The Fronte Coupé was discontinued in June, 1976, as it didn't suit the new Kei Jidosha limits, nor the stricter emissions regulations.

The lowest priced CX model received microscopic hubcaps, painted black, as were the bumpers (chromed on better equipped versions).

The marketing campaign was further helped by an enthusiastic owner, the late LJK Setright, long-time CAR magazine columnist.

With demand always outstripping supply, British importer Heron Suzuki sold 4696 SC100s in Britain, where the car has since then gained minor classic status.

[citation needed] Nimag sold 3290 SC100s in the Netherlands, while the 1299 remaining cars were delivered to New Zealand, South Africa, and Latin America.

Based on the underpinnings of the recently changed Alto/Fronte, the Cervo now sported front-wheel drive with a transversally mounted four-stroke engine.

The new more aerodynamic body looked a bit more plain than its sharp predecessor, but the fastback shape echoed Giugiaro's original design.

In late September the more upscale CS-L (5MT) and CS-QL (2AT) were added to the lineup, offering (partially) fabric covered seats and a number of other conveniences at a starting price of 円687,000.

The automatic transmission was never too popular, offering only two gear ratios and considerably worse acceleration and gas mileage (down 20 percent), along with a higher price.

The mechanical changes were light: a slightly adjusted cam profile, the compression rate was upped to 9,7:1 (previously 9,5), the EGR and catalytic converter were improved and the engine received an automatic choke and transistor ignition.

There were also radial tired versions introduced, and disc brakes for the top-of-the-line CS-G.[19] The lineup also received an overhaul, now looking as follows: There was also a CS-M / CS-QM special edition (based on the CS-D) in either an all-white or an all-red paint scheme with a black-and-red interior (円633,000 / 円673,000).

A two-tone red-and-black interior and dummy hood scoop added to the Turbo's sporty looks, while the CT-G also received a rev counter.

The Alto Turbo gained fuel injection and other technologies, but the ostensibly sporty Cervo had to make do with a carburetted 40 PS (29 kW).

Suzuki were accentuating the Cervo's van capabilities this time around, with a squat, boxy rear end which gave the car an exceedingly bizarre appearance in combination with the front clip and door skins of the Alto/Fronte.

The C-pillar was very wide, the front part of the roof was made of glass, there was a small wraparound rear spoiler and a more prominent one at the top of the hatchback lid.

One nickname in Japan was "Airbrick", while others referred to it as "Yokocho Komachi" (横丁小町, "side alley beauty") - hinting at the Cervo's continued popularity with stylish young females.

The interior was no less unusual than the outside: a large gray and bright yellow diagonal pattern covered the seats while white gauges added a touch of sportiness.

Combined with the removal of certain tax breaks for small cargo vehicles, this meant that the Cervo's already narrow slot in the market had essentially disappeared.

When the new 660 cc Kei regulations were introduced, Suzuki decided to call it quits rather than spend a lot of money to update such a slow-selling vehicle and Cervo production ended in May 1990.

Eventually, the Cervo Mode developed into a full range of cars, coinciding with the discontinuation of the Fronte which had left a niche above the "regular" Alto.

[23] The Mode looked more pedestrian than previous Cervos, with the Maruti built version (the "Zen") in fact being marketed as the Alto in Europe and Australia.

Other special versions abounded, with the luxurious F-Limited EPI 3-door joining in December 1991 and the somewhat cheaper, carbureted M Selection in April 1992.

In July of that year, the 3-door, automatic only S Selection managed to find a slot in a pricelist now comprising a faintly ridiculous 27 variants.

The SR-Turbo lost two valves per cylinder but gained an intercooler in the process, bringing claimed power up to the same 64 PS (47 kW) as in the more expensive SR-Four.

In August 1996 the retro-look Cervo C (for "Classic") appeared, following the success of Subaru's Vivio Bistro and Mitsuoka's original Viewt.

A high-powered AM/FM cassette stereo was standard, as were power windows and locks as well as wooden details on the dash and steering wheel.

The metal bodywork was the same as on the Cervo Mode, but the front assembly was entirely different and chromed bumpers, mirrors and doorhandles added to the classic look.

[25] It was only available as a five-door with a four-speed automatic (with a manual mode in the turbo cars), and was marketed as a more masculine alternative to the MR Wagon.

This had a new, 64 hp direct injection turbo engine and a Jatco-made seven-step CVT transmission, the first time such a combination was available in a Japanese car.

[27][28] The SR is the only turbocharged Kei car to qualify for the lower tax grades for especially environmentally friendly vehicles, combining this with being the most powerful version.