One clarification, the horsepower limit wasn't a legal requirement like all the rest are. It was simply a gentleman's agreement between manufacturers like they did with their sports cars around the same time
@@timothymclean It's a fine grocery runner! As long as we're talking about a singular grocery. Plural groceries is where it starts to run into problems.
If your car is light enough, 63hp feels like a lot more. And yeah, I am over 6.5 (2m), and I don't even fit in a current gen Mazda MX-5. Which is a lot bigger than this. Thanks for taking the pain to show us, Robert.
Yeah I love smaller cars like that. They feel so fun to drive without enough power to get you in trouble, as opposed to modern beasts where you hit over 100 by not paying attention for a few seconds on the freeway lol My dream project car would be an older miata or trying to trick out a geo metro 🤣
Toyota Aygo is a great example of a European Kei car, it's wider (useful) but has a similar length and enough height to make it useful, tiny boot lightweight body and only has a 67Hp 3 cylinder. It tops out at 98mph and will take a whole 14.6 seconds to hit 60. But man is it fun, It's basically as close to a road legal go-kart as you can get, whilst still being somewhat practical (I've had a mattress and a 50 inch TV in it before, albeit not at the same time) plus you can get like 60Mpg whilst driving at 80Mph all day
If these cars were less hideously expensive and rare, I would totally have one. For now I'll just settle for my Geo Metro Convertible, though. The relationship analogy made me laugh! As always you have a real comedic talent for these things
I used to own a red 92 LSI car rusted out before the engine died in it the engine is still working to this day installed in an ultralight airplane Man i wish we got more of those inline 3s they were as indestructible as nissan hardbodies
I'd love to have one as well. It looks really good, has gull wing doors and is probably a lot of fun to drive. And I'd probably even fit in it quite well!
I have a Metro Convertible myself, and really hope to have some sort of Kei box in the fleet in the future. The Metro is deceptively roomy though (6’2 and 240 here), and every Kei I have been in is microscopic by comparison.
I guess the tall height allowance on _kei_ cars makes sense, since unlike length and width, if your car isn't as tall as the other vehicles around it, that doesn't free up space that anything else could be using. It does make for some pretty wacky-looking vehicles, though.
Living in Japan I haven't seen any kei cars that are actually that tall, but a lot of kei trucks with tall covers mounted in the bed for moving stuff like fridges and furniture around without them getting wet in the rain, so I wonder if the allowance is more for that.
@@KarlBaron Yeah, I probably should have said "vehicles" rather than "cars", because I had those in mind too, as well as tiny delivery vans and whatnot. I assume they're all under the same regulations.
I was waiting for 63 horses to appear during the introduction. Will you and Technology Connections go on a long road trip together in the AZ-1? It's actually a beautiful car.
Fitting 63 full-sized horses into a 148×340×200 cm box would be a more impressive feat of engineering than any keijidosha on the market. Especially if they survived.
Jay Leno did an episode on one of these a few years back. The very knowledgeable owner is an automotive engineer who worked for a while in Japan and drove (and raced!) it there, then imported it here once it turned 25 and could be legally imported. Well worth watching.
Benefits of being short: A mate imported one from Japan, I had the chance to give it a go. It's tons of fun and despite being pretty heavy, I fit perfectly.
@@BokBarber There's videos around UA-cam of various people of various heights fitting in to the ABC cars (Autozam, Beat, Cappuccino) - plenty of people over 6ft fit ok so should be fine
@@BokBarber am 5'5 (am around 1.68m) and i fit almost perfectly well in a honda beat (a bit big for me), sadly they are rare here in europe so yeah i think you could fit very well in one begin 1.75
When I saw the title I assumed Autozam was an obscure Eastern Bloc manufacturer I'd never heard of. Instead it's an obscure Japanese manufacturer I'd never heard of!
How you fit completely depends on the proportions of your body. I'm 6'4" and own an AZ-1. I purchased it in Japan where it was my only car for over a year. I've since moved back to the US and brought it with me, and while it's not my primary vehicle, I still absolutely love driving it whenever I get the chance.
I think that this is the perfect car. For someone shorter and smaller of course, but yeah, there's never enough cheap insurable two-door sports cars that look cool.
