Nissan Figaro

...market’.

Nissan were a very conservative run company producing well made & reliable cars but aside from a handful of models they would hardly get the adrenaline pumping. Young Japanese buyers would rather buy Honda or Toyota as they were more focused on the ‘youth’ market & ‘cool’ to be seen in.

THE PIKE FACTORY

With the help of some young & inspiring engineers Nissan produced three highly individual ...
...They were built by a Nissan special projects group called The Pike Factory, who had also produced another niche model for Nissan in 1985 called the Be-1.

Their first new project car was called the Pao (say it POW!), a rather boxed shaped utilitarian looking three door hatchback which looks like it had been influenced by the old war time VWs. It featured a grille that wouldn’t look out of place on a 1950s electric fire, external door ... more

It is hard to imagine as we stumble through this awful recession & see many global companies cancelling projects, paying off staff & closing factories that around twenty years ago one huge Japanese company gambled with its profits & produced a series of whacky looking vehicles in an attempt to ‘reconnect with its younger market’.

Nissan were a very conservative run company producing well made & reliable cars but aside from a handful of models they would hardly get the adrenaline pumping. Young Japanese buyers would rather buy Honda or Toyota as they were more focused on the ‘youth’ market & ‘cool’ to be seen in.

THE PIKE FACTORY

With the help of some young & inspiring engineers Nissan produced three highly individual models that were to be produced in limited numbers.
They were built by a Nissan special projects group called The Pike Factory, who had also produced another niche model for Nissan in 1985 called the Be-1.

Their first new project car was called the Pao (say it POW!), a rather boxed shaped utilitarian looking three door hatchback which looks like it had been influenced by the old war time VWs. It featured a grille that wouldn’t look out of place on a 1950s electric fire, external door hinges, loads of painted metal inside & it had a back to basics look about it. Only 10.000 were produced & it was a sensation in Japan, modern cars are designed to appeal to as many people as possible & not offend, the Pao was the complete opposite & that is what made it special.
Under the body was established Nissan Micra mechanical parts which guaranteed it would be cheap to run & be 100% reliable.

Next came the weird & wonderful S-Cargo van (picture # 4), a modem interpretation of the old Citroen 2CV van, this time it looked like it had just come off the set of a Walt Disney cartoon with its bug eyed headlamps & Mickey Mouse ears styled door mirrors. Based on the parts of the Nissan Sunny this whacky looking van was a sales sensation & had so much appeal for small businesses that required a van that attracted a lot of attention. Many made their way to the UK as personal imports & one ended up in the design museum in London.

However, it was the third & final model that really got things stirred up; the Figaro was introduced at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show under the slogan "Back to the Future" & was based on the K10 Nissan Micra but influenced by 1950s /1960s European coupes. Only four colours were ever available which symbolised each season of the year, they were Emerald Green (Spring), Pale aqua (Summer), Topaz mist (Autumn & it’s beige) & Lapis gray (Winter), all had white interior with leather seats & matching dashboards.
It was all tastefully done with period looking dials with chrome bezels, fake Bakelite controls & chrome fittings & even the radio CD had a retro look about it. The roof would fold electronically into the boot at the touch of a button leaving the side panels & windows in place.

Outside the rear boot lid was hinged from the rear with a separate boot below housing the spare wheel or a sliding drawer similar to vehicles from the post war era. The door mirrors were a mixture of white & chrome & there was an abundance of chrome on the grille, around the wheel arches & lamp surrounds. All very retro & all very tastefully done with only Figaro badges added, there would be no Nissan badges on the outside of the vehicle.

It looked classy & a bit different, despite its small size the body was quite heavy compared to a standard Micra so Nissan used the 1000cc turbo charged Micra engine from the Japanese market models matched to a 3 speed automatic gearbox. It wasn’t the fastest thing on four wheels but progress was still acceptable.
The Figaro was designed by Shoji Takahashi, who won a design competition with the car, only 8,000 were originally to be made available with an additional 12,000 added to production numbers to meet demand. What Nissan didn’t take into account was how popular it would be, after the public got their first viewing over 100.000 people put there names down for one. Rather than use the ‘first come first served’ principal, Nissan decided to have a series of lotteries & 20.000 lucky people got their tickets plucked out the hat & were able to but their new Figaro.

DRIVING THE FIGARO

They aren’t the most exciting cars to drive but there is something special about them & performance becomes the last thing on your mind. As you step inside you can only be impressed with the retro look. The chrome ringed dials with elegant white readings look impressive, as does the chrome heater controls, the white & chrome steering wheel & that retro looking but modern radio CD. Even the key is special & unique to the Figaro, it looks rather elegant.

Although they lack features usually found today on modern cars you have to remember this cars was originally sold in 1990. Although it does come with air conditioning, electric windows & a rather smart electric folding roof you won’t get ipod connections, key less entry or built in Bluetooth connections.

