The Autozam Clef is a
mid-size
Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in t ...
sedan that was sold by
Autozam
was a marque of Japanese automaker Mazda, specializing in small cars and Kei cars, many of which were Rebadging, rebadged Suzuki models. Autozam also briefly acted as importer of Lancia vehicles to Japan.
The Autozam dealership channel is stil ...
from 1992 until 1994.
It shared
Mazda
, commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan.
In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
's
GE platform with cars like the
ɛ̃fini MS-6 and
Mazda MX-6
The Mazda MX-6 is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive coupé manufactured and marketed by Mazda from 1987-1997 across two generations.
Mechanically identical to the Capella/626 and its hatchback platform mate, the Ford Probe, these cars shared t ...
coupe. The word "
clef
A clef (from French: 'key') is a Musical notation, musical symbol used to indicate which Musical note, notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff (music), stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to ...
" is a
musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system used to visually represent aurally perceived music played with instruments or sung by the human voice through the use of written, printed, or otherwise-produced symbols, including notation fo ...
, and Mazda chose it to signify that the Clef was meant to serve as a reference point by which other Autozam products would become to be known or regarded as. The Clef was mechanically related to the
Mazda Cronos
The Mazda Capella, also known as the 626 in North America and Southeast Asia, is a mid-size car that was manufactured by Mazda from 1970 until 2002. Sold in the Japanese domestic market under the Capella name, the vehicle was also commonly known ...
, but featured different bodywork, and rear side window designs.
The Clef had the same width dimensions as the Mazda Cronos which shared the 2.5 L V6 engine. The width, length, and engine displacement dimensions have particular significance in Japan, due to
dimension regulations, where Japanese consumers pay an additional annual tax for larger vehicles, and also had implications as to how much the annual
road tax
Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on, or included with, a motorised vehicle to use it on a public road.
National implementations Australia
All states and territories require an annual vehicle registra ...
obligation will be.
As the Clef was the top level sedan at Autozam, which was introduced as a retailer of entry level products to Japanese consumers, the width dimension presented an issue in that buyers in Japan were liable for yearly taxes, and because the Clef was largely identical to other Mazda GE platform cars, Japanese buyers who were willing to pay extra taxes for a wide car from Mazda had many choices and the Clef wasn't usually the first choice.
Of all Autozam products sold at the time, only the Clef exceeded the width dimension stipulation; other Autozam products were either
kei
Kei may refer to:
People
* Kei (given name)
* Kei, Cantonese for Ji (surname), Ji(姫)
* Kei, Cantonese for Qi (surname), Qi(奇, 祁, 亓)
* Shō Kei (1700–1752), king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
* Kei (singer) (born 1995), stage name of South Kor ...
class vehicles or
supermini products.
{{commonscat, Autozam Clef
Clef
A clef (from French: 'key') is a Musical notation, musical symbol used to indicate which Musical note, notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff (music), stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to ...
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Vehicles with four-wheel steering
Cars introduced in 1992