I'm also 6'2'' and I have a Honda Beat. I fit pretty tight but a quick release steering wheel made it way nicer to get in and out of. Visablity is great too, I have a hard top and no issues with head room. You should try to get your hands on one to take for a drive.
I've dreamed of owning an AZ-1 ever since Gran Turismo 5's release, it was just so _cool_ in that game. Very bad, but _so cool._ I wouldn't have trouble fitting in one, but they are just way too expensive, so I'll probably never realize my dream, but at least I can still drive it in GT5.
AT 6'4, I have the same issue with leg fitment. Honda's always built for the home market, then buffed it out but 6'4 cuts a great deal of small cars out of the realm of enjoyability. Now I did have a 72 Toyota once that fit me just fine. Some of the older Toyota's, especially the 70's are some seriously nice cars for the era.
There's something so wonderfully appealing about tiny cars that look like a few guys could pick it up and throw it over a fence. Even though I'm sure it's too heavy for that it's still an adorably tiny car.
Yes, thank you Jacob for the loaner and allows us to THOROUGHLY enjoy another great video full of humor and quip from Robert! Fun times all around! More quotes than any iconic 80s movie! :)
I had a Daihatsu Cuore (Mira), which is also a Kei car. I am 1,89 m tall. It was perfectly comfortable and I even could sit in the back. Very well thought out car.
I feel your (leg) pain! I'm 6ft 6 and have owned several stupidly cramped cars including 2 Reliant Robins, a Toyota MR2, mk2 Fiesta and 1964 Wolseley 1500! I actually had to wedge a piece of foam between my right knee and the Reliant door release and had to release the handbrake on the MR2 before trying to get in as it would impale my left leg! It takes a certain skill to fold into a car built for people considerably smaller and press the correct pedals at the correct time. 🤣 Another great review!
Pleaseeeee bring these back! Fell in love with your channel when this content was more “regular” I understand it’s limited and such so I appreciate the effort of these! Love it, can’t wait to see the bus too!
Cool little car (emphasis on the "little")! I wouldn't even try to get inside the AZ-1, as I cannot fit into a Miata (6'4"). As always, your sense of humor shines through. More videos, please!
I saw an old model MX-5 for the first time in the flesh recently and was amazed at how small and low it is. Actually looks good parked up, though it doesn't look as good driving around.
I guess that's one benefit to being short, I never have legroom issues in smaller cars and fit on the backseats of most cramped cars because the back of my knees usually hug the seats I would love one of these if I could find one, there are plenty of imported JDM cars in europe but I haven't seen one of these (of course they are hideously rare so I doubt the price would be in my price range anyway)
If anything, I'd go for the Suzuki Cappuccino. That modular convertible top plus the fact that you could probably fit better in it with the top on and being front engine RWD, makes it a traditional sports car.
I’ve just bought a Honda CRX Del Sol two day’s ago and its a similar problem to get in because its compact and very very low! (1250mm to be precise which makes it exactly half a meter smaller than me) To be fair i wear a prosthetic leg which is also stiff so yeahhh doesn’t make it any easier… I’m currently thinking about a detachable steering wheel or just removing my foot every time I have to get in. But in return you get a really nice driving experience and due to its lack of weight, pretty good performance! Can’t wait for Wednesday when we pick it up!
Personally I'm more of a Suzuki Cappuccino or Honda Beat fan, but I will admit that the AZ-1 is an awesome looking little car! Also the fact that I'm 5' 8" makes it nice to know that if I ever get the chance to drive one, I know I'll fit!
I used to drive a Autozam Carol in Japan. It was a cute, almost beetle-esque car. My company leased out Daihatsu Mira's to most, but they had a few Carols. It was a pretty cute car, and the steering was definitely not assisted. Thanks for bringing back some memories. I hope, one day, you can get your hands on a Copen.
This reminds me that in the 1970's in Australia one could buy a tiny Mini-engined (transverse rear-engined) Gull-winged door sports car called a "Pellandini" My mate owned one, and offered me a drive, but at 6'4" I could NOT shut the door ! Always regretted that !
