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Nissan Figaro - co-founder of retro design

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Created on March 4, 2020

Reading time 6min

Written by:

Daniel Koch

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

43

Werk Nissan

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Archiv Automobil Revue

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Courtesy Bonhams

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Archiv

1

Bruno von Rotz

43

Werk Nissan

21

Archiv Automobil Revue

1

Courtesy Bonhams

1

Archiv

1

Nissan Figaro (1991) - Nur 20'000 Stück wurden gebaut

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Etwa so gross wie ein Nissan Micra

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Viel mehr Retro geht nicht

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Das Design stammt von Naoki Sakai und Shoji Takahashi

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Als wäre er aus den Fünfzigerjahren direkt in die Neuzeit gefallen

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Stand für das Design der Gutbrod Superior Pate?

Bild von Partner Planai Classic 2025 Inline 1

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Offen macht er am meisten Spass

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Der Strassenfloh sieht ganz schön nostalgisch aus

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Kaum jemand kennt den seltenen Japaner

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Vorgestellt an der Tokyo Motor Show 1989

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Freundlicher Blick

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Die technische Basis stammt vom Nissan Micra

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Nicht sportlich, aber ausreichend motorisiert

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Die dritte Bremsleuchte lässt ahnen, dass der Figar nicht sehr alt sein kann

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Macht auch geschlossen eine gute Figur

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Im Innenraum verraten die modernen Lüftungsdüsen, dass es sich um ein Auto neueren Datums handelt

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Vollständig ausgestatteter Innenraum

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Ledersitze und Teppich verströmen etwas Luxus

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Klassisch anmutendes Lenkrad

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Nur erhältlich mit Automatikgetriebe

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Es existieren nur wenige Linkslenker

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Radio-CD-Kassettengerät für die musikalische Unterhaltung

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Keine verräterische Digitalanzeige auch bei Tacho und Drehzahlmesser

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Sogar die Kontrollleuchten sind im Retrodesign gehalten

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Das Kofferräumchen ist sehr übersichtlich

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Kleine Haltestange rechts, damit der Deckel nicht zuklappt

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Gestylt bis zu den Rückleuchten

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Beachtlich exakte Spaltmasse für eine Kleinserie

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Liebevoll gestaltete Scheinwerfer mit Chromringen

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Verdeckkasten mit aussenliegenden Scharnieren

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Der Figaro-Schriftzug findet sich auch am Chromrahmen wieder

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Rückspiegel, die zum Design passen, aber in den Fünfzigerjahren wohl kaum so gestaltet wurden

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Türgriff in Chrom

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Blinker der Ichikoh Industries, für Nissan gefertigt

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Die runden Rückleuchten passen bestens zum Retrostyle

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Nissan Turbomotor mit 106 Nm bei 4400 U/Min

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Der kleine Turbomotor leistete 76 PS

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Die Leistung reicht für den Kleinwagen bestens aus

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - 998 ccm Motor aus dem Nissan Micra

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Das Verdeck wird unter eine Klappe am Heck verstaut

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Vermutlich steht da: "Am Hebel ziehen, um das Verdeck zu schliessen". Sicher sind wir aber nicht

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Nissan Figaro (1991) - Vom Konzept zur Kleinserie hat es knapp ein Jahr gedauert

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Gutbrod Superior (1951) - Wurde 2012 vom Auktionshaus Bonhams versteigert

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Gutbrod Superior (1953) - Mit Benzineinspritzung, fotografiert am Autosalon in Genf

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Gutbrod Superior (1950) - Kleiner Zweisitzer

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Nissan Be-1 (1987) - Strassenfloh aus Japan

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Nissan Be-1 (1987) - Stadtflitzer

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Nissan Be-1 (1987) - Der erste Kleinwagen der "Pikes Series" genannten Nissan-Kleinwagen im Retrodesign

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Nissan Be-1 (1987) - Schlichtes Cockpit

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Nissan Be-1 (1987) - Funktionales Inerieur

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Aussen angeschlagene Türscharniere

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Zweigeteilte Heckklappe

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Mit Dachreeling

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Die hinteren Seitenfenster werden hochgeklappt

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Ausser der Lüftungsdüsen erinnert nichts an ein Auto der Neuzeit

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Schlichter Innenraum

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Winteridylle

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Nissan Pao (1989) - In der japanischen Werbung darf natürlich der Dinosaurier nicht fehlen

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Nissan Pao (1989) - Mit Faltdach für die warme Jahreszeit

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Kompakter Allradler

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Allradzwerg

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Auch ein kleiner Geländewagen darf einen Bügel tragen

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Das Design erinnert an den Land Rover Discovery

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Das Reserverad trägt er immer mit

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Nissan Rasheen (1994) - Mit Karomuster und Holzapplikationen

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Nissan S-Cargo (1989) - Kompakt-Transporter

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Summary

Launched in Tokyo in 1989, the Figaro was available in little more than a year and saw a rush of buyers like few cars before it. It followed the Nissan Be-1 and the Pao, which many consider to be the first cars to be designed in a retro style. The small, pretty Figaro is even more exotic today than it was then and is rarely seen - no wonder, with only 20,000 vehicles built. Underneath the bodywork, which is reminiscent of the 1950s, is the technology of the Nissan Micra.

This article contains the following chapters

Retro design
Figaro design inspired by Germany?
Let the sun in
Elaborate conversion
Micra size
The trade press gives good marks
Almost 30 years later
On the cusp of becoming a classic car

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Visitors to the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show were ecstatic when Nissan unveiled the Figaro, as it struck a chord with the design-loving Japanese. It looked as if it had been catapulted into the Japanese metropolis in a time machine from the 1950s. And it was the star of the show. After just over a year, the concept car became a retro small car that was actually available to buy. However, the rush was so great that Nissan was forced to raffle off the planned 20,000 units among buyers. The design came from the pen of Naoki Sakai and Shoji Takahashi. They were also responsible for the Nissan Be-1, the first small car with a retro design, which was launched in 1985.

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