Ah, the Suzuki X-90, a vehicle that when it was new back in the mid-90s I did not have the time of day for, however nowadays I absolutely appreciate the whimsy and chutzpah exhibited by Suzuki in releasing it. I daresay that it was in some odd way (or many odd ways?) ahead of its time back then, but one of my neighbors around the corner has somehow accumulated two of them in far from showroom spec, making them (and him too) all the more interesting.
This is obviously the one I refer to as the Captain America edition and it showed up a couple of months ago. The stripes remind me of a “retro” faded Captain America red white and blue on black T-shirt one of the kids picked up at Target some years ago, and the wear on this one makes it even better than if it were shiny and new. The chrome lower cladding and the oversize wheels are just extra icing slathered on this little cake of delight. Someone hand me some fireworks, it’s feeling like the 4th of July!
From the front you just see the red Suzuki badge, probably good for an extra 5hp, perhaps a welcome increase from the stock 95 that the little 1.6l 4-cylinder mill underhood produces. Only built for three years (1995-1997), these are body on frame and while I am not sure, I’m guessing that since we are in Colorado more than likely they are both 4WD versions as opposed to the rear wheel drive that was also available. The Chrome mirrors add a little more flash to the package as well. Pop the standard roof panels off and you have a wonderful little all-season plein-air conveyance.
New to the neighbor’s party is this light teal one with gold accents via the Subaru inspired BRAT striping as well as the alloys. The owner came out as I was shooting these pictures and expressed amazement that I liked the BRAT accoutrements, that being the thing he was debating to get rid of. No Sir, they make the car in my estimation. I mean, it’s not like the other one is showroom spec either.
From this angle you can see that the Superhero got into a little scuffle a few days back resulting in a scraped cheek. Ah, no matter, slap one of those large novelty band-aids on it and it’s just another bit of character to stuff into the overflowing bag of it that it already has. And the BRAT has the rear spoiler which is really just showing off at this point, perhaps the result of a further late night “Hold my Sake” moment in a Tokyo design studio circa 1993.
Here’s the full glory of the BRAT-tyness, if you had merely described the modifications to me I’d be giving a little side-eye before shifting my conversation to whoever was on the other side of my barstool, but in person, oh yeah, Jimmy likes! But the basic package is so right to begin with, how can adding the BRAT vibe be wrong? Two seats, a trunk, removable top panels, some space behind the front seats, RWD or 4WD, most likely a stick shift, and some ground clearance for our crumbling infrastructure. Name it Charli if you want to be even more up to date. Or a year out of date I guess…
It’s surprising (or not?) that only 7,205 were sold over three years in the United States. Japan bought 1,348, Australia apparently got just under 500, and Europe signed up for a few as well and probably some more went other places too, but the total can’t really be many more than maybe 15,000 worldwide, can it? Suzuki was hoping to be able to send 2,000 a month to the U.S. alone (according to Car & Driver) but there wasn’t enough wacky tobaccy to get that many people to sign up for one back then at the new price of around $16,000. Maybe if they’d just done these special editions from the factory…? The world can always use a little more levity.
With the exception of the Red Bull themed version with the huge can of the fizzy drink on back that were used for marketing purposes by that company, these are the two funnest ones I’ve seen to date. This one even sports a plethora of additional badging, assuming it’s all correct this is then a 5-speed 4WD Fuel Injected and ABS equipped version. Seems kosher to me. My only problem is I don’t know which one of the two I’d want to drive more, although the lucky owner can just switch back and forth as his whim dictates.
Related Reading
Suzuki X-90: Ahead Of Its Time?
Suzuki X-90: Barbie Would Drive One Of These
Suzuki X-90: A Cross Between A Miata And A 4Runner – I Want One!
Was this supposed to replace the Samurai and Geo Tracker(forgot what they called that model in Suzuki speak)???
I wish Suzuki had stuck around to compete with the Jeep Wrangler. Always felt competition helps improve the breed, it was maddening that Jeep had that niche uncontested for decades. Toyota had the 70 series Land Cruiser but never sold it here.
I really liked these when they came out. If I had been a bit older and actually buy new cars I could have easily had one of these. The seem to have a cult following and go for a good price these days. The BRAT vibe looks good on that one. But so does the Captain America theme.
Personally I thought they were pretty cool when they came out and am a little surprised that they didnt’ sell a bit better. If it was released a decade or so later maybe they would have had more success. Of course the 2 seat thing is a big hurdle to get over in the US though for a commuter particularly some place where it snows it seems like it would have been a good choice. Sure not as economical as a Civic but probably not particularly worse than a Subaru from that era.
I agree with you that the Captain America version has that well work graphic T-shirt vibe which works well on it. I’m also very surprised how well the Brat stripe works and wonder how someone came up with one and figured out that it would work so well on the X-90. Though it makes me want to remove the trunk lid and fit a couple of seats back there. Speaking of which maybe if they did a version w/o a trunk lid it would have sold better.
I think they’re cute, and somehow seem to encourage having more than one. Heck, if I were your neighbor I’d probably wrangle up a whole flock of them (more than 2, for sure). Yeah, they only seat 2 so they are hardly family-friendly; but who says that a family of say 5 can’t move about in a formation of 3 or 4 of them at once? That would turn something like a family night out for pizza into a movement resembling a Shriners parade. And what could be more fun than that??
My mom had a Samurai which she loved. She drove it for years and probably never once thought of upgrading to one of these when Suzuki sent them as a replacement for the Samurai. I rode once with her in the Samurai and vowed not to do that again. (And passed on inheriting the Samurai when that became a possibility…good thing, as I’d probably still have it.) Capt America or the Brat might be a better experience since you do have kind of a roof and the whole thing looks a bit more substantial. I also used to routinely drive first generation Vitaras in the Caribbean (on the left side of the road up and down mountains)…so I guess the basic underpinnings are basically decent.
You definitely need to post an update should more X-90s appear in that driveway.
Each to their own, you be you and all that but I’m slightly relieved the breeding pair is across the water.
But if they’re yours, please enjoy as you wish……
Cars of great comic idiocy, but here’s a thing: they’re Suzukis, and damned if that company doesn’t make cars that never die, so those many of those that were, still are. This effete-looking roofless phonebox – or half a Mazda 121 bubble with a tall head – is in truth a tough-bottomed separate-chassis, dual-range 4wd. Plenty of owners have tried to kill such Suzukis, but the cars have still been mournfully alive at the funeral of the same.
They really have passed from ’90’s excess-mobiles – excesses don’t have to large, you know – into rather delightful oddities. I hope your neighbor finds many more.
I’ve owned two Suzuki’s, both motorcycles. Excellent bikes with a distinct design culture. The X90 definitely didn’t come out of that environment. Although the moto guys came pretty close with something known as the Gladius. It got almost as much ribbing in the motorcycle press as the X90, and lasted about as long. Interestingly, like the X90 it was a bizarrely restyled and softened version of a well-liked prior model.
SWEET ! .
I recently bought a different CAMI car and am loving it .
This one is tiny and I bet I’d rock it .
-Nate