It brings to mind the Citroën 2CV, Renault 4, Mini and Fiat 500. One of the best retro concepts I've seen.
Retro - before retro became modern.
I remember when it was introduced in 1991. At that time I myself drove a modern Nissan. I imagine 1991 must have been a good year for the Japanese car brand. The cars here at home, the Micra, Sunny, Bluebird and Laurel did not appear particularly exciting. Lots of plastic and thin metal. You could probably say that Nissan at the time sold well despite its appearance. But I can confirm that the cars started and ran regardless of the weather - and were just as tight and fine after driving around the world a couple of times.
Could have sold many more
Nissan had tried its hand at retro projects a couple of years earlier. The Pao and the S-cargo van concept (a pun on the French word for snail). Neither of these were particularly successful, at least not outside of Japan at the time. Then came the Nissan Figaro. Like its predecessors, I believe it was a project aimed at the Japanese market. Left-hand drive cars were never made, and I don't think Nissan could - or cared - to supply enough cars to meet demand. They could have sold many more than the 20.000 produced in the one year the car was in production.
Japanese with British features
I read about the car in the British car magazine Car . I expected them to be critical of the Figaro and ridicule it. They didn’t. The car journalist, who drove it in Japan, liked it – obviously. The Figaro is a very grateful photo subject and graced the pages of the glossy car magazine. I think it was perhaps the Figaro’s British-inspired design that made the difference.
Rare bird
The Nissan Figaro was actually imported and sold in the UK. The price was just under 10.000 GBP, about the same as a Nissan Sunny 1,3. But the Nissan Figaro was never an everyday sight. Until now, – now the retro car has become a vintage car. On a few hectic pre-Christmas days in London, I discovered no less than four examples in great condition. I posted pictures of them on Instagram under the hashtag #whencarsmatchplaces . Rarely have I seen a car that matches the classic buildings in London's West End, Knightsbridge, Kensington and Notting Hill so well. When I think about it, a Nissan Figaro would decorate any city street in the South of France and Italy, too. But given the fact that Nissan only built right-hand drive cars, the Figaro is less interesting for continental Europe and Scandinavia. I read that there should be about 10 registered cars in Sweden. One car is mentioned in Norway. It had Østfold plates, – but in the vehicle register it is currently deregistered. Hope it gets on the road soon!
Sales advertisement on Finn.no
Micra-based
Based on the Nissan Micra mk1, the Nissan Figaro is very much a drivable car with durable and modern mechanics. The engine is a 1,0 liter turbo engine with 76 horses. There was probably no regular Micra engine in Europe. In any case, I can't find any trace of this engine in contemporary Micra's, but the engine is considered to be very reliable - like everything else from Nissan at the time. Undercarriage, wheel suspension and brakes must be identical to the Micra.
Hobby car
The Figaro is decorative, drivable and an easy object to maintain and refurbish. It is rare and guaranteed to attract attention. That makes it well suited as a hobby car - a car to shine up and go to car meets with. An alternative to newer 2CV or Renault 4. Prices are between 12.000 and 16.000 Euro. If you take care of it, you will probably get the same for it when you sell it.
Facts
Drive:
Engine: 1,0 liter turbocharged petrol engine, 76 HP, 106 Nm at 4400 rpm
Engine code: MA10E-T
Gearbox: 3-speed automatic
Weights and Measures:
Net weight in kg: 810
Length, width and height in cm: 3,74 / 1,63 / 1,37
Wheel size: 165/70R12
Number of seats: 2+2
Description:
2-door cabriolet with folding roof. The same principle as i.a. Citroen 2CV and 500C. The driveline and undercarriage are taken from the Nissan Micra mk1. Standard equipped with automatic transmission and power steering. Interior retro design with, among other things, white leather seats, Bakelite knobs and retro-inspired instruments.
Colors:
According to the brochure, the car was produced in only four colors – one for each season. These are as follows:
Emerald Green, Pale Aqua, Lapis Grey, Topaz Mist
The interior and the fold-down top are always in white.
PHOTOS
Click on a picture to see it full size!
YouTube: "Fifth Gear" mentions the Nissan Figaro.
Things to watch out for: The soft top cover can shrink and crack. It costs £250, but the worse thing is that moisture can then get into the seats. The radio units are unreliable. They can be fixed for £300. The engine is very reliable, but watch out for blue smoke. It may indicate that the turbo is broken. It costs £650 to fit a new one. The video is from 2012, so expect higher prices today.
