Suzuki · PG6SA
Autozam AZ-1
Perhaps the most audacious kei car ever built, the AZ-1 pairs genuine mid-engine, RWD supercar architecture — right down to dramatic gullwing doors — with Suzuki's turbocharged F6A engine, all wrapped in one of the smallest performance car bodies ever mass-produced.
Spec Sheet
- Generation / Chassis Code
- PG6SA
- Years Produced
- 1992–1994
- Manufacturer
- Suzuki
- Country
- Japan
- Body Style
- 2-door mid-engine coupe (gullwing doors)
- Engine
- 0.66L turbo inline-3 (F6A)
- Horsepower
- 63 hp (JDM kei-car limit)
- Torque
- 63 lb-ft
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD
- Weight
- ~1,570 lbs
- 0–60 mph
- ~9.5 seconds
History
Developed jointly by Suzuki (which supplied the engine and mechanicals) and badged as an Autozam for Mazda's now-defunct small-car retail channel, the AZ-1 was a genuine engineering flex — a true mid-engine sports car built to kei-car regulations at a moment when Japan's bubble economy allowed manufacturers to greenlight wonderfully impractical projects.
Why It Became Famous
Its gullwing doors and true mid-engine layout make it look and feel like a shrunken supercar, and it's remembered as one of the purest, most delightfully over-engineered expressions of Japan's early-90s kei sports car boom.
Strengths
- Genuine mid-engine RWD layout with real supercar-style gullwing doors
- Extremely light weight makes its modest power feel genuinely thrilling
- Kei-car classification means low taxes and running costs in Japan
- One of the most distinctive, head-turning small cars ever built
Weaknesses
- Very low absolute power limits real-world performance significantly
- Extremely low ground clearance and small size make it impractical for daily use
- Never officially exported outside Japan, requiring import in most markets
- Very rare, with production numbers far lower than most other kei sports cars
Common Problems
- Turbo wear and boost control issues on the small, high-strung F6A engine
- Gullwing door hinge and seal wear if not properly maintained
- Rust in the small unibody structure on poorly stored examples
- Very scarce OEM parts given its low original production numbers
Modification Potential
Moderate within a small, devoted kei-car tuning niche — turbo and ECU tuning are popular, though the car's cult rarity means most owners prioritize preservation over heavy modification.
Buying Guide
Since it's JDM-only and quite rare, verify import documentation, inspect gullwing door hinges and seals carefully, and expect a smaller pool of specialist parts and service knowledge than for more common kei cars.
Enthusiast Popularity Today
A beloved unicorn among kei-car and JDM enthusiasts worldwide, prized specifically for daring to put supercar theater into the smallest legal car category in Japan.
Fun Facts
- It's one of very few kei cars ever built with gullwing doors, a feature normally reserved for genuine exotics
- Its F6A turbo engine and mechanicals were sourced directly from Suzuki, despite being sold under Mazda's short-lived Autozam brand
- Production numbers were low enough that clean surviving examples are genuinely rare even within Japan today