Micra Jaguar

FX Meister

I was home in Ireland on holidays not too long ago and I saw this weirdish car driving in Clontarf. It looked like a old classic jag but a small version and the reg was 96. As I came next to it in traffic I saw a Nissan steering wheel and a modern interior, then as it drove off I could see it was actually built on a Micra base. Has anyone seen these things around? Are they hard to come across?

Ruatha

I think I know what you saw.

It's called a Nissan Figaro, there's a few around where I live in England. I think they're fairly expensive too. Not sure if it's based on a micra though. They have a 1.0 litre turbo...:cool:

Here's a pic:

BrianD3

A nissan figaro maybe?


BrianD3

dahamsta

Were they made as early as '96?

Lovely car. But then I like Smarts too.

adam

Tommy Vercetti

they were made around 1990 and 91 too

I hate them

unkel

I like it - it's different and looks genuinely retro

Tommy Vercetti

Originally posted by unkel
I like it - it's different and looks genuinely retro

so do Status Quo!

skibum

No, thats not the one he is on about, there is one floating about Bray, it looks like the one that "Inspector Morse" drove. It looks like a Jaguar from the front, and has a big boot, but the main body is pure Micra.

I also saw it parked outside Jim Rock motors in loughlinstown. They always have one or two unusual cars on the forecourt, replica ferrari, nice old merc (before somebody stove the front in) etc. :rolleyes:

dcGT

What an odd looking little car...I'm still not sure if I like it or not ...it doesn't look like a Japanese car at all. It looks more like something from Russia

I have seen something similar to this a few weeks ago, the front half of the car was like a micra c. 1995 (http://autooboz.site.kz/foto/nissan/nissan_micra(1993).jpg)
but there was a different front bumper and face stuck on (circular headlights etc.)

There are some good pics of the Figaro here:

http://english.auto.vl.ru/catalog/nissan/figaro/1991_2/


DC.

BrianD3

No, thats not the one he is on about, there is one floating about Bray, it looks like the one that "Inspector Morse" drove. It looks like a Jaguar from the front, and has a big boot, but the main body is pure Micra.

You're right. I do vaguely remember seeing a Micra with a Jag Mk2 style front end. Did a web search for it and found something called the Nissan Mitsuoka



BrianD3

John R

That is just wrong.

unkel

That's disgusting :mad:

dahamsta

ROFL

VeVeX

On one hand Nissan have built Skylines which are generally accepted as probably the best Jap 'Super car' series ever. On the other they have churned out some of the worst cars known to man. I have been unfortunate enough to come in contact with the hideous Figaro before . But after reading this thread and seeing the Mitsuoka , as much as it pains me to say its worse then the Figero.

Anyone who thinks either car is nice should get some counseling . If your looking for a retro car get a retro car! I honestly think these cars were created for a joke. Seriously what were these little Japs smoking?

robbie1876

Man, I have got to have me one of these:



It's horrendously fabulous.

BrianD3

More weird stuff on this page
http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?fakingitf.htm

Check out the Corolla XJ6 Estate aka the Copel Antiguo

BrianD3

dcGT

I would have thought there are patents on car designs that prevent the existence of the likes of the 'micra jaguar' (which I think is the most blatant copy). How can they get away with this? Do the laws not apply in Japan?

mike65

Speechless.

Mike.

FX Meister

Thats the very one Mike, looks like a dwarfed jag!! I wonder if the boot has more space as it extends more than the micra would. Horrible looking cars though. THe Figaro is kind of cute though, I wouldn't want it myself, but I have seen a few of them floating around.

BrookieD

I saw an this car on York Street on Monday Evening after walking up that was to collect my own car, it had a Jaguar on the bonnet also, stick on wooden dash, with Micra details and a mad boot, it was also fasing the wrong way on a one way street, owner must have lost it completly and abandoned the car LOL

G Luxel

96 ok ur right, the car was first built in 92. The reason it was built was there
was a revival of classic cars in japan in the late 80s. The original Austin II00 sold
only a few cars in the sixties. In the 80s the Vanden Plas Princess, luxury austin
IIoo was THE car to have as a classic car or everyday motoring in Japan. So many
of them were exported from the UK. Again in the eighties there were beginning to run
of importing them so in the 90s someone at Copel Motors originally thought
of buying brand new micras from the nissan factory in Japan and coachbuild them as
Vanden Plas Princess's.

Mitsuoka Motors which created the Viewt Jaguar is now a fully operational car maker after
the other big Japanese six automakers. Around 20,000 were built in the ten years up to 2002.
The then micra was replaced with the present model. On their website, Mitsuoka pledge that
they wish to restart production again.......... using the new model which as launched at the tokyo show in November. Anyone visiting the stand got a Tomica Model of matchbox size of which I enclose a picture here.

There has also been convertible versions of this car, as there was an original micra convertible available from 97.

The sportscar they also built is Le Seyde. Its built on a 200sx Nissan or Honda Prelude base.

The Nouera is actually a custom built Honda Accord, present type.

Of course there are many more retro cars built in Japan. Also including a very bizarre Subaru
impreza which has a Daimler front and chrome rear.

G Luxel

robbie1876 wrote:

Man, I have got to have me one of these:



It's horrendously fabulous.

This is another Mitsuoka coachbuilt car, Le Seyde, still being built. It is
based around a 200sx or a Prelude.

Gatster

Mitsuoka coachbuilt car, Le Seyde

Pimp my ride, daddio...where can I get one. I've ordered my 'Pimp Stick' off ebay, this will complete the look nicely.

cormie

I'd love to know where this picture was taken:


It looks exactly like one that was parked outside my brothers house which was a 91 and the owner was selling it for 8K. 91, electric windows, air con, convertable. It's quite a nice car up close:) Nice colour too!

Any idea if that's a good price?

G Luxel

Gatster wrote:

Pimp my ride, daddio...where can I get one. I've ordered my 'Pimp Stick' off ebay, this will complete the look nicely.

Also on ebay was this one, about a year ago, of course no one bought it.
The seller was looking for ten thousands dollars. It was for sale in japan
so you had to arrange the shipping. This one was built in 92 but what Nissan car
it is based on is a mystery to me. I had originally thought that this car came out in 2003. I was at a toy show in tokyo and there was a new one on the Tomica stand as they were launched a toy car version of it, about matchbox size

junkyard

It looks a bit like an Excalibur, which is an American recreation of a Mercedes SS I think. I came across this picture on the Internet.

G Luxel

one of these cars is now for sale at Kia Motors Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary. Its parked next to a Starlet with a chrome grille. I was expecting
it to be in the showroom. It does look very strange. A micra 4 door with the front and rear end of a Jaguar Mk2. I have no idea how much the garage is asking for it, probably about I0 or II,000 euros.

junkyard

Leave it to the Japs. to f**k up another classic design.:rolleyes:

G Luxel

You could also leave it to the Taiwanese.

It seems they havent yet got the 2002 new style Micra that we have.
So they offer the 98 micra and this one called the Verita.

What do you think? It reminds me of a Simca I000 from the front

http://www.nissan.com.tw/car/home/verita

Our man in Havana

G Luxel wrote:

one of these cars is now for sale at Kia Motors Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary. Its parked next to a Starlet with a chrome grille. I was expecting
it to be in the showroom. It does look very strange. A micra 4 door with the front and rear end of a Jaguar Mk2. I have no idea how much the garage is asking for it, probably about I0 or II,000 euros.

I must call in at the weekend and ask for a test drive!

mike65

Go on, now's your chance!

Nissan Mitsuoka Jaguar for sale

Be brave, very brave!

Mike.