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Posts Tagged “

Keicars

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down on the street bonus edition

DOTS Geneva: A Tiny Something Or Other

We have no idea what this is, but after the Peel Trident, this is probably the smallest street legal vehicle we've ever seen. And despite our best deciphering and sleuthing efforts, it remains unidentified. F-gobble-de-gook Tech was the best we could get out of it. How can someone get into this thing and feel fine about it? We'd rather take our chances on a regular scoot, at least there you can jump away from a wreck. But hey, this is a convertible and has those fancy, new fangled canvas doors.

More »

4:45 PM on Thu Mar 6 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,980 views, 30 comments

Latest by n/a: I read that in France they license these vehicles as motorcycles. That seem ok to me. With the roll bar, they might be safer than a motorcycle. But, as a motorcycle, people riding would be required to wear a helmet, more »

tokyo auto show

Down on the Street... in Tokyo: Kei Cars

We delayed this as long as possible, putting all of you into crushing fits of suspense, finally we give the people what they want - kei cars. These loveable, huggable, sub-sub-compact cars are popular for many reasons. The biggest reason for the niche is that they avoid pesky tax and insurance rates by virtue of their diminutive size. That size also serves an alternate purpose; Tokyo has roads that would make a hardened San Francisco road warrior break into a cold sweat. Roads are steep, they are windy, and they are incredibly narrow at times. Sometimes the only way to carry crates of Ramen, buckets of fish, and platters of raw horse meat (delicious) to their destinations is with the help of a mighty keitruck. To borrow a phrase from Gizmodo's Adam Frucci, "For all your most adorable cargo."

Feature

2:15 PM on Thu Oct 25 2007
By bwojdyla
2,201 views, 34 comments

Latest by n/a: I want a Honda Beat, damnit! more »

scrum of the earth

Mazda Reveals Updated Scrum Vans

Perhaps the best part of living in Tokyo with your parents as a 29-year-old Web developer is the wide variety of vanlike vehicles at your disposal in the marketplace. Even at the micro, keicar level, such movable basements can provide the young, single male with the privacy mom and dad's flat never could. Mazda hears the call, and has just updated its Scrum wagon and microvan line. The top line PZ Turbo now comes with a chrome grill and new interior fabrics with which to woo the young salarywomen away from the oxygen bar. Just think, in 25 years you could even import one into the US. More »

5:09 PM on Tue Jul 31 2007
By Mike Spinelli
774 views, 16 comments

Latest by Hello_Newman: It's kind of cute until you drive one across a bridge or in high winds, then all that cuteness turns into a white knuckle, peepants, lane holding experience. I just hope the driver seat upholstery is removable for easy more »

Apparently "minicars" are "the thing" in Japan. Who knew? Well, we did. [Yahoo! News]

3 comments

kei car

You're In A Tiny Box! No, Wait, It's A TALL Box: Subaru Stella

I tell you what, these Japanese-market car ads are addictive! This one for the Subaru Stella combines kawaii, video-game sound effects, and general jitteriness for powerful effect. Hmmm... Dekotora Stella! – Murilee Martin More »

3:30 PM on Tue May 29 2007
By Murilee Martin
637 views, 12 comments

news

More on The Mitsuoka Motors K-4: One for the Do-It-Yourselfers

The Mitsuoka K-4 may be pedal-car small, but at least it's probably scary as hell to drive and you can put it together yourself. (Those are pretty serious selling points for some.) Although the K-4 is powered by 50cc engine and tops out at 30 mph, we'd still get one just to bang around the Jalopnik country estate in, like Master Bates in "The Toy." [Thanks to Ilari for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli More »

