The Pick of the Day is a 24K-kilometer 1991 Nissan Figaro listed by a Virginia dealership on ClassicCars.com.
When it comes to primary, daily-driver cars, utility and practicality are typically at the top of the list for most buyers. Commuter cars need to be inexpensive, comfortable, and good on gas. The criteria changes for second or (especially) third vehicles. That’s when things like styling, performance, and exhaust sound can be moved higher up the list of requirements. If you’re going to spend extra money on a vehicle you don’t need, you should get something you really want. If you desire something that’s relatively rare and absolutely distinctive, take a look at this 1991 Nissan Figaro.
After its debut at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, the Figaro was put into production as a 1991 model – and that’s it. Nissan decide to make only 20,000 of them for customers in Japan (although some sites such as this one show that number reached 20,073). To manage demand and make sure the number of orders for the 1,870,000-yen model didn’t exceed the planned sales volume of the three planned production allotments, the company devised a lottery system.
Those who ended up with Figaros of their own got an undeniably cute two-door that looked as if it was made in the 1960s, not when the Sony Walkman was a hot item. The color palette consisted of four light and pleasant options: Lapis Grey, Emerald Green, Pale Aqua, and Topaz Mist. Better yet, buyers also got a contrasting fixed roof with a retractable soft top inside of it.
The retro theme continued inside, where the white leather seats were surrounded by white gauge dials and cream and chrome-like controls.
According to Nissan, the Figaro rides on a 7.5-foot wheelbase and only weighs 1,786 pounds. Output from the MA10ET turbocharged 987cc I4 was correspondingly modest: 75 horsepower and 78 lb-ft of torque. A three-speed automatic sent the tiny engine’s output to the front wheels.
It must’ve been frustrating to want one of these back in the day and have to enter a lottery for a chance to get one. Luckily, things are a lot easier now. Nissan Figaros passed the 25-year mark a long time ago, which enabled them to be imported here. This 23,981-kilometer (14,901-mile) specimen has a price tag of $39,643. That’s a good chunk of dough for a car you don’t need, but hey, if you want something this recognizable, unusual, and stylish, it’s worth it, isn’t it?
Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
Source: www.classiccars.com