| Nissan Pao | |
|---|---|
 Nissan Pao finished in Aqua Gray | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Nissan Motors (by Aichi Machine Industry)[1] |
| Model code | E-PK10 |
| Production |
|
| Assembly | Oppama Plant, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Designer | |
| Body and chassis | |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.0 L MA10S I4 |
| Transmission | |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,300 mm (91 in) |
| Length | 3,740 mm (147 in) |
| Width | 1,570 mm (62 in) |
| Height | 1,475 mm (58 in) |
| Curb weight | 720–760 kg (1,587–1,676 lb) |
The Nissan Pao is a retro-styled three-door hatchback manufactured by Nissan for model years 1989–1991, and originally marketed solely in Japan at their Nissan Cherry Stores.
First announced at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1987, the Pao was available with or without a textile sun roof and was originally marketed without Nissan branding, by reservation only from January 15 through April 14, 1989. Orders were delivered on a first come, first served basis. With 51,657 applications for the vehicle, it sold out in 3 months.[2] The UK's GTR-Registry website provided updated production figures in 2022 with per-colour code quantities, and a total production quantity of 31,352.[3]
Because of its origins at Pike Factory, Nissan's special project group, the Pao – along with the Nissan Figaro, Be-1 and S-Cargo – are known as Nissan's "Pike cars". The promotional campaign for the car included a surreal and futuristic animated video featuring members of the Pike Factory team.[4]
In 2011, noted design critic Phil Patton, writing for the New York Times, called the Pike cars "the height of postmodernism"[5] and "unabashedly retro, promiscuously combining elements of the Citroën 2CV, Renault 4, Mini [and] Fiat 500".[5]
- ^ "Brief History | Corporate Profile | Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd". Aichikikai.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2010-10-18. Retrieved 2012-09-01.
- ^ "日産：NISSAN MUSEUM" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2015-09-17. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
- ^ "GTR-Registry.com - Nissan Pao PK10 VIN Table". Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ^ "Nissan Pao promotional film". 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ^ a b Phil Patton (2011-03-18). "Nissan's Cartoon Cars, Once So Hip". The New York Times.