Looking like it’s been restored, this rebadged Suzuki Cultus turbo was known as the Chevy Sprint Turbo here, and the turbo version is the one you want. This 1988 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo is posted here on Facebook Marketplace in Seattle, Washington, and they say it has a clean Texas title. I’ll let you decipher that. The seller is asking $8,000, and here is the original listing. In case you’re wondering, the seller’s asking price is about what it cost new.
The photos are a mixed bag, as almost always with Facebook Marketplace or craigslist ads. Sadly, the seller included exactly one exterior photo, one nice engine photo, and then three vertical interior photos. I got the rear image above from a video that someone took of this car, so yeah, not the best presentation here for such a nice-looking car. That’s always disappointing and mind-blowing to me. $8,000 for a Chevy Sprint Turbo will have enough negative comments, and then there aren’t many good photos to prove what a nice car it is.
The seats almost always look dirty and faded on these cars, but it’s one of the coolest patterns of all time, in my opinion. If this is a Texas car, I’d be worried about heat damage, but if it were a Seattle car, I wouldn’t have any worries about anything. Which one is it, seller? The exterior and engine compartment both look like a car that’s been subjected to a high-end restoration, it looks perfect. The interior also looks great, but the seats appear maybe not quite as nice.
We got the Chevy Sprint here in North America from 1985 as a rebadged Suzuki Cultus and the turbo version arrived for the 1987 model year. They came in white or red, and there were just over 1,500 sold in the U.S. in 1988, so there aren’t many left. We’ve only seen one 1988 turbo version here on Barn Finds over the years.
Is this a clean engine or is this a clean engine!? This makes up for not having many other photos, as it’s somewhat unusual to even get an engine photo on a Facebook or craigslist ad. This beautiful little thing is a Suzuki G10, a 1.0-liter (you read that correctly) SOHC inline-three (you read that correctly) with 70 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by a five-speed manual sending power to the front wheels, this car is… well, the seller doesn’t give much info at all, sadly, other than there’s no rust – the best news ever – and there’s AC. Any thoughts on this $8,000 Chevy Sprint Turbo?
Sweet little Sprint. The Turbo must’ve made these even more fun to zip around in. 😎
I still remember lookiing at these in the car magazines when they came out. I really liked them then, something about the red paint and white wheel covers ( this one looks just like the one I remember). Thing is, I dont remember seeing many, if any in person back in the 80’s. I still think its a neat little car. I’m impressed with the under hood condition too. As for the price? I don’t think theres a lot of these left and especially not in this condition. Nice find and a great write up Scotty!! I enjoyed it, thanks for the memories.
Double the HP of my kei truck Honda!
Not sure if 70HP & rocket go together.
Agree as its like the word jumbo shrimp as an oxymoron 😜😜😜😜😜😜
Maybe faster than a 21 speed bicycle or outruns a tractor 🚜
It looks in decent shape and give me a ticket red to prove to my friends it can go fast.
These were quick off the line….Surprised more than a few Fox body Mustangs at traffic lights. For a couple hundred feet anyway, then they beat me. Probably why I wore out two transmissions.
Test drove a new one from a dealer. Took a week to get the smile off my face.
Seems a mixed bag. The engine compartment is spotless, but the upholstery looks well worn. Bet its a blast to drive though!
These are amazing little cars. My friend bought one new, and it was light and pretty quick. My non-turbo Sprint (first new car) was not fast, but bulletproof and you could beat on it all day long (and I did!).
bt
I bought a new ER model sprint in Cedartown Georgia in Feb. 86. This rare model had a 5- speed. The 4th & 5th gear were both overdrive. This 3 cylinder Suzuki engine had only 46 horsepower. The regular sprints for the 86 model year had 48 horsepower.. One day on a trip my ER got a little over 80 miles to a gallon.of gas. I paid around 6k for the ER sprint.
I bought a new ER model sprint in Cedartown Georgia in Feb. 86. This rare model had a 5- speed. The 4th & 5th gear were both overdrive. This 3 cylinder Suzuki engine had only 46 horsepower. The regular sprints for the 86 model year had 48 horsepower.. One day on a trip my ER got a little over 80 miles to a gallon.of gas. I paid around 6k for the ER sprint.
I was thinking about this model and the Suzuki as I recently bought a new Buick Envista. Made in Korea with a 3 cyl turbo. A little more umph than the Sprint. (1.2, 137hp, 145 torque)
I have owned several of these turo sprints. 1987 to 1991. I built a normal 90 sprint into a turbo sprint with a wrecked one. Thing ran like a scared rabbit. Everything is different on a turbo and a normally aspirated one. Fuel tank all electrical, all exhaust etc etc. got 300000 out of it before the rust consumed it.
I have owned 2 Sprints, an 85 manual and later an 86 auto. LOVED the manual especially with the aforementioned overdrive 4th and 5th gears. It was easy to forget to hit 5th on the freeway as it was perfectly comfortable in 4th.
The automatic, on the other hand, started winding up by 55 mph and was pretty much screaming by 70.
Got all excited when Robert mentioned this car and a new Buick together. Thought we FINALLY got a new sub compact car in the states Googled it. Nope. Maybe some day
I owned a Red 1987 Turbo Sprint just like that, was a great car except It ate two transmissions in the 120k miles I drove it. If I was able to find another good transmission back in 1997 to replace the second one that wore ot Id have done it and drove it a lot longer. Shipped it to Europe in 1989 and drove it all over Europe from Bremerhaven, Germany to as far south as Rome Italy, but mostly in Tuscany before shipping it back in 1992 and when it needed the first transmission at about 60k miles and drove it until 1997 when it needed a second because it wouldn’t stay in 1st gear under load… donated it after buying and returning to bad used transmissions. Would have bought a NEW transmission then if I could have found one. You absolutely couldn’t get less than 38 mpg if you tried. I miss that car.
I test drove a couple of base Sprints in the 90s, both had the jumping out of gear problem. Later owned a 92 Geo Metro which didn’t,so they must’ve beefed up something in that ‘box with the body changeover.
Listing update: this one is marked “Pending”, did one of you make an offer?