- Widebody Autozam AZ-1 shown in Tokyo throws kei rules out away.
- Build comes from Goda Bodywork with rotary help from RE Amemiya.
- Mid-mounted 402 hp rotary swap replaces the original engine unit.
If you’re even remotely into rare JDM oddities, Mazda’s Autozam AZ-1 likely holds a special place on your radar. It’s a tiny, mid-engined kei car built to comply with Japan’s famously strict rules on dimensions and engine displacement. But the particular example featured here has no interest in playing by those rules.
This take on the least powerful gullwing coupe has tossed the rulebook out of the window, opting instead for a radical widebody kit and a far more aggressive rotary engine transplant.
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The build is the result of a collaboration between Goda Bodywork and rotary specialist RE Amemiya. Still in prototype form, the project made its public debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon last weekend. The car wasn’t fully finished in time for the show, but it drew plenty of attention regardless.
Breaking Out of Kei Car Limits
Looking at the photos from the Makuhari Messe, the first thing that hits you is the stance. The AZ-1’s normally narrow frame now looks twice as wide, thanks to dramatically flared front and rear fenders. The stock 13-inch wheels are long gone, replaced by hulking 18-inch aftermarket alloys that fill the arches. At the rear, they’re wrapped in sticky 255/35 R18 rubber.
The kei car’s new footprint comes with major hardware changes beneath the surface. Suspension components from other Mazda models have been grafted on, with the front end borrowing parts from the RX-8 and the rear setup sourced from an Axela, also known as the Mazda3.
Functional intakes remain on the hood and sides, but the rear now features a fixed wing to help with downforce.
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Behind the signature gullwing doors, the interior features a pair of Bride bucket seats, a Nardi steering wheel, and Defi gauges. There are no infotainment upgrades, as the tuner deliberately went with an audio-less setup, and for good reason.
How Do You Fit a 13B in This?
What really sets this car apart, though, is the engine swap. The original 660cc three-cylinder sourced from Suzuki has been ditched in favor of a 1.3-liter rotary engine, and specifically, the 13B. That’s already a massive step up in capacity, but RE Amemiya went a step further by installing it in a transverse layout, something rarely seen with this powerplant.
The donor engine comes from a Mazda RX-7 FC, but it now runs twin rotors borrowed from the RX-8, plus EFI throttle bodies and a Link-modified ECU. The result is a claimed output of 402 horsepower (300 kW / 407 PS). That’s a comically large 538 percent jump over the original AZ-1’s modest 63-horsepower rating.
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With so much power in such a light chassis, the car’s power-to-weight ratio is beyond extreme. The rotary engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission sourced from a Mazdaspeed3, along with a custom clutch and differential from OS Giken. As with the factory AZ-1, power still goes to the rear wheels.
There’s hope the team will continue refining the project so we can eventually hear it running in full form. That said, Goda Bodywork has made it clear the car won’t be offered for sale and isn’t street legal.
If you’re feeling bad for the car that donated its body to the cause, don’t. This build actually began with a scrapped chassis found in a junkyard. The AZ-1 was originally sold between 1992 and 1994 under both the Autozam and Suzuki Cara nameplates, positioned as a playful rival to the Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino.
