The Mazda Carol is a kei car manufactured by Mazda from 1962 until 1970. The Carol name was revived again with Mazda's 1989 re-entry into the kei car class with the Autozam brand. Since 1989, the Carol has been a rebadged model manufactured by Suzuki for Mazda, based on the Japanese Suzuki Alto . The first two generations of the modern era Carols received unique bodywork, but since late 1998 the nameplate has been strictly a badging exercise.
22-570: The Mazda R360 was complemented by the more grown-up 2-door sedan Mazda P360 Carol in February 1962, the company's first 4-passenger car, and complemented the three-wheeled Mazda Mazdago . It was more substantial than the R360: although its total length of 2,980 mm (117.3 in) was the same, its 1,930 mm (76.0 in) wheelbase was considerably longer. The Carol weighed in at 525 kg (1,157 lb), versus 380 kg (838 lb) for
44-748: A pushrod automobile engine , and in having depended on two-strokes for longer than most. Their first four-stroke engine was the SOHC F8A , which appeared in 1977. Suzuki continued to offer a two-stroke engine in an automotive application for a considerably longer time than any other Japanese manufacturer. 360.88 cc (22.022 cu in) air-cooled 2-stroke, 59 mm × 66 mm (2.32 in × 2.60 in) bore × stroke (downsleeved copy of Lloyd LP400 engine) 360 cc (22 cu in) 2-stroke, 64 mm × 56 mm (2.52 in × 2.20 in) bore/stroke. This prototype produced 25 bhp (19 kW) at 6000 rpm. It
66-549: A rear-mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine producing 16 PS (12 kW) and 22 N⋅m (16 lb⋅ft) of torque. The car was capable of 84 km/h (52 mph) and featured a 4-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission. The suspension, front and rear, was rubber "springs" and torsion bars. Within a few years of introducing the R360, Mazda had captured much of the lightweight (kei car) market in Japan. The R360
88-401: A 2,335 mm (92 in) wheelbase for a total length of 3,190 mm (126 in) and was 1,295 mm (51 in) wide. Brakes were discs up front and drums in rear. Equipment levels were e , f (also 4WD), and the top g version. The g featured a Canvas Top. Four-wheel drives received a five-speed gearbox, while the front-wheel drive versions received a four- or five-speed manual or
110-404: A three-speed auto. 550 cc Carols are rare, as production ended after only four months. New Kei car regulations for 1990 allowed manufacturers a bigger engine and an extra 10 cm of body length, and Mazda quickly brought out an updated Carol. New regulations brought about the replacement of the 1989 Carol within 4 months, as the larger AA6 Carol was presented in February 1990. The new car
132-536: A very strong monocoque body, a four-cylinder four-stroke engine with a five-bearing crankshaft and four-wheel independent suspension by torsion bars , but this led to high production costs, comparably high weight, and its very comfortable ride was offset by cramped accommodation. Nonetheless, the Carol was an incredible success in the marketplace, capturing 67% of the Kei market in its first year. A better equipped DeLuxe version
154-461: The Suzuki Alto . This generation also received model-specific bodywork, and was also only available as a three-door hatchback with a vestigial notchback design. A turbocharged SOHC version was available, although it was marketed without any sporting pretensions and did not even have a rev counter. Mazda also developed two retro-styled versions as a wave of such models flooded the Kei car market at
176-518: The diminutive R360. It used the DA , a 18 PS (13 kW), rear-mounted water-cooled 358 cc 4-cylinder OHV engine. This is one of the smallest four-cylinder automobile engines in history , only Honda's 356 cc DOHC alloy inline-four unit (used in the T360 truck) was smaller. The four-speed gearbox was synchronized only on the top three gears. The Carol was perhaps overengineered: it had
198-404: The fall of 1962 with a larger 586 cc RA OHV engine and longer at 3,200 mm. The extra length was due to more prominent bumpers, passenger space was as restricted as in the 360. Weight ranged from 560 to 585 kg (1,235 to 1,290 lb). It was also available as a four-door sedan, ahead of the lesser Carol 360. The car was called the "600" or "P600" in export markets. At home, there
220-474: The gearbox was now fully synchronized. The last modification took place in 1969, when in response to stricter safety standards a driver's side headrest and provisions for seatbelts were fitted. Production continued until August 1970, by which time 265,226 Carol 360s had been built. Mazda did not offer a Kei class passenger car for two years, until the 1972 introduction of the Chantez . The Carol 600 appeared in
242-527: The interior of the Mazda R360, the official colour choices were Red or Blue. These colour options were available for the seats, carpet and inner door panels. The B360 was a pickup truck bodystyle based on parts of the R360 Coupé. It used the same 356 cc engine, but in a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout . Like most pickups, it used a rigid rear axle and leaf spring suspension. The engine
