Japanese retro 'Mr Magoo' cars

magpie

Anyone know who those little Japanese retro-styled Mr Magoo cars are made by? They're kind of mint green, about the same size as a Triumph herald and have a bit of a Jaguar kind of styling to them. If you've seen them you know the ones I mean. There was one for sale at a place just before the red cow roundabout a week or two ago.

Gmodified

r u talking about nissan figaro

daggeredge

Figaro is based on the chassis and engine of a micra .....Have a little bit of inspector morse (nothing could match that red jag) in your backyard, don't think they're too expensive either they're only slightly more than a micra and have all mod cons (from a micra! It's ok I used to drive one) newer versions only a few years old from what i know

Gmodified

daggeredge wrote:

.......don't think they're too expensive either they're only slightly more than a micra and have all mod cons (from a micra! It's ok I used to drive one) newer versions only a few years old from what i know

yeah, this what i was thinking untill i seen the prices fro this car, only 20000 were made

crazy money for the car:

Nissan Figaro '91, Automatic, 1.0, 2Dr, Green, 77km, #8,500, Automatic, Phone Conor, Great Island Motors on (087)2784971.

magpie

Yep, that's them! They always bring a smile to my face when I see one. If I was rich I would definitely buy one for the missus. But at that price for a used micra I've got to say nein danke.

daggeredge

I always thought they were cheap enough! I'd get a 7 series first (and with some extra kit if it was a '91)At least you get apartment sized interior and BMW reliability!

DukeDredd

daggeredge wrote:

I always thought they were cheap enough! I'd get a 7 series first (and with some extra kit if it was a '91)At least you get apartment sized interior and BMW reliability!

This place is turing into a BMW forum...wake up man - they a pieces of sh1t!

alastair

The Micra based retro car that looks like a jag isn't the Figaro (a lovely car, but why only in automatic?) - it's a Mitsuoka Viewt, which you can probably pick up cheaper than a Figaro (for good reason - ugh!).
Nasty:


Nice

FX Meister

From the original post it's hard to know which one he means. But the Figaros are a kind of minty green. Those Jag looking things are so horrible, and when you see them in traffic they look even funnier than the pic above because they are so small. Oh and the Figaros are convertible too.

Gmodified

Mitsuoka Viewt it's horrible :eek:

stratos

A Viewt eh. Thank god finally. Ive bee'n like chasing those things around the last few months trying to get close enough to see what the hell it was. Always like 4 cars ahead in traffic or going the other way.

unkel

alastair wrote:

The Micra based retro car that looks like a jag isn't the Figaro (a lovely car, but why only in automatic?)

Agree with you there. I'm blessed for I've never seen that horrible cross between a London cab and a classic Jaguar, as always miniaturised and built by yet another a cyborg Jap

BTW the Figaro is based on the first generation Micra, not the new one or the previous and most common one

DukeDredd wrote:

they a pieces of sh1t!

LOL, your sources please?

magpie

I meant the figaro actually, there's something reminiscent of jag styling about the back of the car. LOL at the Mitsuoka...

Interceptor

If you take a look here you'll see that the money being asked for the car above isn't far off the mark. I've driven several Figaros and an S-Cargo and would be slow to draw direct comparison to the Micra. The Aston DB7 uses Mondeo switchgear, the Saab 93 was mostly Opel Vectra and the Nissan Skyline shares parts with the Primera but I don't see these cars being sent to hell as a result.

All Figaros are automatic and have leather upholsery. The swithgear and controls are trimmed with ivory coloured plastic and if you liked the Renault Twingo interior you will love the Figaro. Parts for servicing them are readily available but if you bang it into something expect a hefty bill.

If you ever considered running a Morris Minor or Austin A35 as everyday transport but couldn't be arsed messing with brake adjusters and suspension grease nipples then the Figaro is the way to go. A well maintained example will hold its value, and eventually level off but don't go buying one in the hope its value wil rise as the cost of keeping them running in Japan will always mean there is a ready supply for export.

I'd love one but it would be mildly impractical with two kids, though I'd buy an Austin A35 and use it everyday instead.

'c

Interceptor

Give Sussex sports cars a ring and ask about the day-to-day ownership of one of these. I bet you will be reaching for your friendly bank manager afterward.

'c

Interceptor

Merlin Car auctions had one a little while back and it was snapped up - anyone know of an Irish club for cars like the Figaro?

'c

Juan Pablo

alastair wrote:

- it's a Mitsuoka Viewt

Good god thats a crime against nature!

G Luxel

alastair wrote:

The Micra based retro car that looks like a jag isn't the Figaro (a lovely car, but why only in automatic?) - it's a Mitsuoka Viewt, which you can probably pick up cheaper than a Figaro (for good reason - ugh!).
Nasty:


Nice

Figaro was made for only one year in I99I.
Also available on the same chassis was the S Cargo, The Pao and the BE-I.

Mitsuoka have about 7 or 8 cars in their range of retro cars, all based on
current models like the nissan sunny, cedric, teana, 200SX and Honda Accord and Daihatsu Cuore. They make a few other things too such as a very narrow delivery van in the shape of the great Citroen H Van from France.

Viewts pop up from time to time on Ebay, usually over 2,000 sterling, but some of them were imported brand new when they were current, thats something you dont see happening here. One of the reasons that this
niche manufacturer appeared was that Japan could not get enough Mk2
Jaguars or Riley elfs and Vanden Plas I300 so a number of companies got in
on the retro replica trade. There are quite a lot of unusual cars created
as in the files ive downloaded here.

G Luxel

BTW the Figaro is based on the first generation Micra, not the new one or the previous and most common one

ok , but the viewt is based on the new one. see the download