He doesn't get into the car, he puts it on like a piece of clothing. 🤣 I am about the maximum legal height for a Key car, and I felt the same as you did there when I tried to get into the passenger seat of a friend's Celica. 😅
Cappuccino driver here. Kei sports cars are a ton of fun albeit terrifying on a road full of huge cars at times. Fun fact, that spare tire was moved because it was flying into the passenger compartment in early crash tests. And yeah none of us look cool getting out of these things. Cappu, Beat, AZ-1, we all look dumb as hell clambering out.
Fun fact the spare tire was moved to the the shelf in the back from the space in front due to cabin intrusion in front end collisions so you don't even get the shelf
2:57-3:00 seeing Robert stand behind this car makes it look like one of those cars sold for kids at your local Walmart. But boy does it look fun to drive. If you can fit inside.
My dream car to have. Have been wanting to buy one ever since I used one to race in Gran Turismo as a child. But getting one in our to Europe is expensive.
That's an absolutely ADORABLE shoe... I mean teeny-tiny car. I always wanted a gokart! And this makes all the right sounds. I wish kei cars were a thing in Europe...
Mine came with NA MX5 seats and then when we did the rebuild/modifications to it, Bride seats and a momo steering wheel from an open wheel race car. I’m 6’1 and fit. Just. But it’s not uncomfortable. You also need narrow shoes to comfortably drive it.
I'm 6'3", and my old 99 Camry (daughter's car now) hurt my right ankle and my legs on sustained driving. After switching to my RX300, I rarely have the ankle pain that I did with the Camry. It's especially noticeable when I drive her car now. I never realized how too big I was for it.
As an owner of one of these: I'm so glad I'm not tall. 5'9" with an NA miata seat (read: a seat that fits but has adjustable back angle cause the stock AZ-1 seat doesn't adjust ... at all), I find mine very comfortable to drive. And once he's packed in [removal of steering wheel very helpful], so does a 6'4" buddy of mine.
We had the blinker/indicator on the right in the UK until the 80s in most cars, and the 90s in some. It was predominantly LHD European manufacturers being lazy that led to it being on the other side. The Japanese manufacturers stuck with it for the longest - my 1997 UK spec MX-5 still has right hand indicators.
... I want one. It's cute and adorable, and fun sized. It seems like a really nice city car thing. But alas I'm 6' 6", and don't want one enough to go through the needed amputations...
If you slightly over-inflate the tires, does it exceed the dimensional limits? Neat little quirky car, as a daily commuter it would be fun. I can say that since I'm "only" about 5-foot 10-inches tall. And my hair brushed the headliner of a DeLorean DMC-12 when I got to sit in one at an auto show (pre _Back To The Future_ ).
I think my wife, who is 5'1", has always wanted a Mercedes gull wind (and will never be able to afford one), and likes to go fast, would love this thing. I am 6'6" and almost certainly could never get inside.
I feel your pain. 6’ 3”, grew up revering Colin Chapman. I was offered the opportunity to autocross a Caterham 7, but would have had to break both shins in order to get my legs into the footwell.
My most-desired Kei car was the Suzuki MightyBoy. I fell in love with them after seeing one in Broome, Western Australia. I actually sat in one in a back yard of a house in the Mercer Island neighborhood of Seattle Washington. That is where the love affair ended. I am 5 foot 9 inches and I, too, barely fit behind the steering wheel. That is why I am the proud owner of a 1993 RHD 2-door Suzuki Escudo hardtop - yes, a real hardtop. It is almost an exact duplicate of a US-spec Suzuki Sidekick with the exception of the steering wheel position, pedal locations and the 4-speed automatic transmission. It is a blast to drive and I can get parts at my local NAPA auto parts store...
Thanks for the great video Robert!!!....I love those little cars and I probably wouldn't fit in that one either ( I'm 6'2 also ) ...as always, looking forward to more !
I recently discovered this channel through the algorithm and instantly subscribed. I'm having a great time going through all the videos now, what a nice early Christmas gift! Cheers!
This is the car version of those micro-motorcycles that were popular for some reason back in the mid-00s. And that turbo blowoff! It sounds like a cat sneezing.
Fitting that Robert crams himself into a tiny Japanese car by making himself into origami.