10:30 AM on Mon Mar 26 2007
By Mike Spinelli
691 views, 8 comments

news

Stellaaaaaaa!: Subaru Launches New Minicar for Japan

The minicar portion of the crowded Japanese car market is booming, says Subaru. That's why the company is launching a new such keicar, the Stella, which sports the segment's customary 660cc engine, along with a new i-CVT transmission. It's also got some novel approaches to maximizing space: The two rear seats can sidle up to the back of the front seat independently, letting mom tend to her rugrats; the front passenger seatback folds into a table; each front door panel can accommodate a tissue box; and the doors swing out nearly 90 degrees to the side. A supercharged model is also on the ticket, though we're waiting for some clever sort to slap in a Hayabusa engine. That would be pretty novel. More »

9:57 AM on Wed Jun 14 2006
By Mike Spinelli
164 views, 1 comment

Latest by ecmuller: Why not wedge an EJ20 in the back? You'd keep it subaru and you're acceleration would open a singularity behind you causing you to get to work sooner than you left. more »

custom cars/hot rods: tuners

Primp My Ride: Ancel Chickifies Mitsubishi's i Car

Japanese tuning company DAMD, under its Ancel brand, created the ultimate expression of automotive girlishness using the simply darling Mitsubishi i as the subject. Stopping short of covering it in scented Strawberry Shortcake stickers, the company went with an ambrosial pink-on-pink color scheme, and installed a beauty kit in the glove compartment. As Nihon Car and Bike posts, "It's clear that colour has been used to seduce ladies either on the outside and on the inside, also you really feel like Louis XVI (or his wife) in the pink seats..." Of course... The Ancel guys are going for the combined girl/fop market. We heard about that on "60 Minutes." More »

9:30 AM on Fri May 19 2006
By Mike Spinelli
1,098 views, 3 comments

Latest by Confusatron: What, no Hello Kitty decals? more »

news

Mitsubishi "i" Car Goes on Sale in Japan

Mitsubishi's answer to the Smart ForFour, the i — based on its i-concept shown at the 2003 Tokyo motor show — went on sale in Japan this week. Powered by a 1.0-liter Briggs and Stratton MIVEC three-cylinder, 12-valve DOHC turbocharged-intercooled mill — mounted in a rear-midship layout — the econopod is offered in 2WD and 4WD models. Mitsubishi touts the tiny car's space-maximizing layout and impact safety as selling points against the keicar competition. Prices start at the equivalent of around $11,000. More »

10:00 AM on Tue Jan 24 2006
By Mike Spinelli
2,977 views, 1 comment

Latest by InfinityReversed: The UK Mitsubishi Colt *is* a Smart ForFour, isn't it...? (And apologies if this post turns up twice...Mac happened) more »

news

Keicars (Kind of) Invade Canada

Check out our geek brother, Gizmodo, gettin' all car-y and shite. As they report, fans of Japan's tiny keicars need only cross to the north to satisfy their minicar-lust. Japanoid, a Canadian company is importing some of Japan's smallest for resale in that country. The right-hand-drive cars, including the Honda Beat, Nissan Figaro and Suzuki Works (we hope so), are all at least 15 years old to get around Canada's import regulations. (Sadly they'd have to be 25 years old for legal US import.) Some are even modded up with motorcycle engines and the like. More »

10:10 AM on Wed Jul 20 2005
By Mike Spinelli
145 views

news

Subaru's Tiny R1, Now With an "I"

Japan is getting a tricked-out version of the Subaru keicar, the R1. By tricked out, we mean The R1i, as it'll be known, will actually be less trick than the base model. Yes, kids, it's another "value package," which substitutes a single overhead cam (SOHC) version for the R1's DOHC 0.66 liter motor. That would be like, say, using a rubber band from mom's 10,000-count "bag o' multicolored rubberbands" to power your balsa- plane, rather than the holding dad's shoebox of "old postcards" closed. Ok, not exactly — actually SOHCs are lighter and often get better torque at low engine speeds. Anyway, it comes with a set of 14" alloys. What? You got a problem with alloys? More »

3:58 PM on Fri Jul 15 2005
By Mike Spinelli
190 views