Modern day Spridget?

[Speedy_Pete]

I have been looking around for a cheap runaround, as the BMW is surprisingly thirsty with the traffic in town (computer reckons I'm getting about 16mpg, which worryingly, seems about right)... anyway, in my search I remembered a little Japanese car from about 10-12 years ago called a Suzuki Cappuccino (https://www.score.org.uk/). Having a good look over it, it just seems like someone re-invented the Spridget and just forgot to tell everyone!

 

[rulle7]

Or try the Honda Beat from the same time...

 

[Sarastro]

What a cool car! If these were still in production, and available in the US, I would seriously consider buying one. Unfortunately, "sports car" in the US now pretty much equates to "mini muscle car with kinda improved handling." So, chances of someone marketing an intelligently designed, 65 HP small sports car are about zilch. Until, maybe, gasoline hits $6 a gallon...!

 

[kcbugeye1275]

Go buy an old miata, my cson has one and there is a reason they sold so many.

 

[racingenglishcars]

I was in Japan last year on a business trip and was really impressed with the variety of small sports cars. Local market only, though some made their way to Australia and England. Of course there were a lot of the "box" cars too, sort of like the Honda Cube.

They really have their act together with the small cars. And they are easily available as used cars if anyone could figure out how to register them in other countries. The US won't let you register them. For such a small car, the transportation becomes rather high for GB and additionally taxes are too high in Denmark.

But they like small sports cars so much they even import a lot of British Minis and make sports car play station games.

 

[Speedy_Pete]

The japs love their tiny cars for one simple reason: tax evasion! If the car is smaller than a certain size it is catagorised as a "Kei" car, allowing the owner to benefit from lower insurance and road tax. The biggest bonus however, is that you don't need a parking permit to park in the cities, saving thousands a year.
You definately won't spend much time at the pumps though: a friend used to have one and he regularly got over 70mpg!
I considered the Honda Beat, but just don't think its as well proportioned at the Cappu.
I ended up getting something slightly more practical: I found a mint Peugeot 106 just down the road, 2 owners and just 34,000 miles from new. It's only a 1.1, so you get 75mpg, but it really shifts as there's no weight to it! Best part though: only cost me £1,500!
I might yet get myself a Cappu for a weekend toy if I find a good one, but they don't come up much (of the 378,000 cars on Autotrader.co.uk, 8 are Cappus!)

 

[Sarastro]

Go buy an old miata, my son has one and there is a reason they sold so many.

I came sooooo close to buying a Miata, or MX5 as they call them now, this past year. Of all modern cars, they seem to be the most like the British cars in character. I understand that they were specifically designed to do that, even to the point of copying the MGB exhaust note.

I don't know if the modern ones have preserved the British-car character; I suspect they have evolved to be more what most Americans look for: lots of power, above all. Some of the MX5 reviews actually called it, with 160 HP in a 2400 pound car, underpowered. I think that half that horsepower would be about right.

 

[aeronca65t]

I bought ~my Miata~ new.

Has about 60,000 miles on it now with zero problems.

Handles nice and with 140 HP and about 2400#, it has just the right amount of poke.
I've had it to over 7000 RPM in 5th (at a track day at Pocono Raceway).
We were at an autocross with it a while back and it was really hot out with no shade. So between runs, we put the top up and let it idle with the air conditioning on. No problem.
I'm sure I could walk out to it right now and drive it from NJ to California and back without any prep at all.

It is without a doubt, the best car I have even owned....Fun, fast enough and very low-maintenance. My British cars have more *character* and I am more attached to them.....but in stock form, the Miata is a much better performer on and off the track.

 

[AngliaGT]

If I recall,Japanese cars are designed to only last
about 3 years.That's one reason you get the 500cc,dohc,
fuel injected cars & such.Correct me if I'm wrong.
The Ford Festiva came with a cool twin cam motor in
Japan,but not the US.Made it almost interesting.

- Doug