By 1976, Kei cars could have engines up to 550cc. In May 1979, Suzuki unveiled the SS40-series Fronte hatchback, sold overseas as the Alto. Power was from a choice of three-cylinder engines, a 539cc two-stroke or a 543cc four-stroke. One important market was those younger motorists who opted for a Kei car in the wake of the 1979 fuel crisis triggered by the Iranian Revolution. In addition, jolly colours such as “Apple Red” were intended to appeal to female consumers.
Meanwhile, some British motorists wondered if the Alto would be marketed in this country. Suzuki had been importing motorcycles since 1963; 14 years later, the concessionaire announced that it would soon distribute four-wheeled vehicles and 1979 marked the establishment of Suzuki Cars (GB) Ltd, to sell the LJ80 4WD utility and the mid-engine SC100 Whizzkid coupé via a network of 22 dealerships.
On July 1 1981, Suzuki GB began selling the Alto. It imported only the FX version powered by a 40bhp, 796cc three-cylinder engine, which propelled the tiny car to an 84mph top speed. A two-speed automatic was an optional extra in place of the standard four-speed manual gearbox.
One sales challenge was that Suzuki, in terms of cars at least, was a latecomer to the British market, following in the wake of Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Daihatsu. A further issue was that, since 1975, Japanese imports had been restricted to 11 per cent of the UK car market, so Alto sales would inevitably be limited. Suzuki GB initially planned to import only 200 per month.
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