Faults:

Fuel consumption very good, but servicing and parts costs are VERY High.

Some parts cost more than my Range Rover and need to be shipped from Japan as they are never in stock).

Significant rust after 5 years.

Engine needed rebuild at 100,000miles, and still burning oil.

General Comments:

Owned from new, and despite size, my only car for six years.

Great fun for whizzing around London, very rapid acceleration up to 40mph.

Lack of leg room and small fuel tank makes long distance motoring a pain.

Handling is very good, but not exceptional in the dry.

In the wet, the car becomes almost uncontrollable on sharp bends over 50mph and would be dangerous for a novice driver.

Tail very prone to drift on wet roads.

Once spun it on a wet supermarket car park at around 25mph.

Faults:

IAC valve is giving a ticking noise, but that can be sorted with a injector cleaner (See www.suzuki-cappuccino.com)

General Comments:

This is a superb little car that you have to drive.

The handling is unbelievable, but don't get cocky. I did and was very lucky. Make sure you respect this car. The rear wheel drive configuration means the back end is light, and in the wet you will need very quick reflexes!

The best bit though is the roof. 5 arrangements are possible. Very ingenious, and you will get attention. Do not buy if you are a shrinking violet. I have already had people shouting and staring!

Practicality is not a strong point. 4 bags of shopping, but if you can keep the passenger seat free, the foot-well can take quite a large bag. You will learn to pack with bags, forget suitcases.

Watch insurance. Although it has a 660cc engine, it is insurance group 13 and very expensive for anyone under 21. Plus there were only ever 1110 English spec cars made, so very rare. Make sure the one you get is English.

Parts are expensive. Turbo = 2000, headlight unit = 400 (pounds). You get the idea.

Faults:

Nothing significant.

General Comments:

This is a car for fun lovers, and not for people who want practicality. The Cappuccino is like a TVR Griffith that has shrunk in the wash - small, even next to an MG Midget, and with an engine size more befitting a motor bike. It is a three piece hard top convertible, which when converted, the panels stow in the boot (and leaves no room for anything else). Cramped in the cabin if you're over 6 ft tall.

Performance is surprisingly brisk for a 657cc engine. The car is very quick up to 40mph and can reach 60 in under 10 seconds (slowed because of the need to change into 3rd). Red lines at 8500 rpm, but can be taken past until the automatic cut off kicks in.

However, the main attraction is not performance, but how it handles. With almost perfect weight distribution, the car handles like a go-kart, and there's not much that can keep up on bendy roads. Some hot hatches may annihilate the car on acceleration, but take them down winding roads and watch them shrink in the rear view mirror. Saying that, DON'T try it when wet - the back end has a tendency to swing out in the wet even with fairly placid driving.

Faults:

Seized rear brake caliper.

General Comments:

If I hadn't had this car I would have missed out on lots and lots of fun.

Not many people know what a Cappuccino is, but loads of them are curious when they see it. The looks are cute, the performance is spectacular, considering the fuel consumption (40MPG+) and it's a real hoot to drive - even at 'sensible' speeds.

For those who appreciate automotive design, check out some of the features:

4 roof configurations, light-weight aluminium panels, double wishbone suspension, rear wheel drive and an 8500rpm red line on its 3-cylinder engine.

I wouldn't recommend a Cappuccino though to the following groups of people:

1) Large ones

2) Shy ones

3) Those who need boot space

4) Those who think of car as phalic symbols

To everyone else, you (probably) don't know what you're missing.