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#1732790150126264-573: The old 657 cc F6A engine or a new 658 cc DOHC unit. It was closely related to the AZ-Offroad and AZ-Wagon introduced at the same time. The Carol was updated with a new look in December 2000, featuring Mazda's new five-point grille design. Safety and emissions were also improved, thanks to new variants of the K-series family of engines with available variable valve timing . The earlier F6A
286-413: The rebadged Mazda Carol was also replaced. The eighth-generation Carol is based on the ninth-generation Alto. Mazda R360 The Mazda R360 is a kei car manufactured and marketed by Mazda as the company's first passenger car — a two-door, four-seat coupé . Introduced in 1960, the R360 featured a 1,760 mm (69.3 in) wheelbase, weighed 380 kg (838 lb) and was powered by
308-703: The time; these were called the Carol Custom and the Carol Classic. During 1998, the model's name was changed to "Mazda Carol" as the Autozam badge was being discontinued. An entirely new Carol appeared in October 1998 as a 1999 model, this time with the Mazda brand name. Unlike previous Carols, this model was similar to the Suzuki Alto . This Carol was available with either front or all-wheel drive and used
330-451: Was 6 cm longer and used a larger 657 cc Suzuki F6A engine with 52 PS (38 kW). The car is easy to tell from its predecessor by its clear headlight covers. In 1991, Mazda offered a 61 PS (45 kW) turbocharged engine, and the car was further lengthened to 329 cm in 1992. An updated Autozam Carol came out in October 1995 as a 1996 model. Again, it was front or all-wheel drive and still sharing its platform with
352-529: Was a Standard two-door, and DeLuxe two- or four-door versions. Production ended in November 1964, after the introduction of the more spacious Mazda Familia 800 sedan version. Around 8,800 Carol 600s were built. With the revival of the Kei class in the late eighties, Mazda revived the Carol name in October 1989 for the Autozam Carol . The recently introduced Autozam was to be Mazda's youthful brand and
374-478: Was added in May 1962, along with a changed angle of the rear window to help it stay clean. In September 1963, shortly after a reshaped combustion head and upgrade to 20 PS (15 kW), a four-door version appeared. In October 1966 a minor facelift took place. The car was lightened somewhat, new bumpers were mounted, and the spare tire was moved from the front to the engine room, freeing up scarce luggage space. Also,
396-719: Was augmented by the Mazda P360 "Carol" two-door and four-door sedan in 1962. Production of the R360 lasted for six years. There were two variants of the Mazda R360, officially known as KRBB and KRBC. Both variants were very similar visually, however the first generation, KRBB came with a 4-speed manual transmission, whereas the second generation KRBC came with a 2-speed "TORQ DRIVE" automatic transmission. The standard Mazda R360 came in 3 different exterior whole-body colours; Opal Green, Maroon Rouge and Somerset Blue. The non-standard Deluxe Mazda R360 came in multi colour variants; Blue and Cream and Red and Cream. For
418-816: Was fitted to a rear-engined prototype (also named FC) in 1961, as part of the development work for the LC10 Fronte . 1967–1977 – Suzuki LC engine – 0.36–0.48 L 1975–1987 – FB Series – 0.54 L Rather than being a newly developed engine, the T5 series is essentially an FB/L50 2-cylinder with a third cylinder added, its origins thus dating back to 1961. 1980–2022 – F engine (three-cylinder) – 0.5–0.8 L 1984–2006 – G engine (three-cylinder) 1.0 L 1994–present – K engine (three-cylinder) – 0.7–1.0 L 2011–present – 0.7 L 2023–present – 1.2 L Developed as
440-468: Was no longer available. As Suzuki released a replacement for the Suzuki Alto , the rebadged Mazda Carol was also replaced. Mazda has launched a new Carol in December 2009, which was first revealed at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show . The Carol has been updated alongside its brother, the Suzuki Alto . Like the Alto, the Carol is available with AWD and CVT. As Suzuki released a replacement for the Suzuki Alto ,
462-700: Was replaced with the Carol 's 358 cc I4 in 1964, and the B360 was replaced by the Mazda E360 in 1967. A larger B600 pickup was introduced for the export market. It used a 577 cc version of the Mazda V-twin. List of Suzuki engines#F engine This is a list of automobile engines developed and sold by the Suzuki Motor Corporation . Suzuki is unusual in never having made
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#1732790150126484-548: Was used on Mazda's kei cars for some time. The Carol was produced for Mazda by Suzuki , and while it used the Suzuki Alto 's platform and mechanicals, its interior and boldly curved exterior were largely unique. Its round headlights and cute appearance were very much a product of its time and followed upon the heels of similar designs such as Nissan's Be-1 and Pao . It was either front (AA5PA) or all-wheel drive (AA5RA) and its SOHC 547 cc 3-cylinder Suzuki F5B engine produced 40 PS (29 kW) at 7,500 rpm. The Carol had
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