A danger to the driver? All AZ-1s come equipped with noticeable gull-wind doors and a mid-engine setup, while the interior is sleek and cozy. So what happens when you drop a 3.5-litre V6 engine from the Camry into the body of a Corolla? And whats more, thank to their fuel efficiency, you wont have to worry about spending a fortune on gas when you do get stuck. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. The antithesis of American pick-ups, the Suzuki Carry (as well as the Daihatsu Hi-Jet) are perfect for city tradies and country farmers who need a runabout. The car has NO power steering. 17 things you might not know about the Dakar Rally, From the archives: the Ferrari 575 Superamerica. Thats where Kei cars come in. Despite its relatively low power output of 118 brake horsepower, the Lotus Elise S1 is an absolute speed demon due to its curb weight of about 1,600 lbs. Guide to safely buying & selling a car online, 'Brand-new' Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R hopes to set new record price, Escalating the chase buying a car from Japan, part one, Escalating the chase buying a car from Japan, part two, Escalating the chase buying a car from Japan, part three, 2024 Ford Mustang due in Australia earlier than anticipated, 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT coupe breaks cover early, Polestar and Volvo on a collision course as both target electric-car customers, 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray hybrid teased ahead of January 17 launch, Chinas Chery cars delayed again for Australia. Most Kei cars are eligible to be imported into Australia under the RAV program under the recently revised RVS Act 2018. There are several types of engine oil you should use on a Suzuki Carry Kei truck. In addition, they come with a variety of features that make them perfect for family life, including child safety locks, cup holders, and storage compartments. Theyre basically gas-engine golf carts with license plates. YES!!!!!!! Nonetheless, through the years Kei truck manufacturers have created delirious cars that make these small trucks amazingly fun and unique. Everybody with me on this? Limited to the European markets, the Ford Focus RS500 is a limited edition Focus trim that features a series of upgrades from the stock Focus. Orginally introduced in the 1960s, the Alpine A110 made a name for itself as an incredible, French-made sports car that was especially successful in rally competitions. JCD was able to accommodate my unique needs, everything from short turn around inspections, Matthew at JCD is the man. I hope you know the kei car by now. One of the most striking of all Kei cars you can get in the U.S. is the Mazda Autozam AZ-1. Initially introduced in 1992, the X90 and X100 models ran until the 9th generation in 2000. There is just the perfect amount of feedback and feel from the stick as it goes into gear without it being notchy or too easily slipping into gear. Most cars are bought from auction, and inspected in person prior to the broker bidding on their behalf," Mr Cole told CarAdvice. How about another Fairlady? Thats why they are such quick little beasties. If you want to know more about this 1992 Subaru Sambar Supercharged, you can watch a YouTube review here: Like any other JDM car, Kei trucks are listed on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other online listings. In addition, Kei cars are often equipped with modern safety features despite their size, and can be relatively inexpensive to fix if an accident does occur, which can further reduce insurance premiums. That means that Kei car owners can save a lot of money on spares and repairs over the life of their vehicle. A Kei car is basically the Japanese version of a micro-car but also covers vans and utes as well as passenger cars. Theyre often identified by yellow number plates. Kei cars we love include the Mitsubishi i, Daihatsu Move or the Subaru Sambar. They wound up categorizing the Delica as a mini truck. Kei cars are a great option for drivers who want something small and lightweight that is still fun to drive. Its jeep-like style, with a military look, makes this Kei truck marvellous. Thats not the kei car in its correct environment, though. The Vamos was produced from the platform of the Honda TN360. There is no legal restriction on torque, so those figures can be stated accurately in Kei car spec sheets. Mike Festival, owns a 1990 Suzuki Carry 44 with a 4-speed manual transmission. Dont hesitate to give Kei trucks a try, if you have ever considered buying one: they are quite a catch. JCD was able to accommodate my unique needs, everything from short turn around inspections, expert opinions on bidding, arranging quick turn shipping, and handling of docs. No lie. It seems pretty daunting at first but if I can do it anybody can. Highly recommend the team at JCD. I have my van now, and its been great. May 29, 2022 by . Just stumbled across your sight. The legendary Nissan Skyline series has been around since the 60s, although some of the most popular models come from 1989-1994, which brings up the specific model on this list: the R32. Although Suzuki offered a number of engines over the years, early Alto Works models from the early 1990s were still shy of 50kW. There are many reasons why Kei cars are the great, but one of the most important is that theyre cheap to maintain. Copyright 2018 - Tutti i diritti riservati a De.Al. Log into your account, and lets start working together today! Now a while back, one of our customers, who wanted to import a Kei sports car via Japan Car Direct to the USA (which he did in the end, and he loves that little Kei car), asked me to give him the heads up on my own Kei, my 1993 Mitsubishi Minica Dangan (Bullet) ZZ. Cannot recommend Japan Car Direct enough! Ever wondered why there has been a sudden increase in small, righthand drive mini-trucks entering the market? Le radici di questa azienda furono impiantate da Giovanni Alfano, allepoca noto commerciante della zona che svilupp lidea di inscatolare prodotti derivanti dallagricoltura locale e destinarli al consumo durante lintero arco dellanno. My belief is that cars should be driven and not hidden away, so I always keep on top of maintenance and regularly drive all of my cars. Sad compact crossover noises. Great truck if you aren't over 6ft. I decided to give these guys a shot and bought a JDM Tesla into the country in the midst of the oil price hikes. So maybe its time I used our blog here at Japan Car Direct to write a bit about Japanese Kei vehicles, these light and practical machines that I think are so wonderful. The maximum permitted length of one of these little things was only 2,800mm and they could not be wider than 1,000mm (approx. Mike Nguyen was super patient with me and my indecisiveness. read moreIt's hard to say anything that hasn't been said from other reviewers! Long kept from UK showrooms by safety concerns, they might just keep the city car flame