Kei cars are popular in Japan, but they’re necessarily popular with Japanese carmakers. The main problem has always been that they are solely tailored to the domestic market, making them very difficult to export. Kei car specialists such as Daihatsu and Suzuki have had to contend with this fact of life for decades, but they have been able to find ways to export their smaller models on occasion.
This Suzuki Cervo, despite its wing-mounted mirrors, is not a foreign market model, but those did exist. Hitherto known solely for their motorbikes, Suzuki timidly entered a number of European markets in the mid-‘70s with their pint-sized 4x4s.
But as far as two-wheel-drive vehicles were concerned, the only options were the new Fronte two- or four-door kei saloon (above), or the more sporty-looking Cervo, itself derived from the 360cc Fronte Coupé (1971-76), but with a larger 550cc engine in the tail. Interestingly, Suzuki figured the Cervo would have a better chance of finding favour than the Fronte saloon, a far too JDM-looking machine. The Fronte’s time would come in a few years, once it had graduated to FWD and a blander, boxier aesthetic.
The coupé, on the other hand, had Giugiaro credentials that would surely make it more acceptable to an international audience. Of course, 550cc was a bit too modest for most export markets, and Suzuki were well aware of that.
So they purposely devised a 47hp 1-litre 4-cyl. OHC engine that could replace the two-stroke triple found in the JDM cars and, presto, Suzuki were selling cars in far more markets by 1980 than they were a couple of years before. In the UK, it was sold as the SC100 Whizzkid – I whizzkid you not. And quite a few European countries got this version, albeit with the steering wheel on the correct side. These had their moment in the sun, for a couple of years. Legendary British automotive writer LJK Setright was a fervent early adopter and sang the Suzuki’s praises even after imports had ceased.
But Suzuki were wise beyond their whizz. They had sold a few two-stroke Frontes in South America in the late ‘70s, but now they proposed the SC80 Cervo – the same car as was sold to Europe, but in 800cc form. The beefed-up kei was a winning formula the world over, though to be entirely fair, Suzuki had merely followed the strategy pioneered, as far as I can tell, by Honda with their N360 (which was turned into the N400 and the N600) back in the late ‘60s.
But we are not looking at a 4-cyl. car here. For Japan, the only option was to keep within the strict kei guidelines, and that meant a 539cc two-stroke 3-cyl. was in charge of generating all of 28hp to spin those real wheels.
Compared to the Fronte Coupé that preceded it, the Cervo featured a rather impressive rhinoplasty – in the form of an augmentation of said nose, though. The rectangular headlamps were also traded for circular ones, at least for the JDM. Fog lamps (or some sort of additional headlights anyway) should also be part of the package, but it seems they have been eliminated – you can see the rectangular cut-outs in the grille.
The profile is perhaps the angle that evolved the least, though the chunky rubber bumpers do give the game away. The six-spoke alloys are aftermarket items, of course, but then this car has had quite a lot of bits added (or subtracted) to it over the years, both outside and inside.
The Cervo was launched in October 1977 and initially came in three trim levels: base CX, deluxe CX-L and “sporty” CX-G. Our feature car is the latter, though for some reason the “C” seems to have fallen off the emblem located on the left side, near the rear wheel…
More customization can be found in the cabin, though that plaid fabric might well be original. Hard to see in this photo, but that gray box next to the armrest on the driver’s side door is an aftermarket power window switch, put there by the current owner himself, apparently.
I did not speak to him. Heck, I never even saw him. But like a few of my finds, this car has been covered by a local classic car website already. That’s one of the great things about the scene in Tokyo: it’s varied, vibrant and verbose. People like to talk about their pride and joy. Unfortunately, I usually cannot understand them… Thank Google for machine translators.
When production wrapped up in June 1982, the Cervo was the last Suzuki model with a tail-mounted engine, and the marque’s last car to be powered by a two-stroke engine – though not the last vehicle, as the 550 triple would remain in service in Jimny 4x4s and the Carry/Every kei trucks/vans for a few more years yet.
The Cervo even managed to conquer new markets – thanks to Suzuki sparing no expense in adapting their product, while keeping prices in check. The Whizz created a lot of buzz for its maker, helping to establish Suzuki as a carmaker in crucial overseas markets. Thanks to its decade in production, Suzuki’s Italian-flavoured kei coupé reached icon status within its country of origin. Whatever the exact opposite of a Deadly Sin is (I’m thinking “Greatest Hit”?), the Fronte Coupé / Cervo / SC100 Whizzkid is it.
Related posts:
Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: Suzuki SC100 (Cervo Coupe) – The Fronte Coupe Spawns Another Cult Classic, by PN
Curbside Classic: 1971 Suzuki Fronte Coupé GX – Cool Fusion, by T87
These cars are hell to drive. Only bearable with earplugs and longer distances are of course impossible. I had a Daihatsu (in Belgium in 1988) and found it quite fun, especially as it was cheaper than a motorcycle. But it was pointless. I then switched to Vespa scooter and never looked back.
I have an ’81 model of the left hand drive version sold in Europe, which I imported to the states from the Netherlands in 2022. Power is the same 47 hp, 970 cc SOHC 4 as used on the original Jimny mini-SUV. There are only 4 speeds but they are perfectly spaced. Far from “hell to drive” the Whizzkid is exhilarating, comfortable for nearly everyone ( I had a 300 lb. passenger in mine last summer who was snug as a bug and affected performance not a whit, and “Onlyfan” LKJ Setright was 6’5″ tall). The change to a liquid cooled 4-stroke in back makes it much quieter than the two-bangers– or an original air cooled VW bug–by a lot. IMHO, the Suzuki SC-100 Whizzkid is as much fun as a Miata NA, and I have owned both.
So this (and its predecessor) is why the current Suzuki Ignis has those fake air vents in the C-pillar!
From the front, that tiny Cervo is really kind of cute. From the back, not so much. But that green sedan is really homely.
A Suzuki Whiz-kid – who’d have thought…
Fascinating that they developed a one litre four for export versions of this. When the Cultus/Swift came along for ’84, they equipped it with a new one litre triple. Great engine, revved like crazy, but I have to wonder why they didn’t just upgrade the Cervo’s four?
I would make a restomod by putting a 750cc triple water buffalo in it , and it would be warmer inside than Gaston’s suit
I think LJK Setright did a review of the Suzuki Whizz Kid. In general Kei cars strike me as something every brand wants to sell, but not make. For example Mazda used to make their own Kei cars but by 1989 they were outsourcing to Suzuki. The relaunched Carol was a Suzuki Alto, the newer Scrum truck becamee Suzuki Carry and even the legendary AZ-1 Gullwing was largely engineered by Suzuki. It’s actually mutually beneficial since Mazda conserves resources and Suzuki gains volume