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Buyer's guide

7 min read

Mazda Autozam AZ-1

Buyer's guide & specs

By Christopher Weydert Updated Reviewed by Robert Munteanu Fact-checked
Model span
1992-1994
For sale
5
active now
Autozam AZ-1, Japanese-market car, front three-quarter view
An Autozam AZ-1 photographed at the Goodwood Breakfast Club on 1 March 2009. The photograph does not establish the car's grade or originality. Image by Brian Snelson Third party CC BY 2.0 Original file
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Key takeaways
  3. Shared traits
  4. Generation timeline
  5. Chassis codes
  6. JDM vs USDM
  7. Technical specs
  8. Variants & trims
  9. Pricing
  10. Comparable alternatives
  11. How it compares
  12. Gallery
  13. FAQ
  14. Sources & references

Quick answer

The Autozam AZ-1 is a two-seat kei coupe with gullwing doors, launched by Mazda through Autozam dealers in October 1992. Suzuki supplied the 657 cc turbo F6A engine and Mazda produced the car; Suzuki sold the same car as the Cara. The single chassis code is PG6SA.

Background

Overview

The Autozam AZ-1 is a Japanese-market kei coupe with gullwing doors, launched in October 1992 through Mazda's Autozam dealers. Mazda produced it around a Suzuki F6A turbo engine, and Suzuki received the same car as the Cara. The PG6SA page has the specification, versions and inspection list.

Autozam, Mazda and Suzuki

Octane describes Autozam as a Mazda sub-brand set up to offer small kei cars. Mazda's English 100th-anniversary page dates the reference micro-coupe to the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show; its Japanese page instead says it was shown two years before the 1992 AZ-1 entry. The accounts differ.

Suzuki's Digital Library says Suzuki supplied the F6A engine and Mazda produced the car, and that the Cara is that car supplied to Suzuki. The Cara has its own type, E-PG6SS, and was released in January 1993. The PG6SA page compares the two.

Where it sits among kei sports cars

Japanese Nostalgic Car groups the AZ-1, Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino as the ABC sports cars. Response says the AZ-1 arrived after the Beat and Cappuccino, and Octane says it launched into a recession at the end of 1992 and hit its sales forecasts badly.

The Beat is also mid-engined, so layout alone does not set the AZ-1 apart. The Cappuccino shares the F6A engine and 64 PS rating but is front-engined. The comparison table below uses Suzuki's published figures.

How long it was built

Octane reports that production ended a year after the late-1992 launch. Japanese Nostalgic Car reports an eight-month production run, with unsold cars remaining in Mazda's lineup through 1995. MotorTrend labels the model 1992 to 1994; that label does not establish exact factory dates. The specification is on the PG6SA page.

Quick read

Key takeaways

  • Mazda produced the AZ-1 around a Suzuki F6A engine; Suzuki received the same car as the Cara (PG6SS).
  • One chassis code, PG6SA, covers every AZ-1. Type L, Mazdaspeed and the M2 1015 are versions of it.
  • Octane reports 4,392 AZ-1s plus 531 Cara. Japanese Nostalgic Car reports about 4,400 including Cara, while MotorTrend reports fewer than 4,400 AZ-1s. The totals conflict.
  • The Suzuki Cappuccino shares the F6A and its 64 PS rating; the Honda Beat is the other mid-engine kei sports car.
From JDMBUYSELL

Import a JDM car — step-by-step guide

Read the guide

Constants

Common across all Autozam AZ-1 generations

  • Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, with a five-speed manual in the Japanese specification
  • Suzuki F6A 657 cc intercooled turbo three-cylinder, rated 64 PS net at 6,500 rpm by Mazda
  • Gullwing doors; Mazda's history page calls it Japan's first all-plastic outer panel car
  • Mazda produced the car and Suzuki supplied the engine; Suzuki sold the same car as the Cara
  • Japanese-market kei car; Octane states it was never officially sold outside Japan

Chassis history

Generation timeline

The AZ-1 has one chassis code, PG6SA.

