Meet Me In The City

Oh, Carol!

Upon a recent return to the old workplace, my peripheral vision was piqued by a small blue craft as I journeyed past the garage opposite. Office tasks completed in well under an hour, I sauntered across the road to inspect this gem a little closer. An Autozam Carol – goodness!

For the uninitiated (myself at first, included), in the 1990s, Mazda were not only cash rich but ambitious enough to launch five sub-brands: Xedos, Eunos, Efini, Amati and Autozam. Many of this parish will already be clued up on the gullwing door AZ-1, but with no physical example to pore over, Carol, a far more rational affair with unusually pretty looks will do nicely.

Firstly, the reasons for Carol’s garage appearance. Unused for over twelve months^[1] Carol was in for ‘general fettling’ which transpired into a longer stay once the spanners and diagnostics came into play.

Mazda introduced the Carol name as a Kei dimensioned car in February 1962. Based upon the Mazda 360, the P360 Carol sat on a 1,930mm wheelbase helping Carol become a true four seater. Featherweight at only 525Kgs, this RWD car also had its water cooled engine placed in the rear – a four pot of 358cc, which produced a heady 18PS. Suspension used independent torsion bars all round. Springtime brought a less angled rear screen, assisting with cleanliness. September the following year saw the engine upgraded to 20PS along with a four door version. Gearboxes were manual four speeds with no synchromesh on first. Customers bought them with alacrity.

Over the years small design modifications took place. Synchromesh was added on all gears by ‘66, with a provision for seat belts being the Carol’s final hurrah as production ceased in August 1970 with 265,226 made. Mazda failed to offer a replacement for a further two years until the Chantez, but the Carol name was to lay dormant for almost twenty years.

Expansion in mind, Mazda wanted to establish a “familiar car shop in your city” with Autozam concentrating on kei and compact vehicles, also selling and servicing Fords. Additionally, Mazda managed to procure rights to flog Lancia and Autobianchi models for a while (with Eunos branches selling Citroën). Carol was squarely aimed at the younger Japanese female; one can sadly all too easily imagine the showroom tension with potential Lancia customers. Both Italian and French car sales were sluggish. Shield sales trickled on until 1998 when swinging rebranding took place. Under the new title of Mazda Autozam Store, they began to sell both Mazda and Suzuki, maintaining focus on the smaller models.

Rewinding slightly to 1989, the new Autozam Carol used friendly, anime mascot based looks known as kawaii, which had taken hold of kei designs. An aesthetic evoking softness, purity even; definitely nothing industrial or harsh. Now based on the Suzuki Alto, the three door could be had either front or four wheel drive. Engines remained minuscule, even dropping a cylinder from the original. A SOHC three pot mustered 40PS at a sibilating 7,500rpm. As per its Suzuki attributes, wheelbase had grown to 2,335mm, a total length of 3,190mm, being just 1,295mm wide. Brakes were disc up front, drums aft.

Equipment levels were given somewhat ignominious letters of e, f and g, the latter featuring a folding canvas roof. FWD received manual gearboxes of five speeds, with a three speed automatic option replacing the four speed manual for those with front driven wheels.

New kei car regulations for 1990 brought a February facelift for Carol’s second round. Relegating the 550cc mill thus promoted their rarity. Now sporting an extra six centimetres in vehicle length, the bonnet covered a 657cc Suzuki F6A plant producing 52PS. Mazda introduced turbo power in ‘91, good for 61PS. Carol grew again in 1992 by ten centimetres.

October ‘95 saw the third generation launch as a ‘96 model. Gone the front four circular lamps, now just two headlamps bookending a small grille. Also gone the circular rear lights replaced with a jellybean looking treatment. Cuter? As kei cars blossomed, flooding the JDM, Mazda introduced Custom and Classic retro versions. 1998 saw the Autozam brand name dropped although to this day certain dealers are still known by that name, still peddling Mazda and Suzuki wares. Carol, however lived on with a fourth generation arriving October ‘98 for a ‘99 MY. Badge engineering to the fore, Carols were Altos, right up to the current eighth generation, on stream from 2021.

Back in the present, this face-lifted 1993 garage resident sees a couple of burly mechanics (who fit inside remarkably well) manhandling her, awaiting a fresh battery. Those presumably aftermarket alloys are covered in 145/70R12 rubber. This car epitomises tiny. I’m told of not only terrific handling but also engine note, sadly neither sampled. Other than the owner’s choice of a wooden steering wheel, this Autozam Carol is stock and all the better for it. Two flutes on the bottom third of the flanks and no extra frippery. It would be unkind to suggest that the front three quarter view alters the view to something more blobby. The face is distinctive, melding bonnet and sides quite progressively. Carol is not unlike the original Twingo and it’s rare to hear a design enthusiast pour scorn there.

Front on, the distinguishing badge and singular screen wash pip reside on that hardly elongated bonnet. The side view mirrors resemble ears from a Japanese cartoon character, but one expects the driver to be laughing too much to care what’s happening behind. Moving our gaze that way, Carol again is plain and simple – metal and glass – job done. Even the wipers are spindly enough to be hardly noticeable.

In a world obsessed by ever larger, heavier and ever more complex machines, what a delight to observe such a delicate treasure. You got me, baby.

 

_{[1] The owner of said Carol is also in possession of a Honda Stepwgn (harking back to the recent Waku Waku article), in addition to a Honda Beat . Part of the problem of having a collection; when does a car become a drain on finances, or does sentimentality take over? A tricky one, no doubt.}