Japan’s latest Kei car from Suzuki intends to evoke the same styling from models in the segment from the 1960s, this is the retro Alto Lapin LC.
A Kei car isn’t something native South Africans would typically be familiar with considering these quirky and compact models are limited to the Japanese domestic market only, with the odd few being exported to a select number of countries. Since Japan is so densely populated with most of its inhabitants living in vertically built cities, road and parking space is significantly limited. Therefore a Kei car has restrictions on their size, engine displacement and power output.
Essentially, a model like the Alto Lapin LC would make a Suzuki Swift seem like a bulbous SUV when parked next to each other. Suzuki’s latest creation takes the original Alto Lapin and dolls it up with retro design cues and colour palettes. The front end is quite different from the model on which it is based as we can see it in detail at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. As opposed the the metallic piece spanning between the headlights, the new LC now boasts an open grille with chrome accents dominating the fascia. The rear end is much the same from before save from a wing-shaped badge with the LC logo in the standard.
The Alto Lapin LC can be had in either a front- or all-wheel-drive layout with a 660cc three-cylinder motor putting 47 kW through the drivetrain. Prices for the Lapin LC start at around ¥1,4 million which roughly equates to R170 000.
On the inside, an optional 7-inch infotainment screen can sit above the centrally mounted gear shifter. Heated seats and automatic climate control are also on the menu for the retro styled Kei car while the exterior colour shades are inspired by pastel pallets from the 1960s.