This could be a Top Gear cold open
If you could have wrote that comment in the form of a haiku, it would have been perfect ! :D
@@Reman1975 Fitting that Robert / Made origami of self / To fit in small car
@@ladylilithparker Hahahahahaha...
...poor English dubbing(tip of the Hatlo hat to Black Belt Theatre)...
He was a cat in a past life, where he fits,he sits - I’m looking forward to The Lada videos It needs the Lotus touch tho
One clarification, the horsepower limit wasn't a legal requirement like all the rest are. It was simply a gentleman's agreement between manufacturers like they did with their sports cars around the same time
Good to know!
"276 HP" Suuuurrreeeeee
@@BluDog35 if they said 276hp they mean 330hp. have fun!
@@1985toyotacamry 276 horsepower with a little asterisk marking at the wheels lol
@@YurtFerguson lol that's true.
I enjoy when you don't end your analogies early.
That's... what she said? 🤔
@@ArniVidar Or, what he said.
You mean when he doesn't finish them prematurely
@@johnnycruiser2846 now thATs what she said.
Lol
Oh-my-word! I just about lost my dinner through my nose when he Rob said he was "too big to fit inside" 30 seconds before the video ended, too funny!
Robert's "too beaucoup" for the AZ-1, indeed.
My GF and I raced to be the first to say "That's what she said". She won as usual.
You don't need storage in an AZ-1. That's what your pants pockets are for. I love AZ-1's to bits.
Good commuter car, bad grocery runner.
@@timothymclean It's a fine grocery runner! As long as we're talking about a singular grocery. Plural groceries is where it starts to run into problems.
But I need the space in my pockets to park the az 1
I could fill my cargo pants to the brim, but then I'm not sure I'd fit in the car anymore! 😂
@@timothymclean That is what the passenger seat is for.
Wow, when you stand next to it, it's really apparent how small it is. Tiny is an understatement.
It's a fucking motorcycle lmao
If your car is light enough, 63hp feels like a lot more.
And yeah, I am over 6.5 (2m), and I don't even fit in a current gen Mazda MX-5. Which is a lot bigger than this.
Thanks for taking the pain to show us, Robert.
Yeah I love smaller cars like that. They feel so fun to drive without enough power to get you in trouble, as opposed to modern beasts where you hit over 100 by not paying attention for a few seconds on the freeway lol
My dream project car would be an older miata or trying to trick out a geo metro 🤣
@@snesguy9176 exactly how my mirage is. 2200lb and 78hp. Slow? Yes. Fun? Kinda. Enough to throw around and never get in trouble.
Fiat 500 life😎
They should have made a convertible version of this car.
Toyota Aygo is a great example of a European Kei car, it's wider (useful) but has a similar length and enough height to make it useful, tiny boot lightweight body and only has a 67Hp 3 cylinder. It tops out at 98mph and will take a whole 14.6 seconds to hit 60. But man is it fun, It's basically as close to a road legal go-kart as you can get, whilst still being somewhat practical (I've had a mattress and a 50 inch TV in it before, albeit not at the same time) plus you can get like 60Mpg whilst driving at 80Mph all day
0:29 was wondering how you were gonna fit 63 horses in that box
If these cars were less hideously expensive and rare, I would totally have one. For now I'll just settle for my Geo Metro Convertible, though.
The relationship analogy made me laugh! As always you have a real comedic talent for these things
I used to own a red 92 LSI car rusted out before the engine died in it
the engine is still working to this day installed in an ultralight airplane
Man i wish we got more of those inline 3s they were as indestructible as nissan hardbodies
I'd love to have one as well. It looks really good, has gull wing doors and is probably a lot of fun to drive. And I'd probably even fit in it quite well!
I love geo metros. Growing up my best friend had a manual metro we treated like a effin go kart on country roads
@@Newberntrains I have a preproduction convertible, 5 digit odo and shovel nose and all that. The G10A is basically unkillable with minor maintenance.
I have a Metro Convertible myself, and really hope to have some sort of Kei box in the fleet in the future. The Metro is deceptively roomy though (6’2 and 240 here), and every Kei I have been in is microscopic by comparison.
