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Suzuki was the first company to offer a
kei car in 1955. One interesting departure from other
Kei cars was the Fronte Coupé introduced in September 1971. It was a 2+2 (or a strict 2-seater)
Giugiaro-designed mini GT based on the rear-engine
Suzuki Fronte, measuring a mere 2995 mm. It used a 359 cc two-stroke engine developing 31, 34 or 37 PS (35 in later models) depending on equipment level. The Fronte Coupé was discontinued in June, 1976, as it didn't suit the new Kei Jidosha limits, nor the stricter emissions regulations. After a hiatus of over a year, Suzuki returned to the sports minicar market with the new Cervo in October 1977. The SS20 Cervo was mainly a
JDM model (although it was also sold as a LHD in Chile) with a 539 cc three-cylinder, two-stroke engine. The SS20 used the chassis from the 1976
Fronte 7-S, but was equipped with the larger
T5A engine (this was the rear-mounted version of the LJ50 used in the
Jimny and
Fronte Hatch, also known as the T5B in the
FF Alto/Fronte). The body was based on the Giugiaro designed Fronte Coupé, but with a bulge in the front and bigger bumpers which led to the loss of some of the original's grace. The Fronte Coupé's side panels, doors, and side glass were retained, with the car made wider and extended somewhat in the front and rear. Instead of square headlights, the Cervo received round items. The new rear glass hatch added convenience, allowing access to the rear cargo area. With the rear seats folded, one could fit of luggage there, with an additional available in the front compartment. Worse was that the new 539 cc engine was strangled by emissions requirements. Whereas the most powerful 360 cc version had offered at 6000 rpm, the new
T5A only provided at 5000 rpm; it also had an additional 55–80 kg to drag around. To keep acceleration acceptable, gearing was rather low, keeping claimed top speed to . This was ten more than the Fronte 7-S sedan version could achieve, thanks to lower wind resistance, but
Car Graphic was only able to reach when testing the car in 1977, with the 0–400 m sprint taking 23 seconds. The engine ran out of breath past 7000 rpm. Suzuki was aware that the Cervo, unlike its predecessor, was no longer a mini GT car. The advertising also reflected this, generally targeting the female demographic (except for the sporty CX-G version). Equipment levels ranged from the entry-level CX (円608,000 in 1977), via the "ladies' version" CX-L to the top-of-the-line CX-G (円698,000). The lowest priced CX model received microscopic hubcaps, painted black, as were the bumpers (chromed on better equipped versions). The CX-L was added in September 1978 and had brighter trim, to specifically target feminine customers. Only the CX-G had front disc brakes; the others had to make do with drums all around. As implied by the weight distribution, the rear-engine lead to a somewhat twitchy front end. The chassis code of this model is SC80. This was sold alongside a better equipped model with the 1 litre F10A as used in the SC100.
SC100 For
export, Suzuki transformed the Cervo into the SC100, first introduced in April 1978. It had its European premiere in February 1979, at Amsterdam's
AutoRAI. The SC100 was known in the
UK by the nickname "Whizzkid". The three-cylinder engine was replaced by a rear-mounted 970 cc four-cylinder
F10A engine (later used in the
SJ410) developing . The top speed was in a contemporary test. The body differed from the Cervo's in that the windshield was not as steeply raked, necessitating a different doorframe and side window as well. Square headlights were used in European markets, with either round or square ones used elsewhere. In European markets the grille incorporated the chunky indicator lenses, which were normally positioned in a space underneath the bumper – these openings were blanked with plastic grilles. In the UK it was only available as the lavishly equipped SC100 GX, while in other countries it was also offered as a CX or the more luxurious CX-G. The GX, with a cigar lighter, reclining front seats, and independent all-round suspension, sold for
£2,400 upon introduction (the slightly larger Alto of the same period sold for £3375). The marketing campaign was further helped by an enthusiastic owner, the late
LJK Setright, long-time
CAR magazine columnist. Other markets included the Netherlands, Hong Kong, South Africa, New Zealand and several Latin American countries. It was sold in Europe from 1979 to 1982, when production ended. There was only one model change, when dashboard and column switches were modified in January 1980. With demand always outstripping supply, British importer Heron Suzuki sold 4696 SC100s in Britain, where the car has since then gained minor classic status. Nimag sold 3290 SC100s in the Netherlands, while the 1299 remaining cars were delivered to New Zealand, South Africa, and Latin America. This production includes the Chilean SS80 version. As of mid 2014, there were 96 "Whizzkids" registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the UK. ==Cervo SS40 (2nd generation)==