Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Cappuccino is a JDM Kei Car, so it’s right-hand drive and sports an incredibly tiny engine. Let’s see if the asking price makes us think this is one special Kei.
There are generally two rules of thumb about snakes: some people are absolutely terrified of them, while others think they’re wicked cool. A similar discordance arose in the voting on yesterday’s 1994 Dodge Viper RT/10. That snake cost $42,000 and looked to be in really solid shape. It was, however, the anti-snake contingent that won out, as the Viper slithered away with a narrow but, in the end, decisive 55 percent No Dice loss.
On paper—or at least in the executive summary—yesterday’s Viper and today’s 1992 Suzuki Cappuccino are a lot alike. Both are rare. Both are painted yellow. Both are convertible sports cars. Finally, both are looking for a new home.
That, however, is where the similarities end. First off, the Suzuki is small. I mean, like hanging from a tween girl’s charm bracelet small. It needed to be to comply with the Japanese market Kei (light) car standard. That was set by the government to encourage more space, emissions, and fuel-efficient vehicles that enjoyed lower tax and insurance rates as a result. The Cappuccino was also exported to Great Britain for a time, but this one seems to be a JDM model imported to the U.S. via private party.
Under the hood lies a 657 cc DOHC inline triple pumped up to 63 horsepower via a small intercooled turbo. The engine sits back in the car, making for a front mid-engine design. Behind that is a five-speed stick, and the combo drives the rear wheels. Disc brakes are fitted all around.
However, the car’s party piece is its multi-position top. The hard cap is constructed in three sections, and each or all can be removed at the owner’s whim. The two front sections store in the boot, but doing so means no room for anything more than a dieter’s Bento Box. The rear section simply rotates down behind the seats.
According to the ad, the car has enjoyed some recent maintenance and upkeep. That included new cam belts, a water pump, and a set of new tiny tires. It also has an aftermarket air cleaner under the hood that looks like a funky mushroom, so there’s that.
Other add-ons include a front strut brace, an aftermarket stereo with an amp, and an updated Greddy intercooler. The interior, which is reach-across small, has added gauges in the center stack and a faux carbon fiber cover on the dash to hide a crack. Besides that, the car appears to be in great shape and is weird and fun enough to make up for its being RHD in an LHD market. The mileage is listed as 91,000, and the car comes with a clean title and Massachusetts (ha, ha) plates. The price tag is $15,500.
Does that feel like a reasonable asking price for this unusual and seemingly tidy little car? Keep in mind that these are REALLY small. Also, Japan’s Kei cars were never designed to stand up to U.S. highway driving, so this would most likely be little more than an around-town or weekend car.
What do you think? Will $15,500 find this Cappuccino a new home? Or is that too much to ask of such a small sip of a car?
You decide!
Facebook Marketplace out of Northbridge, Massachusetts, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Jana Watson for the hookup!
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