GTP Cool Wall: 1992-1995 Autozam AZ-1

[RandomCarGuy17]

It's personally one of the only Kei cars I enjoy for it's peppiness and its cutesy feel.

Anyway, I think it would be considered cool.

 

[Turtle]

Oddly enough, one of my real-life driving experiences is about as close as it's possible to get to driving the Astro on Dragon Range in Enthusia. Mainly because I've driven a real Astro (the one in my avatar) on some of the best roads in California.

It's a truly awful vehicle. It doesn't go (despite having an engine almost four times the size of my current car), it doesn't stop, it feels like it's about to fall over all the time, it overheats, and the auto gearbox in this particular Astro delivered every gearchange with an amusing clunk.

My mom's boyfriend drives one of these when he doesn't take his motorbike (A Triumph, no idea what kind). The Astro is by far the worst vehicle I've ever been in, and his doesn't have some funky-looking paint job to make up for it.

Nothing comes close, not even my mom's first-gen Durango, after it started having problems (We never figured out what the problem was, even after my dad took it to his shop multiple times. He suspects the thing converted itself into the rare FWD Durango).

 

[Azure Flare]

Relevant:

I was looking for that GIF...

 

[Dagger311]

Uncool, looks neat but everything else about it just screams dull.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

If you want to be accurate, neither of us do because we've never made them.

Um wrong, because by the OP's own testament we know exactly that he doesn't research any of these cars and copy and pastes the info that others researched and then just builds a thread with a poll. So not sure why I should show some mass of respect for that and go out and feed his future kids or something as a show of gratitude.

I can't help it if you don't pay attention to other threads talking about the cool wall in general where you can find this info. Nor can I help the fact that you think creating a thread on this forum is so damn difficult that we must praise the OP before we dare challenge his inane rhetoric. So don't include me in your ignorance, you're alone on that ship.

 

[McLaren]

Perhaps you should show more respect to the guy taking time out of his day to research these cars and make these threads.

Research? I was under the assumption the person who nominates the car provides all the extra facts as per requirement. Could be wrong.

Never the less, I wouldn't trust W&N to research a 5th grade paper.

 

[Anathema]

I'd fit well in one of these, as I'm relatively short.

Always thought they were made for only one year; guess I was wrong.

Cool.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Research? I was under the assumption the person who nominates the car provides all the extra facts as per requirement. Could be wrong.

Never the less, I wouldn't trust W&N to research a 5th grade paper.

There have been Cool Wall threads before where the facts have indeed all been provided by the nominator only to find missing or different information within the finished thread because W&N has "redone" the research.

I certainly feel it would be beneficial if he did copy and paste the information presented.

 

[White & Nerdy]

The differeing information is usually for done for consistency, if different sources say different things.

The missing information is probably because it's stuff I don't put in the OP anyway, omitted for consistency between posts. I should probably just put that stuff (price, weight, dimensions, etc.) in every post anyway, but whatever.

 

[Cano]

Perhaps you should show more respect to the guy taking time out of his day to research these cars and make these threads.

After reading what you spew in the last couple pages about, eh, stuff, maybe you should worry about earning some respect for yourself instead of W&N. You're not doing well, believe me.

But then again, you do keep making these threads absolute golden. Keep on it please 👍

 

[Lizard]

Cool because I think it would be an ace track car.

 

[Kent]

I have a huge bandage on my thumb but I feel the need to say something...

What is "cool" is horrible... :exhausted: W&N gets on here and makes it worse.

Fact is, if you think a car is good or bad based on engine size or brand you are an auto-bigot.

Spit off your hate if you like.

Btw, I drive a 2.5L turbo and love it every day (even though people act like you can't get power out of an engine like that when not on a track).

 

[JMoney]

After reading what you spew in the last couple pages about, eh, stuff, maybe you should worry about earning some respect for yourself instead of W&N. You're not doing well, believe me.

But then again, you do keep making these threads absolute golden. Keep on it please 👍

All I do here is present my opinions, and defend them when they are challenged.

 

[White & Nerdy]

I have a huge bandage on my thumb but I feel the need to say something...

What is "cool" is horrible... :exhausted: W&N gets on here and makes it worse.

Fact is, if you think a car is good or bad based on engine size or brand you are an auto-bigot.

Spit off your hate if you like.

Btw, I drive a 2.5L turbo and love it every day (even though people act like you can't get power out of an engine like that when not on a track).

