than the Miata at just three cylinders, 63 horsepower and 657 cc, falling under the new 1990 Kei class maximum capacity and power standards.
Like all Kei cars, the Cappuccino was diminutive in all dimensions: length was a measly 129.7 inches and width 54.9 inches, a good 25 and 10 inches less, respectively, than the MX-5.
To harness the power of the titchy turbocharged triple, a five-speed manual transmission was standard. However, a three-speed automatic was available later during its run.
Unsurprisingly, the Cappuccino was fun-to-drive. It had almost 50/50 weight distribution and a high-revving engine that redlined at 8500 rpm. Despite the low horsepower rating, 0-60 was still accomplished in just 8 seconds.
Its neat handling wasn’t the only ace up its (tiny) sleeve: the Cappuccino also had a trick roof that could be switched between targa, t-bar and full convertible.
The kei roadster segment multiplied shortly after the Cappuccino’s launch, with the Suzuki joined by Mazda’s Autozam AZ-1 and its clone the Suzuki Cara, as well as the Honda Beat. Only the Cappuccino was exported outside Japan, with just over a thousand exported to Europe.
European exports ended after 1995 due to new emissions standards, but the Suzuki received some meaningful revisions like a new, lighter engine with more torque. However, the end of the roadster’s run was nigh. It was axed after 1997 and there was no replacement. Suzuki would tease the public with concept convertibles like the 1999 EV Sport, but as of yet Suzuki has not offered another sports car. Owing to its sharp dynamics, cute styling and solid reliability, the single-generation Cappuccino has developed a well-earned cult following. Rest assured, a drive in this perky little roadster could wake you up better than a… well, you know.
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Curbside Classic: 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Nice .
Thanx for once again showing me a cool car I’d never heard of .
Maybe some be be grey market imported soon ? .
-Nate
Thanks for sharing. Very cool little car. I hadn’t thought of these since my PlayStation Gran Turismo days.
Never seen that. And now I want one.
What’s the age (20, 25, 30 years) where you can import a vehicle which does not meet US safety or emission standards?? This would be a fun car to have in the garage.
However, parts could be a headache!!
It’s 25 years.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/FAQ%20Site/index.html
thanks for posting, have had several mx-5s may have to look into importing one or two of these, hmu if U want to look into sharing a container, saw 10ft somewhere but now can’t find length, still researching
oh well, just found it, 129″ so two not going to fit 🙁
I remember seeing one of these in Kobe on a business trip back in the ’90s and was suitably enamored. Wouldn’t fit in my luggage to bring home, though!
Too old to be a regular used import here now but they will age back into availability, I’d want much better road manners than the MX5 though before I bought one.
Still see the odd one on the road in the UK. I’ve long admired Kei class two seaters, especially the mad Autozam AZ-1. Although I’m not a lover of the Daihatsu Copen, for some reason.
The Cappuccino and Honda Beat were relatively common in the UK, but if I ever knew about the AZ-1/Cara I must have forgotten them.
The picture of the Cara strikes me as odd, certainly by today’s standards – a flashy, plasticky, gull-wing door car with bare steel wheels.
Didn’t know Suzuki made another Barbie car besides the X-90 🙂
Still see these in my neighborhood here in the Tokyo suburbs. What is getting significant press is Honda’s new 660 – it looks very nice……..
That’s bizarre. I’ve never heard of this car before, yet suddenly there is this article posted on it here yesterday and one on TTAC today.
I’ve never heard of it either but I kinda like it. Its not quite right though.
It needs to weigh under 2000lbs
needs a 900cc 4 cylinder
needs a hardtop fastback roof with a hatchback.
I remember reading about these in some magazine or another when they came out. Interesting little things, though tiny. A 700cc triple seems more motorcycle engine than car, but I’m used to large US standards where engines under 1 Liter are generally never seen on 4 wheels.
Chrysler had the “Expresso” trim level on several Plymouths back in the 90’s…if this had been sold here you could have had an Expresso and a Cappucino in the garage!
Lovely little car, and a great name too!
Thanks William
Toyota Nescafé
I remember an LJKS column in CAR magazine where, unable to find a parking place, he drove his loaner Cappuccino into the entrance hall of his gentlemans club in St James’s (no, not that kind) and went about his business. He was approached somewhile later by a club steward who enquired, ahem, “excuse me sir, did you leave a car outside ? ” He replied, ” no, I left a car INSIDE ” As I remember, he really liked the car.