I guess the tall height allowance on _kei_ cars makes sense, since unlike length and width, if your car isn't as tall as the other vehicles around it, that doesn't free up space that anything else could be using. It does make for some pretty wacky-looking vehicles, though.
Living in Japan I haven't seen any kei cars that are actually that tall, but a lot of kei trucks with tall covers mounted in the bed for moving stuff like fridges and furniture around without them getting wet in the rain, so I wonder if the allowance is more for that.
@@KarlBaron Yeah, I probably should have said "vehicles" rather than "cars", because I had those in mind too, as well as tiny delivery vans and whatnot. I assume they're all under the same regulations.
@@KarlBaron have you heard any blasting Hasselhoff at max volume?
it's called land use value honey
And in their native space they're unlikely to be going fast enough to care about a slightly higher centre of gravity
I was waiting for 63 horses to appear during the introduction. Will you and Technology Connections go on a long road trip together in the AZ-1? It's actually a beautiful car.
Head room just kidding my heads rubbing the ceiling🤣🤣🤣
Fitting 63 full-sized horses into a 148×340×200 cm box would be a more impressive feat of engineering than any keijidosha on the market. Especially if they survived.
A trip to the grocery store is a "long road trip" in an AZ-1 for an average-sized American.
@@ReverendTed yeah and they think it takes the range of a vehicle that can go across country to do it🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I was expecting 63 toy horses to fall from the sky but that would be a lot for such a short gag and the third arm was good enough for me.
Jay Leno did an episode on one of these a few years back. The very knowledgeable owner is an automotive engineer who worked for a while in Japan and drove (and raced!) it there, then imported it here once it turned 25 and could be legally imported. Well worth watching.
Benefits of being short: A mate imported one from Japan, I had the chance to give it a go. It's tons of fun and despite being pretty heavy, I fit perfectly.
Given that you got to experience one, would you say that somebody around 5'9" (175cm) tall would fit okay?
@@BokBarber There's videos around UA-cam of various people of various heights fitting in to the ABC cars (Autozam, Beat, Cappuccino) - plenty of people over 6ft fit ok so should be fine
@@BokBarber am 5'5 (am around 1.68m) and i fit almost perfectly well in a honda beat (a bit big for me), sadly they are rare here in europe
so yeah i think you could fit very well in one begin 1.75
@@BokBarber yeah, that's how tall I am.
id probably fit im 5'6
When I saw the title I assumed Autozam was an obscure Eastern Bloc manufacturer I'd never heard of.
Instead it's an obscure Japanese manufacturer I'd never heard of!
It’s a Mazda sub brand iirc
Edit : yup he says it in the video
Proud that you pronounced "Kei" right, most youtubers will say it like how we pronounce "Key" and that just razzles my jimmies
How you fit completely depends on the proportions of your body. I'm 6'4" and own an AZ-1. I purchased it in Japan where it was my only car for over a year. I've since moved back to the US and brought it with me, and while it's not my primary vehicle, I still absolutely love driving it whenever I get the chance.
This is an absolute gem from a time when Japan was pumping out absolutel excellence!
I think that this is the perfect car. For someone shorter and smaller of course, but yeah, there's never enough cheap insurable two-door sports cars that look cool.
A rocket pocket deLorean. Has that “Back To The Future” vibe! Doc and Marty would love it.
This thing makes my Miata look like an 18-wheeler
I'm also 6'2'' and I have a Honda Beat. I fit pretty tight but a quick release steering wheel made it way nicer to get in and out of. Visablity is great too, I have a hard top and no issues with head room. You should try to get your hands on one to take for a drive.
just remove your shoes and you'll fit just🤣🤣
I've dreamed of owning an AZ-1 ever since Gran Turismo 5's release, it was just so _cool_ in that game. Very bad, but _so cool._ I wouldn't have trouble fitting in one, but they are just way too expensive, so I'll probably never realize my dream, but at least I can still drive it in GT5.
this car feels so much faster than it actually is I know the feeling that's my BMW i3s it feels so much faster than it actually is as well🤣🤣
Another great video Rob. Perhaps Jacob will allow you to make a follow-up after he's worked on it.
