Digestible Collectible: 1992 Suzuki Cappuccino

I’m a glutton, and a glutton for punishment. I’m larger than most men, at around six-feet-four-inches tall and weighing between 260 and 280 pounds depending on the time of day, moon phase, and proximity to the nearest good buffet.

And yet, I love small cars.

I own, and once daily-drove, an early Miata. Mind you, I carved foam out of the seat and equipped it with a smaller steering wheel so I could steer without removal of my legs or other sensitive bits — but I do fit. My win-the-lottery wish list has just as many four-cylinder cars as bigger-engined vehicles combined.

So, when looking at models that are becoming eligible for import under the 25-year-rule, naturally, I looked East.

Since we no longer have the pleasure of seeing new Suzuki cars on these shores, I figured that brand would be a great place to start my Kei quest. I considered the Alto Works RS/R — with all-wheel drive and a turbocharger stuffed into a tiny hatch — but the theoretically infinite headroom offered by a convertible is attractive. Thus, today’s 1992 Suzuki Cappuccino.

With classic front engine, rear-drive proportions, shrunk down by tax regulations, the Cappuccino is an attractive roadster. For the equivalent of $5,900 plus transport costs, it’s reasonably priced, too. There are dozens of these for sale on Goo-Net-Exchange, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few of these appear stateside. Have any of our readers used this site to import a car?

Yes, I’m aware I’m a year too early for import on this particular Cappuccino; there are some 1991 models available, but this one looked better to me. It’s not like I have the cash right now anyhow.

I don’t know how Kei cars like this Cappuccino would work in the US. It would be great as a city car, certainly, but long highway slogs would be exhausting on driver and machine. Furthermore, I have serious reservations about actually squeezing myself into this thing.

After all, a proper American version would be a Trenta half caff, extra foam soy Latte, and that doesn’t fit on this Cappuccino’s trunk lid in any legible font.