The problem with that is, coolness and, for lack of a better word, bad:censored:ery are quite related. Hence how extremely small engines are uncool. Also, some brands just aren't cool, or aren't cool past a certain year/besides certain cars (see: post-1975 Buick exc. Grand National, post-2000 Toyota, all Lexus, post-whateveryearitwas BMW, post-2005 Ferrari, most non-AMG Mercedes-Benz, post-1975 Oldsmobile, etc.)

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

That's subjective though. I instantly find a car with a 'tiny motor' (which, given your views would probably constitute something like a 1.6 litre) that can beat the archetypal big engined cars to be bad-🤬 in the underdog way.

 

[Jet Badger]

The problem with that is, coolness and, for lack of a better word, bad:censored:ery are quite related. Hence how extremely small engines are uncool. Also, some brands just aren't cool, or aren't cool past a certain year/besides certain cars (see: post-1975 Buick exc. Grand National, post-2000 Toyota, all Lexus, post-whateveryearitwas BMW, post-2005 Ferrari, most non-AMG Mercedes-Benz, post-1975 Oldsmobile, etc.)

And, ironicly, "badassery" is seriously uncool. You probably can't imagine how childish and, I dare to say, outright stupid you look from aside when you constantly try to push your whole "macho jesus shotgun V8 juice" ideology through, attach archaic political monikers to cars and people and then act like nobody knows better than you. I was really hoping you would grow out of it but so far there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Your rants about "commie cars a liberal would drive" have stopped being funny a long time ago and now it's just cancer-inducing.

 

[Tornado]

Post-2000 Toyotas do tend to be pretty lame, though.

 

[Dennisch]

Well. I'll say it then.

The 2.2 is the most bad ass car ever build.

 

[Joel]

Well. I'll say it then.

The 2.2 is the most bad ass car ever build.

Only if you know how to drive it though.

 

[JMoney]

And, ironicly, "badassery" is seriously uncool. You probably can't imagine how childish and, I dare to say, outright stupid you look from aside when you constantly try to push your whole "macho jesus shotgun V8 juice" ideology through, attach archaic political monikers to cars and people and then act like nobody knows better than you. I was really hoping you would grow out of it but so far there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Your rants about "commie cars a liberal would drive" have stopped being funny a long time ago and now it's just cancer-inducing.

How is your opinion on bad:censored:ery ironic? And how are people like me, W&N, and mustangfanatic supposed to "grow out of" political views?

Government limiting the power of cars makes those cars uncool, because where I live the horsepower of cars in not limited. Why on earth would I want to drive a tiny, unprotective, 63hp car when I can get something more powerful? My friends (my non-motorhead friends included) would laugh at me if I bought one of these things. It may be cool in Japan or Europe, but I vote as a representative of Kentucky. Myself and others should not be harassed for doing such.

 

[Famine]

Government limiting the power of cars makes those cars uncool, because where I live the horsepower of cars in not limited.

You have it backwards and a little inside out.

Government doesn't limit the power of cars. It did, however, create a class of car called "kei jidōsha" with power, engine size, height, width, weight and capacity limitations that came with significant consumer tax breaks over regular cars.

Manufacturers chose to make cars to fit that class, to take advantage of people wanting cars in that class to qualify for tax breaks. Generally, they make cars that exactly fit some of the limits - typically power and length - but Mazda, along with Honda and Suzuki, chose to make a sports car.

The AZ-1 doesn't have 63hp because that's all the government will let it have. It has 63hp because Mazda chose to stick a finger up at the legislation designed to create small city cars and build a sports car to fit the rules.


As a representative of Kentucky and, one assumes, a fan of the Bill of Rights, you should appreciate it more when someone makes a mockery of overbearing government legislation.

Also, get some new friends. The guys who'd laugh at you for your choice of car are not people worth hanging around with or shaping your life around.

 

[Turtle]

Also, get some new friends. The guys who'd laugh at you for your choice of car are not people worth hanging around with or shaping your life around.

You beat me to it.

 

[Cano]

How is your opinion on bad:censored:ery ironic? And how are people like me, W&N, and mustangfanatic supposed to "grow out of" political views?

Government limiting the power of cars makes those cars uncool, because where I live the horsepower of cars in not limited. Why on earth would I want to drive a tiny, unprotective, 63hp car when I can get something more powerful? My friends (my non-motorhead friends included) would laugh at me if I bought one of these things. It may be cool in Japan or Europe, but I vote as a representative of Kentucky. Myself and others should not be harassed for doing such.