AT 6'4, I have the same issue with leg fitment. Honda's always built for the home market, then buffed it out but 6'4 cuts a great deal of small cars out of the realm of enjoyability. Now I did have a 72 Toyota once that fit me just fine. Some of the older Toyota's, especially the 70's are some seriously nice cars for the era.
There's something so wonderfully appealing about tiny cars that look like a few guys could pick it up and throw it over a fence. Even though I'm sure it's too heavy for that it's still an adorably tiny car.
Suzuki engines are clearly the best.
Their reliablity and stirdiness have become a meme in my country over the years
Love my AZ-1. Its literally narrower than my kart. Its comical to drive around and has so much character.
Yes, thank you Jacob for the loaner and allows us to THOROUGHLY enjoy another great video full of humor and quip from Robert! Fun times all around! More quotes than any iconic 80s movie! :)
Your videos always make my day. Thanks for the laughs and the education. Always look forward to more content from you.
I had a Daihatsu Cuore (Mira), which is also a Kei car. I am 1,89 m tall. It was perfectly comfortable and I even could sit in the back. Very well thought out car.
I feel your (leg) pain!
I'm 6ft 6 and have owned several stupidly cramped cars including 2 Reliant Robins, a Toyota MR2, mk2 Fiesta and 1964 Wolseley 1500!
I actually had to wedge a piece of foam between my right knee and the Reliant door release and had to release the handbrake on the MR2 before trying to get in as it would impale my left leg!
It takes a certain skill to fold into a car built for people considerably smaller and press the correct pedals at the correct time. 🤣
Another great review!
Get a Mitsubishi toppo
I once had a Honda 650 Station Wagon. I'm 6'4" and 185 (at the time), so I feel your pain. I do enjoy your videos, so keep them coming.
Pleaseeeee bring these back! Fell in love with your channel when this content was more “regular” I understand it’s limited and such so I appreciate the effort of these! Love it, can’t wait to see the bus too!
yeah, I want more to shame there's not many new vids coming out anymore
Cool little car (emphasis on the "little")! I wouldn't even try to get inside the AZ-1, as I cannot fit into a Miata (6'4"). As always, your sense of humor shines through. More videos, please!
I saw an old model MX-5 for the first time in the flesh recently and was amazed at how small and low it is. Actually looks good parked up, though it doesn't look as good driving around.
I guess that's one benefit to being short, I never have legroom issues in smaller cars and fit on the backseats of most cramped cars because the back of my knees usually hug the seats
I would love one of these if I could find one, there are plenty of imported JDM cars in europe but I haven't seen one of these (of course they are hideously rare so I doubt the price would be in my price range anyway)
If anything, I'd go for the Suzuki Cappuccino. That modular convertible top plus the fact that you could probably fit better in it with the top on and being front engine RWD, makes it a traditional sports car.
Your laughter is sodding well contagious
Oh yes 👌
More Kei car goodness please 🙂
Aussie mechanic here, who used to work for a Mazda dealership in the 90s...always wanted an AZ-1
Gotta love an old school Aging Wheels car review.
I’ve just bought a Honda CRX Del Sol two day’s ago and its a similar problem to get in because its compact and very very low! (1250mm to be precise which makes it exactly half a meter smaller than me)
To be fair i wear a prosthetic leg which is also stiff so yeahhh doesn’t make it any easier… I’m currently thinking about a detachable steering wheel or just removing my foot every time I have to get in.
But in return you get a really nice driving experience and due to its lack of weight, pretty good performance!
Can’t wait for Wednesday when we pick it up!
As a fan of Kei cars this thing is amazing and adorable, your presentation of it just added to the utter delight this video is.
The first time I saw one I've wanted one ever since, and being 5'4" it looks to be a prefect fit for me, and that looks so much better than a Smart,
As a 5’6” manlet I now want one,
It is the ideal thing for me
I wish it was easy to make a kei car road legal in CA, I totally want one of the small trucks. The Vans are super cool too.
Oh my goodness yes. I would buy a Daihatsu HiJet van and drive around giggling like an idiot.
Nissan clipper deck?
I would LOVE to have one of those. It's like a street-legal go-kart.
That shop wall is so bright now, I need to wear sunglasses.
