First time I've ever seen this car. Its called a AZ-1 Japanese Mazda/Suzuki. Looks alot like a Mondial mini/Smart car. Love the Gull Wing Doors! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
BTW, watching this video makes me want to go out and drive a Mondial T coupe ! Cheers, aren't these such awesome cars we have??? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z7ovlIFEJE]Classics Revealed: The Fast Ferrari Mondial t Coupe - YouTube[/ame]
Just realized that I don't have a photo of my Smart451 next to Robin 3.2 Here it is, C H E E R S Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
They are nice! I have actually seen the one in Pic# 6 in post1. It's really really small, but the proportion are quite good. It's a bit smaller then a Smart Coupe. btw you can choose this car in Gran turismo 2 to see how it drives I believe they only come in RHD.
As comparison next to a green 1980 Toyota Celica. I guess it look like the successor of the 1980 Suzuki SC100GX coupé de luxe as a joint venture of Mazda and Suzuki. The 1980 Suzuki was a rear (engine) drive 4 seater sports minicar. Nice pics Mike! Do I see a tow eye on the smart? I may hope it is more reliable then the Mondi! Image Unavailable, Please Login
The AZ-1 is a great car, never seen one in the states. Yes, my Smart has a sport tow hook in the front but I have Big Plans coming for this lil car. Hint...Ford GT40 Gulf Racer. I can say with a high degree of confidence that my Mondi is very reliable since I sorted out my ignition module problem and did my DIY major service. She runs beautifully! Cheers Image Unavailable, Please Login
Interesting, never seen this Ford in the states either, was it only offered in Europe? Then again, 1986, lets see I was 15 and probably paid more attention to girls than cars, LoL! Its kinda cool but no where as cool as the AZ-1. Yes, both have the same front! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
This is pretty cool, AZ-1 20th Anniversary Meeting. I wonder how much these are worth, must be hard to get one as a collector living in the States. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv7k2P7ToZs]AZ-1 20th Anniversary Meeting - YouTube[/ame]
This was one of the baddest mo-fos on the Groupe B Rally scene back in the mid/late 80s. It's a RS200 and was never officially imported to the States. I saw one at Pikes Peak during an event years ago, so there's at least one of them around. I'd love to have one. It's kinda Ford's 959. EDIT - There are several cool videos of them on Youtube including one running Pike's in 2013 and Jeremy Clarkson running one off of a track during a test run. I need to learn how to inbed Youtube videos! 2cam
Nice decals! GT40 look is always great Pics please when the little roader has it colors! It's actually a rally car taken into limited production of 200 pieces like many other brands did at the time. Not sure if there are road rally races in the USA? These designs are from an era when they turned into killers. Many have died driving and seeing these machines unfortunately drivers and spectators.. These kind of really cars are not made anymore as it was simply getting to dangerous to keep them on the road. The where litterally flying and sometimes into the crowd. Much have changed since then on safety and distance of spectators, but it had its effect on the designs of the nowadays rally cars. These look great and were real road monsters, still are . The body design of most are classic and current at the same time, making it timeless. Only Renault is making in a few occasions still some of these as road legal cars. Toy maker Tamiya made RC models of some Including the F40 of course Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Is this still the right forum for this? I guess a little bit of European history does not harm I love cars anyway Ferrari too drove road Rallys. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Given that the RS200 held the world record for fastest acceleration for a great number of years I'd say the AZ-1's designers were at least partially influenced by it. Not to veer too off topic, but the BBC documentary Too Fast To Race is a great place to start learning about Group B. You can find it on YouTube. Ferrari was also a participant in many aspects. The Michellotto tuning house for one. The revolutionary Lancia Stratos used a Ferrari engine. It was a crazy time, and many technologies used today owe their roots to Group B. If I'm not mistaken the cam profile in my Mondial was taken from the Michellotto/Speis Ferrari racers.
Thanks guys, not sure how this evolved to Group B Racing but its educational. I know nothing about Group B racing but these guys look to be the father of drifting and just out right BadA$$ driving with the insane spectators looking on. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54XTyy-iu1E]Group B's Reckoning. - YouTube[/ame]
Hey Soucorp, your smart is looking seriously funky with those doors. I bought my first Smart in 1998, I did 250,000 miles in the little lad, my friend now has it and I have another one now. I really like the suzuki, it's a shame they don't make these little mid engined monsters now.
Dizengoff mentioned the Ford You just drilled a whole new pool of video's to watch my friend In my humble opion these were the best drivers on the world taking a car beyond its limits that were already build beyound the control limit. Ari Vatanen was the best and also was the only person to win the world title with a private team. In those days that was an incredible performance against all the factory teams. Not to speak you need to have the guts to drive such a small lane surrounded with a bit too enthousiastic fans. at 1:42sec it is not a Rally group B car filmed by a helicopter. That's a Dakar rally car. These days "Le Dakar" is the closest modified cars to the Rally group B rally cars. and not only cars.. trucks, quads and motorbikes as well. Loved to watch rally when I was a youngster, but nowadays it is only "Le Dakar" in the first week of Januari for two weeks. Not sure if you know Robby Gordon, Indianapolis 500 and Nascar driver is always participating with his hugely modified Hummer. I think you will love this rally when you like to watch group B Formally held from Paris (France) to Le Dakar in Africa. Nowaday held in Latin America. Oh my! 250k in miles? without an engine rebuild? I hear here in NL that after 30k the engine is a goner.. or are these the old engines? I want a coupe but my girlfriend does not want it, but now I have seen this AZ-1.. I actually want such over the smart Coupe
Sorry, but the AZ-1 does look a lot like the RS200...and to be fair you made the segueway into telling us about your new Smart car, so the topic was already beginning to bifurcate.
Mike, you gave me a blasting weekend thia Sunday afternoon. Was raining and decided to watch Group B rally movies. I cannot believe it is already 28 years ago that the last race was held and future once cancelled by the FIA. I forgot about Michèle Mouton the fastest female driver on this planet driving the monsterous Audi S1. I never saw such a rally in real life, but the sound should have been awesome. A chainshaw on wheels running almost every minute at full throttle. In the YTvid this guy as 1:50sec is just flabbergasted Still Too Fast To Race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0tfi7bG6Cw To keep it Ferrari. A group B 308 GTB being build post. Also has a nice topic on the Lancia Stratos and Toyota Celica. http://www.carbuildindex.com/6094/1976-ferrari-gtb/
This is dangerous stuff, posted today. Not sure why the folks look like deer in headlights, get the hell out of the way!!! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHp-PCYDAEo]Rally car and fans in terrifying near-miss - YouTube[/ame]
I may be mistaken but I thought I might have seen a Fiero in amongst the usual suspects. Image Unavailable, Please Login