Suzuki CV1

Suzuki CV1
Suzuki CV1 on display at a festival near Himeji Castle in Hyōgo Prefecture, ^
Overview
Manufacturer	Suzuki
Production	1981-1985
Body and chassis
Class	Microcar
Powertrain
Engine	50 cc (3.1 cu in) 2-stroke Single cylinder
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1,310 mm (4 ft 4 in)
Length	1,940 mm (6 ft 4 in)
Width	1,185 mm (3 ft 10.7 in)
Height	1,290 mm (4 ft 3 in)
Kerb weight	168 kg (3.31 long cwt)

The Suzuki CV1 is a microcar first presented at the 24th Tokyo Motor Show in 1981.

Displayed under the banner of Suzuki Community Vehicle, the CV1 was a single-seat, four-wheeler, with a narrower track at the rear. It had a single door in its fiberglass body and originally had a claimed maximum speed of 30 km/h (19 mph), the legal limit for a moped in Japan at the time, and a fuel economy of 2.0 L/100 km (140 mpg_‑imp; 120 mpg_‑US).^[1] The vehicle could be driven on a moped licence in Japan and was sold in very limited numbers on a trial basis at a price of 300,000 Yen. Somewhere between 50 and 100 examples were manufactured.^[1][2][3]

After a governmental review, it was determined that the CV1 could only be driven by someone with a full license, rather than a moped license (which only required a written test). While this allowed Suzuki to increase the top speed to 60 km/h (37 mph), it also removed the reason for the CV1's existence. The car had windows on either side that could be slid upwards and early versions had a single headlamp. Its design was a modernized take on the post-war German bubble cars like the Heinkel Kabine and the BMW Isetta. Production ended in 1985 when Japanese licensing laws were changed.

• 
  Suzuki CV1 front
• 
  Suzuki CV1 rear

• Von Mende, Hans-Ulrich; Dietz, Matthias (1994), Kleinwagen, Small Cars, Petites Voitures, Benedikt Taschen, ISBN 9783822889107

• The cars on display at the Tokyo Motor Show