Personally I'm more of a Suzuki Cappuccino or Honda Beat fan, but I will admit that the AZ-1 is an awesome looking little car! Also the fact that I'm 5' 8" makes it nice to know that if I ever get the chance to drive one, I know I'll fit!
NICE ANALOGY! We all appreciate you putting yourself through so much leg pain just for us.
I used to drive a Autozam Carol in Japan. It was a cute, almost beetle-esque car. My company leased out Daihatsu Mira's to most, but they had a few Carols. It was a pretty cute car, and the steering was definitely not assisted.
Thanks for bringing back some memories.
I hope, one day, you can get your hands on a Copen.
Whenever I hear the term Kei car I immediately think of the Dodge Aries from the 80s. Do keep up the fantastic content!
This reminds me that in the 1970's in Australia one could buy a tiny Mini-engined (transverse rear-engined) Gull-winged door sports car called a "Pellandini" My mate owned one, and offered me a drive, but at 6'4" I could NOT shut the door ! Always regretted that !
I love that the pre-roll ad I got was a car ad that opened with how spacious the car in question is. Sometimes ads manage to not suck much.
Finally, a car less practical than my Toyota MR2 Spyder.
He doesn't get into the car, he puts it on like a piece of clothing. 🤣
I am about the maximum legal height for a Key car, and I felt the same as you did there when I tried to get into the passenger seat of a friend's Celica. 😅
I was having a shitty day, until I saw a notification that my favorite mad man had released a video. Now im happy.
Love your channel. So fitting that you reviewed this today. I just put a deposit down on a MazdaSpeed version last week. 💙
Cappuccino driver here. Kei sports cars are a ton of fun albeit terrifying on a road full of huge cars at times. Fun fact, that spare tire was moved because it was flying into the passenger compartment in early crash tests. And yeah none of us look cool getting out of these things. Cappu, Beat, AZ-1, we all look dumb as hell clambering out.
I’ve owned a smart roadster which is very similar in size…the best fun driving experience I’ve had.
Like seeing a man enjoying himself, no matter how cramped it is. Keep up the great work.
I'm under 5'5" - I could reeeaally get to love a car like this
Fun fact the spare tire was moved to the the shelf in the back from the space in front due to cabin intrusion in front end collisions so you don't even get the shelf
These things are so cool. I wish we had small cars in the U.S. instead of huge trucks and crossovers.
2:57-3:00 seeing Robert stand behind this car makes it look like one of those cars sold for kids at your local Walmart.
But boy does it look fun to drive. If you can fit inside.
My dream car to have. Have been wanting to buy one ever since I used one to race in Gran Turismo as a child. But getting one in our to Europe is expensive.
That's an absolutely ADORABLE shoe... I mean teeny-tiny car. I always wanted a gokart! And this makes all the right sounds. I wish kei cars were a thing in Europe...
Mine came with NA MX5 seats and then when we did the rebuild/modifications to it, Bride seats and a momo steering wheel from an open wheel race car. I’m 6’1 and fit. Just. But it’s not uncomfortable. You also need narrow shoes to comfortably drive it.
Glad to see a video on this. Excited to watch. Love your content! :)
I'm 6'3", and my old 99 Camry (daughter's car now) hurt my right ankle and my legs on sustained driving. After switching to my RX300, I rarely have the ankle pain that I did with the Camry. It's especially noticeable when I drive her car now. I never realized how too big I was for it.
First off, I didn't know that this car existed until now. Second, I'm so glad it does. I love it, I'd also be too big for it, but I love it.
I'm impressed you got all the keijidousha stuff correct, well done!
As an owner of one of these: I'm so glad I'm not tall. 5'9" with an NA miata seat (read: a seat that fits but has adjustable back angle cause the stock AZ-1 seat doesn't adjust ... at all), I find mine very comfortable to drive. And once he's packed in [removal of steering wheel very helpful], so does a 6'4" buddy of mine.
We had the blinker/indicator on the right in the UK until the 80s in most cars, and the 90s in some. It was predominantly LHD European manufacturers being lazy that led to it being on the other side. The Japanese manufacturers stuck with it for the longest - my 1997 UK spec MX-5 still has right hand indicators.
