Miguel Sánchez
With 126 million inhabitants, Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world. A fact that poses not a few mobility problems, especially when we take into account their population concentrations. Concentrations like Tokyo, which reaches 35 million if we look at the metropolitan area. So things, It is not surprising that the segment of "Mini-urban" be one of the most defining for the Japanese automobile industry. In fact, after World War II this was the most profitable type of car in companies like Toyota or Honda.
So much so that, in the eighties, the latter came to test new formulas for combined mobility. An idea that resulted in a two-vehicle solution, where the star would be the Honda motocombo. Designed to fit to the millimeter in the trunks of models like the 1981 Honda City, This folding minibike wanted to solve parking problems based on a very simple idea. While the trip to the center of the city would be carried out by car ... Transport in the densest areas would be done on board the Motocombo.
Something like what happens today when many people leave the utility vehicle in a parking lot to then move on an electric scooter. However, despite the rational concept, the Honda Motocombo did not work. Something that surprises, since mobility problems in Japan persist strongly to the present day. Therefore, companies like Mazda continued to think of solutions. So much so that, in 1991, the paroxysm of all of them arrived. Neither more nor less than a folding car in a suitcase: the Mazda Suitcase.
MAZDA SUITCASE. ANOTHER BRAND EXPERIMENT
Mazda is one of the companies with the most interesting technological history. At least in the field of motorsports, since since 1920 it has been developing innovative and refined cars. And that part of such modest beginnings that its first cars were only three wheels. However, thanks to its rotary engine saga, the Jinba Ittai concept and hits like the RX-7 or MX-5 Mazda is now one of the most exciting automotive companies on the world stage. A result that has come from constant experimentation, within which the conception of the Mazda Suitcase is inscribed.
In fact, Mazda itself encouraged experimentation among its engineers, calling contests to try to find solutions to different problems. At the beginning of the 90s, and under the name of Fantasyard, the issue raised was that of individual transportation in large cities. A challenge that encouraged Yoshimi Kanemoto and his group of collaborators to create the Mazda Suitcase in their workshops in Hirosima. According to popular rumor, after waiting for him at the airport, thinking about how comfortable it would be to have a folding car inside a suitcase to get off the plane and get out without having to find a taxi.
And attention, because as we see the thing about the suitcase is literal. In fact, while in other articles we tell you that this or that car is based on the platform of a previous model ... In the case of the Mazda Suitcase it is based on the largest Samsonite suitcase they could find. Something even more original than Morgan and its ash wood chassis. Of course, reinforced inside by a small folding steel chassis, which raises the set to 31,7 kilos.
MAZDA SUITCASE. A KART FOR THE CITY
Powered by a 34cc and 1'7CV engine, the Mazda Suitcase drives like a kart. Of course, controlling the time since its small fuel tank only guaranteed about two hours of autonomy. Movement that came after unfolding the suitcase. Act necessary to place the lights, the two rear wheels, the seat, the handlebars and start the engine by pulling a rope. A whole deployment that is barely sensed with the suitcase closed, since in that position the only differences with respect to the Samsonite of any tourist are the openings for the front wheel and the exhaust pipe.
So things, and beyond debates and free disqualifications so abundant in the comments of any social network, the truth is that the Mazda Suitcase is a show of engineering. The reason? Reduce to so little space and weight a vehicle with all the necessary attributes to circulate safely within an urban environment. Unfortunately it was never brought into production, the prototype being destroyed when it suffered an accident during testing. A loss that led North American Road / Race Engineering enthusiasts to rebuild it in 1994.
Photographs: Mazda and Road / Race Engineering