I see you are indeed keeping it up. Thanks 👍

 

[Jet Badger]

How is your opinion on bad:censored:ery ironic? And how are people like me, W&N, and mustangfanatic supposed to "grow out of" political views?

If one was to diss cars that in his opinion aren't "manly enough" using bigoted and faulty reasoning, you would think he's maybe feeling insecure and trying to compensate for something by implying the "I'm so totally macho" attitude to every aspect of life. Such pretentious posing is seriously uncool in my book.

Grow out of political views? Was that what I said? Have whatever views you may please but be so kind and don't rub them in my face on every occasion you can and act like it's the only ultimate truth and that everyone else is wrong.

Government limiting the power of cars makes those cars uncool, because where I live the horsepower of cars in not limited. Why on earth would I want to drive a tiny, unprotective, 63hp car when I can get something more powerful?

Government didn't limit the power of cars. Cars that met certain regulations had lower taxes on them. That is what kei cars are and manufacturers tried to exploit the niche to the full by introducing 4WD kei cars, the mid-engined gullwing door AZ-1 and other rather funky stuff. If your worldview of cars was just a tiny bit wider you would notice that at the same time when "Government limiting the power of cars" was apparently taking place, there were 200-300+ hp NSXes, Lancer EVOs, Skylines and whatnot coming out of the very same country.

My friends (my non-motorhead friends included) would laugh at me if I bought one of these things. It may be cool in Japan or Europe, but I vote as a representative of Kentucky. Myself and others should not be harassed for doing such.

Yes, because it's so much more important to impress your macho-wannabe teenage friends by getting whatever rednecks consider manly rather than trying to develop your own taste in cars and expand your knowledge.

 

[Wolfe]

I should probably just put that stuff (price, weight, dimensions, etc.) in every post anyway...

Curb weight would be nice.

Why on earth would I want to drive a tiny, unprotective, 63hp car when I can get something more powerful?

Similar reasons for riding a tiny, unprotective, 63hp motorcycle when you could get something more powerful (on four wheels or two). Because it's fun, it's affordable and fuel-efficient, it can fit in small spaces, and it gets around from place to place just fine.

If your worldview of cars was just a tiny bit wider you would notice that at the same time when "Government limiting the power of cars" was apparently taking place, there were 200-300+ hp NSXes, Lancer EVOs, Skylines and whatnot coming out of the very same country.

And of course, that 280PS (276hp) "limit" observed by Japanese manufacturers from 1989 to 2005 wasn't government-enforced either.

 

[Jet Badger]

And of course, that 280PS (276hp) "limit" observed by Japanese manufacturers from 1989 to 2005 wasn't government-enforced either.

Correct. It was a gentlemens agreement among the Japanese manufacturers to not go into a horsepower war.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

And of course, that 280PS (276hp) "limit" observed by Japanese manufacturers from 1989 to 2005 wasn't government-enforced either.

Even better when you consider what the voting process would be like if that 'limit' was brought into question:

"276 BHP limit? Pah, that just smacks of a nanny state and environmentalism, and that makes it instantly uncool."
"This muscle car was underrated for insurance reasons? Must be because it's so bad:censored:! Instant sub-zero."

 

[Cano]

Correct. It was a gentlemens agreement among the Japanese manufacturers to not go into a horsepower war.

And that really sucked if you ask me specially considering what those cars are capable of.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

I'd say it was actually quite good in a way; car makers had to be a lot more creative in how they made a car quick and fun to drive without using horsepower as a crutch to simply fall back on. Little things like creating more efficient turbochargers, slight drops in weight, weight distribution, aerodynamic tweaks, changing the throttle response and so on. Stuff like Skyline GT-Rs, STIs, Evos and 3000GTs/GTOs had various bits of tech to basically throw physics out of the window and have the manufacturers stick their middle finger up at the limit. Although lets not beat around the bush here, practically all of the major players back in the 90s were at least firmly in the 300+ BHP range.

 

[Famine]

And that really sucked if you ask me specially considering what those cars are capable of.

It drove development of other things. To be faster than your rivals you needed more and broader torque, to be faster round a track you needed a better chassis, to sell better you needed better fuel economy and to do all three you needed lots of computers.

When they stopped pretending they were not building cars with more than 280PS, you got great handling, fuel efficient cars that also had 500hp. Well, you got the GT-R. We're still waiting for Honda, Mitsubishi and Mazda to respond.