Interestingly here in Australia we always had our indicators on the right. Still do, as most of our cars are Japanese made/designed.
@@stuartirwin3779 Land rovers are still backwards though, or at least the two I've driven were.
... I want one. It's cute and adorable, and fun sized. It seems like a really nice city car thing. But alas I'm 6' 6", and don't want one enough to go through the needed amputations...
Really enjoy your quirky car reviews. Great job, Robert!
I love small cars - wish more could find their way over to our shores!
The Kei cars are great fun, especially the pickups.
I've never seen one with gullwing doors before. I now Need one.!!!
It's like watching Clarkson trying to get into a GT40. Also answers the question of 'would I fit?' (no I wouldn't)
If you slightly over-inflate the tires, does it exceed the dimensional limits?
Neat little quirky car, as a daily commuter it would be fun. I can say that since I'm "only" about 5-foot 10-inches tall. And my hair brushed the headliner of a DeLorean DMC-12 when I got to sit in one at an auto show (pre _Back To The Future_ ).
Omg I'm so jealous!!! The other half actually wants one super bad and I want one to busa swap
never have i wanted to be shorter than i did watching your videos about these small cars.
Seems like a very cool little car. If I had one, I would just restore it and keep it running.
That is the coolest gokart I've ever seen.
Love your videos man, your collection is eclectic and you’re hilarious
I think my wife, who is 5'1", has always wanted a Mercedes gull wind (and will never be able to afford one), and likes to go fast, would love this thing. I am 6'6" and almost certainly could never get inside.
These things are incredibly expensive now... Out of production, quite rare, and only made for one country.
I feel your pain. 6’ 3”, grew up revering Colin Chapman. I was offered the opportunity to autocross a Caterham 7, but would have had to break both shins in order to get my legs into the footwell.
I've always loved these things and wanted to drive one. Now the circle is complete and it's been reviewed on my favorite weird car channel. Thanks!
2:56 this shot broke me. It really brought home the context. It looks like a weird camera trick or something
I was trying to talk my way into one of these not too long ago! Glad I can live my tall life vicariously through your leg pain instead
Those kind of cars truly are a different breed. The quirkiness is what makes them so fun, despite their "faults".
Between the miniature windows and the gullwing doors, this must be FUN at the toll booth.
I have a Subaru SVX with similar half windows. I've only gone through a few toll booths in it and they were a pain every time.
One of the few cars that makes my NA Miata feel like an oversized boat.
We get a whole trunk. It fits a few groceries AND a spare tire. Extravagant.
I'm so happy you did a review on the Autozam AZ-1, Robert. I own one myself and I love it to bits.
A can't remember having laughed so hard, for quite a while. Amazingly amusing video, well done. 🙂
Now that would be a practical car for Canadian roads!
My most-desired Kei car was the Suzuki MightyBoy. I fell in love with them after seeing one in Broome, Western Australia.
I actually sat in one in a back yard of a house in the Mercer Island neighborhood of Seattle Washington. That is where the love affair ended. I am 5 foot 9 inches and I, too, barely fit behind the steering wheel.
That is why I am the proud owner of a 1993 RHD 2-door Suzuki Escudo hardtop - yes, a real hardtop. It is almost an exact duplicate of a US-spec Suzuki Sidekick with the exception of the steering wheel position, pedal locations and the 4-speed automatic transmission. It is a blast to drive and I can get parts at my local NAPA auto parts store...
Thanks for the great video Robert!!!....I love those little cars and I probably wouldn't fit in that one either ( I'm 6'2 also ) ...as always, looking forward to more !
I recently discovered this channel through the algorithm and instantly subscribed. I'm having a great time going through all the videos now, what a nice early Christmas gift! Cheers!
This is the car version of those micro-motorcycles that were popular for some reason back in the mid-00s. And that turbo blowoff! It sounds like a cat sneezing.
I love seeing how much fun you're having with this car. Good for you!
Still looks like a load of fun, but I imagine my Kei car aspirations will have to aim a little taller once I seriously consider buying one.
I have a great love in my heart for tiny cars that are sporty. Love the 500, love the Alfa Romeo Type 33 Stradale, and I love this. So adorable 🥹