What is a Kei Car and Why do I want one?
At this point you might be asking yourself "What is a Kei Car? And why do you want one?" which are both excellent questions. Lets begin with what a Kei Car is exactly. Per Wikipedia:
Kei car engines are basically the size of a medium motorcycle engine. The physical dimensions of a Kei car are slightly longer than a Smart Car, and a bit narrower as well. With the engine size and power restrictions, these cars aren't built for speed. However there are a category of Kei cars that are "sportish". While Kei cars are not sold in America, they are legal to import based on the "25-year" rule, which I will detail in another post.
Now that I have explained the basics of Kei cars, I will explain why I want one. Growing up, I have always been a car nut. I loved going to car shows with my father, and working on all our family's cars together. I have always been drawn to the unique makes and models, something not everyone has. My grandfather loved inline engines, and had some very cool cars back in the day. My father too loves the interesting cars too. Growing up on Sport Compact Car magazine and the Fast and Furious movies, I have always wanted a Japanese sports car. And getting something very few have is always on my mind.
However, I have a slight problem. I live and rent in a large city with extremely limited parking, I have no garage, and my wife is currently getting her PhD. Funding and space are limited. One solution I had considered was to purchase a motorcycle. But after some introspection as well as some anxiety from my wife, I decided against 2 wheels. But during this time of contemplation, I stumbled upon the sport Kei cars, namely the Suzuki Cappuccino, the Autozam AZ-1 and the Honda Beat. A sporty Kei car would check all the boxes: small enough to easily find parking, affordable, unique and fun! The only question was, how do I get one? This would be a challenge, but one I willingly accept. And so Motorized Macchiato was born.
Kei car, K-car, or 軽自動車 (kei jidōsha, lit. "light automobile", pronounced [keːdʑidoːɕa]), is the Japanese legal category for the smallest and most limited power, highway-legal motor vehicles, including passenger cars (kei cars or kei-class cars), microvans, and Kei trucks (kei-class pickup trucks). Kei-cars are designed to comply with these Japanese regulations, most prominently a vehicle length and width below 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in) and 1.48 m (4 ft 10 in) respectively, and engine volume and power below 660 cc (40.3 cu in) and maximum 64 PS (47 kW; 63 hp)Kei cars were created in Japan to circumvent both Japan's high vehicle taxes as well as parking restrictions. In order to purchase a normal sized car in Japan, you must prove you have the space to park it. It is also subject to massive taxes. In response, the government created the Kei car legal category for those who either don't have parking space or want to avoid the tax implications.
Kei car engines are basically the size of a medium motorcycle engine. The physical dimensions of a Kei car are slightly longer than a Smart Car, and a bit narrower as well. With the engine size and power restrictions, these cars aren't built for speed. However there are a category of Kei cars that are "sportish". While Kei cars are not sold in America, they are legal to import based on the "25-year" rule, which I will detail in another post.
Now that I have explained the basics of Kei cars, I will explain why I want one. Growing up, I have always been a car nut. I loved going to car shows with my father, and working on all our family's cars together. I have always been drawn to the unique makes and models, something not everyone has. My grandfather loved inline engines, and had some very cool cars back in the day. My father too loves the interesting cars too. Growing up on Sport Compact Car magazine and the Fast and Furious movies, I have always wanted a Japanese sports car. And getting something very few have is always on my mind.
However, I have a slight problem. I live and rent in a large city with extremely limited parking, I have no garage, and my wife is currently getting her PhD. Funding and space are limited. One solution I had considered was to purchase a motorcycle. But after some introspection as well as some anxiety from my wife, I decided against 2 wheels. But during this time of contemplation, I stumbled upon the sport Kei cars, namely the Suzuki Cappuccino, the Autozam AZ-1 and the Honda Beat. A sporty Kei car would check all the boxes: small enough to easily find parking, affordable, unique and fun! The only question was, how do I get one? This would be a challenge, but one I willingly accept. And so Motorized Macchiato was born.
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