PG6SA

PG6SA (on sale from October 1992; 657 cc F6A turbo)

Full guide →

Identification

Chassis-code reference

Generation names are broad families. The factory chassis codes below identify the variants represented in JDMBUYSELL's current Mazda Autozam AZ-1 guide data.

PG6SA (on sale from October 1992; 657 cc F6A turbo)
Chassis code: PG6SA

Confirm the complete code on the vehicle's frame or VIN plate; drivetrain, body, and market variants can use different prefixes within one generation family.

Market

Differences between JDM & USDM

This guide covers the Japanese-market AZ-1. Octane states the car was never officially sold outside Japan, so a car seen elsewhere is a Japanese-market import. The PG6SA page has the import age rules.

Specs

Technical specifications

Figures are Japanese ratings in PS as printed.

Engine options

  • PG6SA Standard AZ-1 Launch specification, October 1992

    Suzuki F6A
    Displacement
    657 cc
    Aspiration
    Intercooled turbo
    Power
    64 PS (net) @ 6,500 rpm
    Torque
    8.7 kgf·m (about 85 N·m converted) @ 4,000 rpm

    Inline three-cylinder, DOHC 12-valve, 65.0 × 66.0 mm bore and stroke, 8.3 compression ratio. Five-speed manual, 4.705 final reduction. Mazda calls it a 660 cc-class engine; 657 cc is the Miki Press and Suzuki figure. No factory boost figure was found, and output of the special versions is not documented.

  • Suzuki Cara (E-PG6SS) Suzuki's specification table, January 1993 release

    Suzuki F6A Comparison
    Displacement
    657 cc
    Aspiration
    Intercooled turbo
    Power
    64 PS (net) @ 6,500 rpm
    Torque
    8.7 kgf·m (about 85 N·m converted) @ 4,000 rpm

    Suzuki's own table for the Cara, which Suzuki describes as an OEM supply of the AZ-1. It shows the same output as Mazda's AZ-1 rating.

Lineup

Variants & trims

Type L, Mazdaspeed and the M2 1015 are versions of the single PG6SA chassis.

Generation Trim Engine Key features
PG6SA Standard AZ-1 F6A 657 cc turbo, 64 PS Launched October 1992 at ¥1,498,000 (Miki Press; tax basis not stated). Five-speed manual, mid-engine rear drive, 155/65R13 73H tyres.
PG6SA Type L F6A 657 cc turbo The standard car with additional stereo equipment (Japanese Nostalgic Car). Introduction date not established.
PG6SA Mazdaspeed version F6A 657 cc turbo Added May 1993 with aero parts and suspension tuning (Miki Press). Japanese Nostalgic Car reports a rear wing and alloy wheels; sources disagree on whether the differential and suspension were standard or optional.
PG6SA M2 1015 F6A 657 cc turbo 1994 (Octane). Bonnet-mounted driving lights, a racier rear wing, white, black or silver paint. Two runs of 50 reported; finished and sold numbers not established.
PG6SS (Suzuki Cara, comparison) Suzuki Cara (E-PG6SS) F6A 657 cc turbo, 64 PS A separate Suzuki model released January 1993 with a fog-lamp-integrated bumper (Suzuki).

Pricing

Average prices & original MSRP

Original MSRP: JPY1,498,000 at launch in 1992. Japanese launch price for the standard AZ-1 reported by Miki Press. The source does not say whether consumption tax is included.

Current sold-listing figures appear in the market panel on each generation page.

Cross-shop

Comparable alternatives

The Suzuki Cappuccino and Honda Beat are the other two cars of the kei sports trio.

Compare

How it compares

The comparison uses Suzuki's published E-EA11R Cappuccino figures alongside the AZ-1 launch specification.

