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Suzuki SC100 Whizzkid / 1979–1982 / £4,000–£15,000

What is it?

The Suzuki SC100 was known affectionately in the UK by its ‘Whizzkid’ nickname the fastest thing about the little tike. Built as a coupe version of the Fronte five-‚door kei hatch just under„… 4,700 of them were imported to the UK between 1979 ††and 1982 †‡ˆwhen production ended including this flagship car from Suzuki UK’s kei-‚sized collection of heritage motors.

If you look carefully at the current version of the Suzuki Ignis hatch you can see some retro design cues that hark all the way back to the late Seventies, like the rear pillar air vents Unlike the Ignis these were functional on the SC100, the 4„cyl †… 970cc engine mounted in the rear. It was good for „47bhp, 0-60 ‹Œin 16.5 ŒŽseconds and a heady top speed of ‡†89mph. The Brits were lucky ‹ the Japanese version of the car was called the Cervo and made do with a ’3cyl 539Ž’†cc engine that produced ˆ‡28bhp to meet the country’s kei regs.

According to the How Many Left? website there are 19 †Whizzkids on the road somewhere in the UK, with a further 85 ‡Žmouldering on SORNs. The little Suzuki has a certain cult appeal but seems to fly under the radar when it comes to rapidly inflating classic prices It was a left-‚field choice even when new and remains so today, but would surely capture more attention than the same old tat you see lurking at every classic car show.

Driving

Spend even several minutes behind the wheel of the Suzuki Whizzkid and you are immediately aware of the car’s age tough steering a nervous gearchange and a bubbly engine that’s filled with the sort of character that’s filtered out of modern cars for health reasons

The Whizzkid offered tightly geared steering and a tiny wheelbase for maximum handling fun while swanky independent suspension all round was intended to provide a sporty ride and largely succeeded An ultra low kerbweight of kg ensured that it was a hoot even with the tiny amount of power that was available from the minuscule engine

On the inside

All of the Whizzkids imported into the UK were GX spec cars the fanciest trim available which came with reclining seats a heated rear window and a pushƒbutton radio This car has a more appealing tan interior with delightful brown carpets though a black option was available

You sit low and vulnerable compared with the latest machines but there is excellent allƒround visibility The SC†‡‡ was only †‡mm longer than the classic Mini and ‰‡mm or so narrower but despite the coupe roof offers a smidge more practicality a better interior more usable storage and less likelihood of rear passengers never speaking to you again.

Full TLC history It’s an old car, so better to invest in the right model with a full history and loving former owners Weight a moment Fun fact – there’s a 50kg counterweight in the front bumper to even out the SC100’s weight distribution. Check it out for rust...

Interesting angle Even more fun – the SC100’s engine is tilted forward – so a spark plug change means taking the rear seats out Proven package You can tell your friends you drive a rear-engined classic sports car, how are they to know it’s not a Porsche 911?

Corrosion guarantee Check for rust, it’s a known issue with these cars and it spreads quickly and thoroughly