As we all know, Japan has a small land area (roughly equivalent to that of Yunnan Province), a relatively high population density (65.438+0.26 billion) and narrow streets. K-Car cars just fit this kind of terrain, and they can freely shuttle through these streets and lanes. China can take all the urban expressways or expressways, and you may only take some paths when you get home. Of course, you just want to buy some big cars that are more comfortable to drive. What if every Japanese drives a Porsche? What do you think of such a big car and narrow road?
Moreover, the Japanese government also has many preferential policies for K-Car. Generally, private cars have to pay 5% purchase tax, while K-Car only needs 3%. Car weight tax, compulsory insurance premium and road tax levied according to displacement are much lower than ordinary cars. The most attractive thing is that you don't need a parking space certificate to buy a K-Car, but you need a parking space certificate to buy an ordinary car. Small size and engine displacement can also reflect the daily driving environment in Japan. The width is less than1.5m, and the displacement is 660cc. The speed limit in the urban area of Japan does not exceed 40KM/h, and the small displacement is enough to meet the driving force of daily travel. K-Car is a model specially built for the Japanese market and terrain. How can it not be popular in Japan?
Figure: The way to work in Japan.
Photo: What's the difference between China's way after work?
Figure: The small-sized K car solves the problem of difficult parking.
Photo: K car also appeared in Dragon Ball.
K-Car was born in 1949 more than half a century ago, in the era after World War II. At that time, Japanese people generally could not afford full-size cars. In order to promote the development of the automobile industry, the government has formulated a new automobile standard, which is adjusted from the minimum standard of 100 to 1950 cc. After the establishment of the new standard, many automobile manufacturers were attracted to start producing K-Car, Suzuki and Subaru took the lead in mass production, and sufficient vehicle sources met the travel and basic transportation needs of the island people. 1968 automatic transmission first appeared on k cars, and disc brakes were applied to many k cars one after another, and the performance was greatly improved.
The sales volume of 1975 decreased steadily, which was 80% lower than that of 1970. The reason is that the displacement of 360cc can not meet the market demand, and manufacturers call for relaxing the size standard. Finally, the Japanese legislature also compromised, with the length and width increased by 200mm and 100mm respectively, and the engine displacement increased to 1976. With the progress of science and technology in the 1980s, the configuration of K-cars is getting better and better, from high-power air-conditioning system and more advanced entertainment system to four-wheel drive and turbocharging, the export sales reached a record high, with an increase of 80.3% year-on-year.
Japan's economy developed rapidly in the 1990s. 1March, 1990, the new standard was introduced again, the displacement increased to 660cc, and the length increased to 100 mm, and manufacturers were also rapidly developing new models to keep up with the pace. Some models are equipped with turbocharging, which solves the problem of insufficient horsepower and torque, and the horsepower is limited to 64PS(47KW). These standards have been maintained to this day.
Figure: A small K car can also meet the daily traffic needs.
Kei？ The name car is not a folk name, but a car-level name. Kei？ The car is also called k car, "kei? Jidosha "is a literal translation of Japanese pronunciation of" automatic car "and also an English pronunciation of" Light? "Automobile" refers to a light automatic automobile. Since K car is a model level, there will be corresponding laws and regulations. The following figure clearly lists the legal changes of K-Car since its birth. Although I said it on the last page ... so that I can see it clearly. )
Figure: In the history of K-car regulations, the era of the highest performance K-car was 1990~ 1998, and the famous ABC representative was born. A is Autozam? AZ- 1( 199 1), b is Honda? Call (199 1). Is this C Suzuki? Cappuccino (199 1).
K-Car license plates are also different from ordinary private cars in color and size. Generally, the license plates of private cars are all black characters on a white background, while the license plates of K-Car are divided into two types: black characters on a yellow background represent private cars and yellow characters on a black background represent commercial K-Car, which is easy to distinguish.
Photo: Black characters on a yellow background represent private car licenses.
Photo: Commercial K-car is a license plate with yellow characters on a black background, which is quite easy to distinguish.
Figure: The difference between the white license plate of the "ordinary" private car on the left and the license plate of the K car on the right.
Suzulit
The regulation of K car was implemented by 1949, but the first K car model was introduced by 1955. The size of Suzulight, the pioneer of K car, is 2990* 1300* 1400. It looks like a square box with a wheelbase of 2000 mm, and four people don't feel crowded. Equipped with a 0.36L two-cylinder air-cooled two-stroke engine and a three-speed gearbox, the front-wheel drive output 16PS horsepower, and the top speed reached 85km/h, which was also fast in that year. Not only does space and power have a good performance, but the manipulation is also leveraged. Both front and rear are equipped with double wishbone independent suspension. Because the roads in Japan are relatively bad, the modern suspension system can't bear this road condition, so the steel plate suspension is replaced.
Picture: It looks like a big square box.
