When the Suzuki Cappuccino sports car first arrived here in 1993 it was quite rightly lauded as one of the more interesting new models on the automotive scene. Launched for the Japanese domestic market two years earlier, New Zealand became an early export territory for the technically advanced two-door, rear wheel driven baby sportscar.
Look beyond the light-hearted funky styling and there’s a level of technical sophistication that commands attention. Believe it or not, this is no toy. The compact exterior dimensions are similar to the Mark 1 MG Midget and Mark 2 Austin-Healey Sprite of the ’60s and ’70s but, once the British were gone, compact and economical sports cars became thin on the ground. Mazda’s MX-5 from 1989 was an admirable contender yet it was longer than an MGB and a much bigger car in every respect than the quirky Suzuki. The MX-5’s kerb weight of 955kg made the Mazda seem a heavyweight alongside the 724kg MG Midget and 725kg Cappuccino.
First seen as a concept car at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, production of Cappuccino ran from 1991 until 1998 and the similar-sized rival Honda
