Do you know your ABC’s? Chances are, if you’re a Japanese kei car enthusiast, you may be familiar. While we at J-Spec have seen our fair share of B’s (Honda beats) and C’s (Suzuki Cappuccinos), we’ve yet to see an Autozam AZ-1, until now. The AZ-1 was a compact, mid-engined rear wheel drive kei car developed by Mazda for distribution under their “Autozam” sub brand. It utilized a 64 horsepower Suzuki built 657cc turbocharged engine and 5 speed manual transmission, and weighed just shy of 1,600 lbs. The AZ-1 was zippy, compact, and what it lacked in size it made up for in personality. Supercar inspired styling cues adorn the exterior of the humble AZ-1, making it a sight to behold on any road. The exterior of this particular 1993 model year AZ-1 is near flawless and a perfect, almost untouched example of one of Mazda’s boldest design ventures. This vehicle began its life painted in classic red, but later underwent a full color change to a frost white finish. The front fascia was also revamped, with the previous owner opting to add a genuine Mazdaspeed hood, and aftermarket front bumper with fog lights. All paintwork on the vehicle appears to have been done professionally, with no major signs of pitting, clear coat fade, or orange peel on the paint. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the AZ-1 are its signature gullwing doors. Coupled with ferrari inspired side and rear vents, the Autozam truly has a one of a kind look sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. The only other exterior modification is a set of Enkei J Speed 14” wheels in a matching white/machined lip finish. Swing open the aforementioned gullwing doors, and you’re greeted with a beautifully simplistic interior. The OEM red and grey trimmed seats are still in excellent condition for the age, with no bolster rips, tears, or burns in the original fabric. The dash design is extremely simple, featuring only the necessities. All dash plastics are in great shape, with no cracking or age-related wear, and all buttons, knobs, and switches work as expected. A pair of Omoni boost and oil pressure gauges have been added to the center stack to help monitor engine vitals. Both gauges are fully functional and look period correct in the interior. The stock steering wheel was replaced with an aftermarket MOMO unit. The original instrument cluster is fully functional, displaying just 95,398 verified km’s. Equating to only 59,000 original miles, it is easy to see how this AZ-1 held up so well over the years. Additional quirky interior features include a manual “window-in-window” design, spare tire storage, and removable shades for the glass roof. Turn the key and the Suzuki F6A engine fires up without a hitch. At first glance, the engine’s 64hp output seems almost laughable. Throw it into a lightweight chassis, however, and the laughs tend to stop. This powerplant is more than capable of propelling the AZ-1 to highway speeds, and it sounds great doing it. The engine has been lightly modified to enhance the driving experience. An aftermarket intake and blow off valve provide a slight performance increase and help unlock some enthralling turbo noises. An HKS EVC boost controller allows boost to be adjusted on the fly from the cockpit, and a 5zigen exhaust sounds great and looks even better poking out the AZ-1’s signature rear bumper. Driving this kei monster is a real treat, the mid-engine layout produces a symphony of noises as you charge through the RPM range, and the 5 speed manual transmission handles shifts smoothly without any hiccups. A set of GAB Sports suspension has been added to aid in handling, and this Autozam is more than capable of tackling even the most demanding backroad twists and turns. With only 4,400 AZ-1’s ever produced; this example is a true unicorn. If you’re a JDM enthusiast with a passion for the unconventional, this hard-to-find kei rocket ship is a worthy contender for your next unique ride.