Feature Mazda Autozam AZ-1 Suzuki Cappuccino (E-EA11R)
Layout Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Body Two-seat coupe with gullwing doors Two-seat open sports car; roof converts four ways
Engine F6A, 657 cc, intercooled turbo F6A, 657 cc, intercooled turbo
Power 64 PS net at 6,500 rpm 64 PS net at 6,500 rpm
Length × width × height 3,295 × 1,395 × 1,150 mm 3,295 × 1,395 × 1,185 mm
Wheelbase 2,235 mm 2,060 mm
Vehicle mass 720 kg 700 kg

Gallery

Autozam AZ-1, Japanese-market car, front three-quarter view
An Autozam AZ-1 photographed at the Goodwood Breakfast Club on 1 March 2009. The photograph does not establish the car's grade or originality. Third party Image by Brian Snelson CC BY 2.0 Original file Modified: Resized
Autozam AZ-1 dashboard and cabin at the Mazda Museum in Augsburg
The cabin of an Autozam AZ-1 at the Mazda Museum in Augsburg, photographed on 19 September 2021. The trim is not established. Third party Image by Tobias ToMar Maier CC BY-SA 3.0 Original file Modified: Resized

Editorial

The buyer's read

Read the PG6SA page for the specification, the version guide, the inspection list and the import age rules.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Autozam AZ-1 a Mazda or a Suzuki?
Mazda produced the AZ-1 and sold it through its Autozam dealers from October 1992. Suzuki supplied the F6A engine, according to Suzuki's Digital Library, and received the same car as the Cara.
How many AZ-1s were built?
No factory ledger was found. Octane reports 4,392 AZ-1s plus 531 Cara. Japanese Nostalgic Car reports about 4,400 including the Cara, and MotorTrend says fewer than 4,400 AZ-1s. The totals conflict.
How does the AZ-1 compare with the Cappuccino and Beat?
The Cappuccino uses the same F6A engine and 64 PS rating but is front-engined, with four roof configurations. The Honda Beat is also mid-engined. Suzuki's figures for the Cappuccino are in the table below.
Can an AZ-1 be imported to the US?
The US 25-year rule runs from each car's date of manufacture, not the model year or launch. EPA's engine rule and state rules apply separately; Canada counts 15 years from the month and year of manufacture. The PG6SA page has the detail.

20 sources cited below

Citations

Sources & references

Sources (20)
  1. Mazda corporate history, 1990–1999 (Japanese) — Mazda Motor Corporation Verified
  2. Mazda 100th Anniversary: Legendary Mazdas, Autozam AZ-1 — Mazda Motor Corporation Verified
  3. Mazda 100th Anniversary: Autozam AZ-1 (Japanese) — Mazda Motor Corporation Verified
  4. Mazda AZ-1 recycling-charge schedule — Mazda Motor Corporation Verified
  5. Suzuki Digital Library: Cara — Suzuki Motor Corporation Verified
  6. Suzuki Digital Library: Cara specification sheet — Suzuki Motor Corporation Verified
  7. Suzuki Digital Library: Cappuccino — Suzuki Motor Corporation Verified
  8. Japanese passenger car reference 1992–1996, Autozam AZ-1 entry — Miki Press Verified
  9. Response: the Mazda AZ-1 catalogue retrospective — Response Verified
  10. Autozam AZ-1 buying guide, history and model review — Octane Verified
  11. Cool Mazda Sedans and Sports Cars You Never Knew Existed — MotorTrend Verified
  12. 25 Year Club: Mazda Autozam AZ-1 — Japanese Nostalgic Car Verified
  13. 49 CFR 591.5 Declarations required for importation — eCFR Verified
  14. NHTSA vehicle importation eligibility — NHTSA Verified
  15. Overview of EPA Import Requirements for Vehicles and Engines — US EPA Verified
  16. Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines — US EPA Verified
  17. Importing a vehicle from countries other than the United States and Mexico — Transport Canada Verified
  18. Importing older vehicles into Canada — Transport Canada Verified
  19. File:AutozamAZ-1-front.jpg — Wikimedia Commons Verified
  20. File:Autozam AZ-1 at the Mazda-Museum Augsburg - dash board.jpg — Wikimedia Commons Verified

Sources last verified:

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