Mid-Engine Gullwing: 1993 Autozam AZ-1
No matter the size of the vehicle, the horsepower, or the value, there aren’t many features that will gather a crowd like having a set of gullwing doors open while you’re getting gas or at a car show. This gullwing door 1993 Autozam AZ-1 is listed here on eBay in Moreno Valley, California and they’re asking $25,000 or you can make an offer. Just to head it off, yes, this car did cost $25,000 new, that’s about what $12,500 would be in 2024 dollars.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is mostly referred to as the 300SL gullwing, that’s how much that feature is tied to its uniqueness and desirability. How about the Delorean? Can you imagine that car with regular doors? Or, the Bricklin, or how about everyone’s favorite: the Tesla Model X? Who’s with me? Hello? I’m assuming there aren’t a lot of Tesla fans here, but I could be wrong.
I like the Autozam AZ-1 myself, although a 300SL gullwing would be my first choice, big shocker. This car is only 11 feet long and is lower than the person riding next to you on a bike, so a bright color is a must in order to be seen and not be in the middle of an accident scene. Mazda and Suzuki teamed up to design and power the Autozam AZ-1 from October 1992 to October 1994 and fewer than 5,000 were made. You can’t go wrong with owning one of these cars, you really can’t.
The seats are a bit colorful for me. I always prefer factory stock over someone else’s idea of what they think is cool, and I don’t know if those seats would be factory or not, do you know? The Momo wheel is great, but I’d try to source a more factory-type wheel and seats if I owned this car. Otherwise, I love this thing. At 6′-5″ tall, I highly doubt that I would fit in here and I’m not in the market for a $25,000 part-time car right now anyway.
Kudos to the seller for providing such great photos, including a photo of the mid-engine and one of the “trunk” in the front – although there isn’t much room up there for anything but a spare toothbrush. The engine is a Suzuki F6A, a 657-cc DOHC inline-three turbo, which had 63 horsepower and 63 lb-ft of torque. It sends power through a five-speed manual transmission to the back wheels, who can argue with that layout? This is one of the nicest ones I’ve seen in a while but $25k is a bit much for me when I’m in motorcycle hoarding mode. Have any of you owned or driven an Autozam?
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Comments
Love it.
I’ve driven one, and it was more fun than a horde of hyperactive puppies. Even in blase California, it turned heads and really got with the program on winding mountain roads. Had a surprisingly well-developed chassis, and rode pretty well for such a tiny thing.
My impression was of a shrunken Porsche 917. Slower, of course, but listening to that little engine rev and having the turbo wastegate right behind your ear was like watching Steve McQueen in “Le Mans.”
Not sure I’d go $25K for one, though. The ones I’ve seen imported from Japan tended not to be as nice in person as they were in photos. I’d worry about rust around the edges and general wear. Not sure where my nearest Autozam dealer is, either.
But they are a real hoot. Everyone should drive one at least once.
The Suzuki 3-cyl. turbo may have made it into a few Caterham 7 cars. So you can always take this to your neighborhood Caterham dealer for an oil change and tune-up.
I like any mid-engine, most small, and some red cars.
Each yr BF introduces me to at least 1 unknown (2 me) car, sometimes up to 4 (’19 wuz the record). So far in ‘24 there’s 2 and both today, here & the Berkley bantam (or whatever the monstrosity’s name).
BTW: thnx 4 the model ID Scotty. I saw a gul wing ‘Musker’ in tight parking spot w/o seeing a model number/name. Now I know what it was.. an X. The back dor shows “suicide’ style down, so cant tell if frnt’n back can go up same time. Rather then gul wing, he, of course calls them “falcon wing” dors…
I love a small car with a peppy engine, tough to get any better than one of these, I’d wager. But, I am utterly put out by RHD drive vehicles in a road system designed for LHD. If I were the (not so) benevolent dictator, I’d pull them all off the road, only allow them on tracks.
Perhaps, when a billion dollars falls from the sky into my lap, I’ll have to start a car hoard in the UK, beginning with one of these.
Right Danno
Love a small car with a peppy engine.
One of my favorite cars was a 1972 Toyota Carinna. Was fun to drive on hilly, winding roads.
Never heard of these, look a bit too short, maybe you could stretch it another 8″
Those are the factory seats.
Glad for all the Yank tank LHD car owners here in UK then if you should ever be in the position to ban them from British RHD designed cars.
Just say’n the name Autozam is fun!
I like these little cars and the Honda Beats. But anytime I see a car tarted up with racing steering wheel and seats, I worry about what the engine has been put through and steer(no pun intended) clear of them. Especially at that asking price.
I have a friend who picked up a red one like this last year. It’s a fun ride. Parts are challenging but not impossible to source. There is a great AZ1 group in the US that works together to share info on sourcing parts like replacement door gas struts, engine parts and such. These are parts bin cars, primary Suzuki.
Love these and would love to have one.This one is for sale in Ca. but can it be registered here..or is it registered here already?
We bought one of these a year and a half ago. Want a car that will out-corner a Miata? Hey – these cars were designed by the same team that developed the original Miata. But they weigh only 2/3 a Miata. The thing about the AZ-1 – it’s a real car built by a real car company. Doors close with that thump one associates with quality. Don’t let the small engine fool you – with 4 valves per cylinder and a turbo these accelerate just fine. And will cruise 70 mph all day long.
There is a great support group out there and yes, upgrades are available, though the most fun is just driving them as they are.
Reminds me of the original Mini and is probably at least as much fun to drive. Dare to be different, but show up with $17,500 in cash.
For the price and fun you still can’t beat a 2000’s Toyota MR2 Spyder.
The MR2 Spyder always looked to me like a knock off Boxster and the model before that like a knock off 308 Ferrari before that a knockoff 914…this looks like nothing else out there and I love that..totally unique..Love to hear if it can(is) registered in Ca. I do the Breakfast Club Rally most moonths and there is often a guy with a Suzuku Cappaccino (sp) that he manahed to reg so it might not be impossible..
Come on Scotty I can tell by your write up you want this thing and the only way to find out how well you fit in it is buy it and drive it. You can get seat covers made to change to the style you want and with the lower production numbers it’s rare so you can really possibly make a profit of it doesn’t work out.
These are tiny cars. I sat in one. I had to step on the seat and slide myself in. Once the door was closed, the claustrophobia kicked in hard. I tried to fit myself into another kei car, a Suzuki Cappuccino and got stuck trying to get out of it. The guy that ran the JDM import business knew he wasn’t going get a sale.
I’ve always loved these and when they were 10k they were worth it. These prices have gone crazy.
I would want to drive it with the doors wide open, or wide up.
This one is still for sale and the seller lowered the asking price to $21,500.