burning. Our last story is about a man who uses his Kei truck for business. But a prominent characteristic is that every owner wants to show their personality through their Kei trucks. For many Japanese motorists, Kei cars represent an affordable way to enjoy the pleasures of motoring, and as such, when theyre not in the city they are frequently seen on the countrys winding mountain roads and scenic coastal highways. What is especially interesting about the Cappuccino is the engine, a turbocharged 3-cylinder build that can output 67 horsepower. He was responsive and supportive through the whole process. Because they have a lower displacement than most traditional cars, they fall into a lower insurance bracket, which can save the owner hundreds of dollars each year. The easiest way is to look at the badging, where youll find the make and model. (7 Simple Checks), Supercars That Appreciate In Value (12 Of The Best). What I told him basically says it all for me about my own sports Kei: Balance for cornering is excellent and the chassis is very communicative. It was originally advertised that the weight distribution of the car was 50/50 if there were two passengers in the car, which is an incredible engineering feat that deserves applause. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Luckily, there are still some floating around, although, they might be hard to find. I had a million questions, and he had a million helpful answers. If youve ever committed to a career mode in Gran Turismo, youll have tumbled into some dinky little Suzuki Alto hot hatches that fit within the rules. Yet a shirtless guy in flip flops on a Hayabusa is no problemo. I was a first time auction buyer and importer to the United States. Many scammers use this methodology as there is no security in the transfer being made. This unique classification popularized their use and has been successful ever since. However, Rover was suffering serious financial losses by the year 2000, so BMW sold the holdings but kept the rights to the Mini name. The Import Approval is required for Customs clearance on arrival in Australia. From March 1990 starts the true Golden Age of the Kei sports cars. I have to also commend Mike's swiftness when it came to replying to emails and phone calls, he would always reply near on instantly and even outside of normal business hours just to ensure I was never left in the dark through the bidding and shipping preparation processes. I cant recommend them enough! Mike was great to work with. So, the upshot is: most of your turbocharged and supercharged Japanese Kei sports cars are giving you more than the rated horse power. There are several different ways you can purchase a Kei truck. Lastly, when considering purchasing a vehicle, you must understand that it must be 25 years or older. Kei cars are cheap to maintain 2. 1967! Im talking Alto Works, Cappuccino, Vivio RX-R and others. The Tourer V trim comes with a twin-turbo engine that has about 280 horsepower, making these cars ultimate sleepers. You can differentiate a normal Sambar from the supercharged version by an indicator on the dashboard and a decal on the rear of the truck. And surely the kei version is no less safe than a previous-gen Jimny, or a wobbly old Daihatsu Terios. More importantly their knowledge of the Japanese car market and auction process was extremely helpful as a first time importer. Those legally imported to the United States have a 660cc engine and are usually fixed with a 4 or a 5 speed manual transmission. The R32 is a Japanese market exclusive that because of its age, has recently come available for import, meaning that this speed demon is now legal for America's roadways. Unfortunately, because of its power to weight ratio, the Ford RS200 was never able to be competitive: the engine suffered low-RPM lag which made it harder to drive, especially when competing at high speeds. Or like. a motorcycle. This 3-door hatchback features a turbocharged 2.0L SR20DET engine that can put out about 227 horsepower. If youre like most people, you probably think of Kei cars as tiny, underpowered vehicles that are only good for getting around town. From turbocharged engines to superchargers, and special vehicles, the Kei truck family is impressive. ), and Ill tell you more about the Kei cars that are the best to export from Japan due to availability, parts, etc. Yoshiro was a great help. Which led the government to seek ways to help the population obtain valuable, affordable products. Extremely easy process and Kept me well informed. Built with a staggering 276 horsepower, the R32 Skyline GTR was produced until 1995, when the R33 was introduced. We also translate and prepare all necessary documents for customs It was the highest output Kei engine at the time but is not really a highly-stressed unit. There are restrictions on modified cars and large vehicles. These guys are legit!!! Cannot recommend Japan Car Direct enough! For a vehicle to be considered a Kei car, it must have the following specifications: The introduction of Kei cars in 1949 provided the following benefits: These incentives alongside the specifications that the trucks have, made them an excellent product for the Japanese population. So let's take a leaf out of Japans book: make the sensible stuff use diddy little engines, leaving the big power outputs for bona fide performance cars. MORE:'Brand-new' Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R hopes to set new record price. Revised front and rear lights mean the Blade Master will stand out from a run-of-the-mill Corolla, but it won't draw attention to itself. I decided to give these guys a shot and bought a JDM Tesla into the read moreBefore this I have never imported any vehicles to NZ let alone one from Japan! While the car was actually developed by Renault-Nissan, it was refined by Alpine and I must admit, pushing well over 200 horsepower with a 1.8L engine is incredible. It just so happens to be a 71-year old idea. But if it means the day-to-day sensible stuff becomes even more homogenised, its also pretty sad. Considering the status, rarity and importability of the 180SX, it's truly amazing that it is available for import, which is why is on this list. Top Gears guilty pleasures: Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35, Carlos Sainz Sr flips his Audi Dakar car, gets airlifted to hospital, tells pilot to turn around, returns to race, The UKs cheapest, decent cars to insureincluding a few fast ones. Engine size stays at 660cc. Coming into the market during the recession in Japan, the AZ-1 however, was dubbed too expensive and cramped for a kei car, billed at around $12400. You are going back pretty far arent you! Additionally, there are plenty of amazing foreign cars that are either just on the cusp, or years away from being old enough to be legal in the US, so I've collected a list of 10 awesome imports thatwe can drive and 10we can't. 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