The Suzuki SC100 was a car manufactured by Suzuki and sold from October 1979 in the UK and Holland. It was the first passenger car sold here by the newly set up Heron Suzuki four wheel division. Clever marketing and advertising led to the car being given the name "Whizzkid". It was not, however, the first four-wheeled vehicle sold by the new network of four-wheel dealers. They were already selling LJ80 4x4 off road vehicles and ST80 vans and pick-ups. Only one trim level of the SC100 was ever sold (GX). Price when new in 1979 was £2,400.
From its launch demand outstripped supply due to the car’s sporty looks, design, and value for money. However, in 1982 the Cervo in Japan was discontinued in favour of the new front engined front wheel drive Cervo (sold here as the Alto). So in 1982, after just 4696 cars had been imported and sold in the UK, the SC100 ceased production. There was only one spec change during this period, which was to slightly modify the dashboard and column switches in January 1980. Early cars are now extremely rare.
When your traffic jams are in danger of becoming full-scale preserves, you are forced to do something drastic. The traffic jams of Tokyo and Osaka are the worst in the world, and the Japanese government's solution was to offer tax and parking breaks for owners of very small cars, called K-class cars.
Suzuki was the first company to offer a "K" car (in 1955), and its offerings have always been among the best. One interesting departure was the Cervo of 1972. This was a rare attempt to introduce some zing into the species. It was a two-plus-two coupe based on the rear-engine Suzuki Fronte saloon, measuring just 126in (320cm) long. It used a tiny 539cc two-stroke engine developing 28blip. Its top speed of 65mph (105kph) was hardly thrilling, but then this was always intended to be a city car first and foremost.
For export Suzuki transformed the Cervo to become the rumbustious SC100 GX, which was known in Britain by its nickname, Whizzkid. The old two-pot engine was replaced by a 970cc four-cylinder Alto engine developing 47bhp, still sited in the tail. Now the little coupe really flew: its top speed jumped to 85mpli (137kph), and there was sparkling acceleration and brilliant fuel economy to match.
It sold for a bargain price, too, and at this level no European maker had ever offered the SC100's lavish list of equipment: rev counter, reclining front seats, cigar lighter, front disc brakes and all-round independent suspension. Suzukis British importers sold all the cars they could from 1979 to 1982, and now it has minor classic status.
Wheelbase: 2030 mm 79.92 in Track front: 1219 mm 47.99 in Track rear: 1194 mm 47.00 in Length: 3200 mm 125.98 in Width: 1394 mm 54.88 in Ground clearance: 159 mm 6.25 in Kerb weight: 655 kg 1444.02 lb Fuel capacity: 25.9 l 6.84 US gal
Manufacturer: Suzuki Type: S-4 SOHC 8 valves total 2 valves per cylinder Bore x stroke: 65.50mm × 72.00mm Bore / stroke ratio: 0.91 Displacement: 970 cc 59.19 cu in Compression: 9.00:1 Fuel system: 1 Mi carb Aspiration: Normal Catalytic Converter: N Max. output: 47.7 PS (47.0 bhp) (35 kW)@5000 rpm Max. torque: 83.0 Nm (61 lbft) (8.5 kgm)@3000 rpm Coolant: Water Specific output: 48.5 bhp/litre Specific torque: 85.57 Nm/litre
0-60mph: 16.5 s Top speed: 137 km/h Power to weight: 71.76 bhp/ton
Engine location: Rear Engine alignment: Transverse Steering: rack & pinion Suspension front: I.CS.W. Suspension rear: I.CS.TA. Brakes: Di/Dr Transmission: 4M Drive: RWD Top gear ratio: 0.9 Final drive ratio: 3.57
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