In which Did and Doris consider microcars in the context of Mini driving and driving in Japan.
Kei cars are Kei jidosha, literally light vehicle, that were first sanctioned in 1949 to boost car production and ownership. We will see a variety of these at the Toyota museum (as Sid knows because he has already been). The 1998 law mandates a maximum length of 3.4 metres (11.2 feet), width of 1.48 metres and height of 2 metres (!). Teal is 3.05 metres (or 10ft and a quarter inch long), 1.41 metres wide (4ft 8 inches) and 1.35 metres high (four feet and 5 inches). So dimensionally Teal is a Kei car but the real thing generally has 660 cc turbocharged triple buzzing out 63 bhp versus Teal’s mighty 1,300cc and 90 bhp. That 63 bhp puts them well ahead of the original 998cc Mini Cooper at 55 ish.
Given Japanese speed limits are 40, 50, 60 kph across large parts of the network Kei are not disadvantaged. Large parts of the expressway system go at 70 or 80kph.
The dimensions mean the non expert cannot tell one from another though the names promise a lot. Stingray?
Teal seen here in the Kei lane for the Hokkaido to Honshu ferry. By their yellow number plates shall you know them…
These are the biggest selling cars in Japan and given what most cars are used for and how they are driven would make very sensible day-to-day cars around the world. However, they make a different statement from dropping the kids at school in a Range Rover or Ford F150. A Suzuki Tanto with a gun rack?
See above for a Kei car motorhome which is smaller than a Winnebago or Hymer. But then maybe it helps that the Japanese are smaller than Americans or Dutch.
Kei cars now have so much of the market it seems likely that the tax breaks that support them will keep falling, though the absence of parking space would seem to be in their favour. Manufacturers would like to sell larger more profitable cars.
This device is a CV1, 50cc one person car, the equivalent of the French voitures sans permis that are maxed out at 45 kph or 28mph. We have seen a couple.
Doris offers this because Teal is on 12” rims. Sid brought two extra 165/60 12” tyres but if we need more 12” tyres then they are available, seen here on a hospitality bus. On tyres: Sid has now seen Bridgestone light truck tyres in 145/80 12” that look as if they would be superb gravel rally tyres at £130 for four!
A bit of an aside from Kei cars, this is a Mazda Cosmo seen in a Cosmos garage. A very pretty car that was innovative in having a Wankel rotary engine and lovely lines.
This is a stock picture, really space aged styling with this body available from 1967 to 1972. There was a Cosmos range through to the 1990s, but not so pretty. Jay Leno has one, but then given what else he has perhaps thtat’s not such an endorsement after all.
More Japanese car stories from Sid to come. Remember the Stingray.