You do however get four seats although the rear ones are likely to be used by small children rather than two larger adults. Boot space is limited but this is not a car intended for long haul journeys.

These cars were never intended to be sold outside Japan, so don’t expect European safety features. There are no air bags or anti lock brakes, but everything else is up to modern day standards.

They all come as automatics, there is no manual version. The little 1000cc turbo charged engine is neatly fitted under the bonnet & these cars shared their mechanical components with the early Nissan Micra. This means most fast moving parts are easy to find & are reasonably cheap, however the cosmetic stuff can be expensive as its unique to the Figaro & this is because only 20.000 were made which is rather small numbers in the ‘car business’. Companies like Nissan usually produce cars to be sold in millions which drives down the cost of components.

As you start up & drive away the Figaro is quite smooth, the little engine is only harsh when it’s pushed to the limit. Automatic gear changes are fairly smooth with a sensitive but effective ‘kickdown’. The power steering is a bit too light but the brakes are very progressive & secure. The turbo charged engine’s performance is best described as adequate as your pulling around a rather heavy car for all its size. It is zippy enough around town but gets a little strained on the motorways.
Handling is best described as adequate; the Figaro is not the type of car to push to the limits on corners but either was the early Nissan Micra which it’s based on. Having said that it is still safe & secure & not likely to be of any great concern.

BUYING ONE TODAY

You need to take into account that these cars are nearly 18 years old & just like any other car they corrode. Most have been used for low mileage runs & have been garaged which helps but corrosion can still be a problem. The more you pay the better Figaro you will get, many have been refurbished & they do hold their values very well indeed if they are in good condition.
Although they do use reliable Micra components do remember that the turbo charged engine was never available in the UK so getting parts for that along with the interior & body parts will be harder than a normal car & quite expensive. Only one single engine component is the same as a UK sourced engine. There are many companies on the internet that do specialise in obtaining parts.
A turbo charger can cost around £650.00, which is quite reasonable for a new unit from Japan. Replacement radio CDs are very expensive, although Clarion will repair them for around £250.00.

Make sure the cars have a service history which includes regular oil changes for the engine & the automatic gearbox.
Engine rocker shafts have been known to fail, they slacken off & cause a lot of damage, timing belts have been known to break & should be changed on a regular basis.
There are a multitude of coolant hoses which after 18 years have seen better days, one in particular cannot be seen form under the bonnet & if it leaks the lack of coolant can cause major problems before the temperature gauge warns you of a problem. Door locks often sieze up & keys wear out quite quick.

CONCLUSION

It was a brave move by Nissan to produce a car like the Figaro in such small numbers all those years ago. They did produce something that now has a strong cult following, something that still looks classy today as it did 18 years ago & something that holds its value very well indeed. I believe that the best ones will continue to hold their value in the years ached & that the car will eventually hold a classic car status.

SPECIFICATIONS
Engine
• 1000cc MA10ET turbo charged engine SOHC 8 valves
• Compression Ratio: 8.0:1
• Max Power: 76 PS (56 kW; 75 hp) at 6000 rpm
• Max Torque: 10.8 kg•m (106 N•m; 78 ft•lbf) at 4400 rpm
• Fuel Delivery: Fuel Injection
• Fuel Consumption 38mpg
• Fuel Type/Capacity: Regular Unleaded/40L (8.8 gal.)
Various devices
• Steering: Rack & pinion, power assisted
• Suspension: Four-wheel independent
o Front: Strut-type
o Rear: 4-link, with stabilizer bar (anti-sway bar)
o Front Wheel Drive
• Brakes: Ventilated front discs
• Tire size: 165/70R12 77H
Colours
Exterior body colors:
• Emerald Green (6K8) 6000 produced
• Pale Aqua (6K9) 6000 produced
• Lapis Gray (7K0) 6000 produced
• Topaz Mist (7K1) 2000 produced
Interior colors:
• Main color:
o White
• The following parts come the same color as the exterior body:
o Top of dashboard
o Steering wheel horn button
o Seat piping
o Carpet
Options
• Uniquely designed CD/Tape/Radio stereo (dealer option)
• Manually-retractable trunk tray
Features
• Safety equipment and front seat restraints
o Three point seat belts
o Rear seat: Three point seat belts
o Driver's seat belt not fastened warning (buzzer)
• High-mount stop lamp.
• Genuine leather seats standard equipment.
• Low mount head rest for classic appearance.
• Synthetic leather piping is used for the prevention of leather fatigue.
• High quality paint on interior and exterior.
Mechanism
• Retractable top which became one of Figaro's unique trademarks
o External design completely hidden in boot.
o Equipped with a double lock and warning buzzer as a safety feature.
o Secondary hood latch designed so the hood should not open while driving or by accidental activation.
• Rear window heater on glass.

 

...less