Subaru 360
However, the real K car in people's minds is the Subaru 360 of 1958. It is also a 360cc two-cylinder air-cooled two-stroke engine, but with a rear layout, equipped with a four-speed manual transmission and a three-speed automatic transmission. Performance has always been Subaru's strength. The engine with the same parameters has 6PS more horsepower than the Suzulight. A four-speed manual gearbox can push it to a speed of 96 km/h, and the lightweight glass fiber roof is adopted, which reduces the pressure on the center of gravity of the vehicle. You should know that the lightweight roof is also the ultimate performance car in modern times.
Subaru 360 later derived several other models, including a car named "Custom", a convertible and a car named "Yong? SS "sports car. Unfortunately, in 1969, because the weight of the car was less than 1000 kg, the safety standard did not pass, and it was exposed in Consumer Report Magazine. In the end, most of Subaru 360 was scrapped and dismembered.
Photo: Subaru 360 (how do you feel like a Volkswagen Beetle).
Photo: Subaru 360? Custom, can be regarded as a two-door travel version.
Photo: convertible version 360, the girl-picking artifact.
Photo: Subaru 360? Yangsi? Sports edition.
Moreover, Subaru 360 has launched nearly 10,000 left-hand drive versions of 360 and sold them to the North American market. As for that era and that result, you can imagine.
Mazda ozam? AZ- 1
This Mazda AZ- 1 aircraft belongs to Mazda in name, but it is not sold under the Mazda brand. AZ- 1 should be called Autozam? AZ- 1 is a small car brand "Autozam" founded by Mazda in the late 1980s and sold by Mazda. AZ- 1 was made by Suzuki, because Mazda had no experience in making K-cars in the past, and Suzuki was the first country to make K-cars.
Back to the basic parameters of this car, the power comes from Suzuki's 0.6L in-line three-cylinder turbocharged engine code-named FA6. It adopts the design of middle rear drive, and the acceleration of 0- 100 takes only 9.3 seconds, and the top speed is153km/h/h. The tubular frame is combined with honeycomb aluminum alloy structure, and the body is wrapped with fiberglass material, with a weight of only 720kg. AZ- 1 The biggest design highlight must be those wings. The design of gull-wing door was very advanced in that year, and it was even more puzzling to appear on a K-Car. 1AZ- 1, which went on the market in 1992, had a high manufacturing cost and the price went up, resulting in a total sales volume of only 4,392 units, which came to an end in 1995.
Photo: Autozam? AZ- 1 .
Photo: The avant-garde design now looks like a concept car.
Figure: Compact engine layout.
Photo: Mazdaspeed? For what? AZ- 1 kit. (This is a mini version of ... F40? )
Honda Beat
It is the last work of Honda founder Shoichiro Honda. The model was designed by the famous Pininfarina and was born in 199 1. Beat has the genes that Honda performance cars should have in the 1990 s. It only provides the layout of a 5-speed manual transmission with center rear drive. It is equipped with an inline three-cylinder SOHC naturally aspirated engine with code E07A. It also has the characteristics of high speed of Honda engine. The maximum power is only reached at 8000 rpm, and the red line area reaches 8500 rpm. The bottom of the tachometer actually reached five digits of 10000rpm. This pair of mid-engine is installed in this car to drive it.
Photo: Honda Beat (do you see the shadow of EG6).
Suzuki cappuccino (cappuccino)
Suzuki Cappuccino, the king of K-cars with the initials D, is said to be able to kill RX7 and R34 on these mountain roads in Lvbo Yi and all directions. Although these are only in games and comics, Cappuccino's short and lean figure, 50:50 front and rear weight distribution, only 700kg weight, can not be underestimated in actual driving. Cappuccino was launched on 1990, and it is a competitor with Mazda AZ- 1 and Honda Beat. The three cars are called ABC of K car in the performance field. Front double rocker arm and rear compound multi-link, this suspension arrangement means that Cappuccino is a K car with strong handling performance. Cappuccino's convertible design is very creative, and the ceiling is divided into three sections, which can be switched in three modes: coupe, Targa and T-top.
Photo: Suzuki cappuccino.
Figure: It's scary to see the 12000 rpm tachometer on K-Car.
Photo: You still remember the wonderful rain battle with Tuohai in the initial D.
Figure: Who said that the K car is used to buy food? It's as cool as going to a car fight with a big body and a big tail.
In fact, China is not without K cars. Alto, Amchi (Daewoo Tico of 199 1 is actually Suzuki Fulong of 1988), Big Dipper (Suzuki station wagon? R), Jimny is also a 660cc(K6A engine) vehicle in China, and various 0.6 minivans of Daihatsu Suzuki (such as SC6320G from Changan and Carry from Suzuki) and K-Van have also dominated the visibility on the roads in. Japan and China treat K-cars so differently, which may be because China misunderstood K-cars, thinking that K-cars are domestic micro-cars, while Japan's K-cars are the division of vehicle standards, and the corresponding policies have also promoted the popularization of K-cars in Japan. People in China still think that K-car is a car with low configuration and small size. Next time, I will introduce the modern K car to you and see what progress has been made compared with before. See you next time.
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.