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Welcome to our vibrant club! We are delighted to have you join us on this exciting journey filled with Figgy adventures.

Led by Sue and myself, our club is a warm and welcoming community dedicated to all things Figaro.

While I may not be a Figaro expert, fear not, as our club is filled with knowledgeable and friendly members who are eager to offer their support and guidance.

Your questions are always encouraged as we strive to make your time with us both enjoyable and enriching. Additionally, we are constantly seeking out fascinating stories and articles to share with our members, so please don't hesitate to reach out and share your Figgy love with us. Let's rev up those little engines and enjoy the ride together.

Beep Beep!

Kevin, Sue & Belle (Figaro)

Contact us here: sales@figaroownersclub.com

Featured Event

Isle of Man Figaro Rally & Festival of Motoring – Thursday 18th/Monday 22nd September 2025

We currently have 65 cars booked to attend this event next year so it is going to be a truly unique rally to attend. Just imagine all those figgies snaking their way up this winding road, flags flapping and horns beeping!

Book your place and room to avoid disappointment. There are only 6 rooms left in the Comis Hotel & Golf, Mount Murray Hotel.

Learn more/book

Figaro Care – Complimentary Inspection & Evaluation Service

General Manager Christian Brooks explains to Kevin what the service covers and how it can benefit the owner.

Discover the True Health of Your Figaro with this Exclusive Service. Take your beloved Figaro to The Figaro Shop for their award-winning “Figaro Care” service. Your Nissan Figaro will be treated to a thorough assessment covering every detail, from mechanical performance to exterior bodywork condition. Their expert technicians spend hours meticulously examining your vehicle, providing insights and recommendations tailored just for you.

Once the inspection is complete, taking around 6-8 hours, we share a fully customised multi-media report detailing the condition of your Figaro. You will receive a unique link to our online portal including a video of your car, a traffic light-style warning system and itemised quotes. From here, you are in control of what work you would like to proceed with, but there is no obligation. You are armed with the information to action as and when the time is right for you.

Roof Visor - (Wind/Rain Deflector) – Repair and refit video

The Polished Stainless Roof Visor (Wind/Rain Deflector) was one of 55 accessories and is attached to the door chrome trim via 3 sets of saddles.

They work very well enabling the owner to have the window open but stopping the rain from entering the cabin. One of the common problems owners encounter is they end up being pushed down and the saddle clips fall away from the chrome trim. I explain how they connect to the car and what the issues are and how to solve them. Read more

Have your say

On the 9th of May 2024, the UK government launched a call for evidence to gather views on how classic and historic cars can be preserved for future generations and boost jobs in the £18 billion classic car sector.

We completed the application but individuals can still do so if they wish. The document can be viewed by clicking on this link. Click here

NOTE: THE DEADLINE FOR RESPONSES IS 4TH JULY

Member Mia Braine interviewed for the Car TV program

Bangers and Cash

Mia explains more...

Owning a Figaro has added a lot of colour to my life. Bella is a joy to drive, and I love having people wave (or even hoot) at me from other cars, and chatting about her with people while being parked at the supermarket. However, I never expected to get a call from a TV production company asking to interview me about owning a Figaro.

The premise of Bangers and Cash: Restoring Classics, is that in each episode, the production company (Air TV) restores an iconic car and then resells it at auction through Mathewsons in Malton, North Yorkshire. One of their upcoming episodes will feature a Figaro, and they therefore needed a Figaro owner to have a chat with. They first contacted Kevin from the owner’s club, who gave them my details. I assume I was the lucky one because I am the club’s chapter coordinator for Yorkshire and the North East, and Air TV is also based in Yorkshire.

So, on a Tuesday morning a couple of weeks later, Phil the cameraman arrived at my house at 10 am. First, there was lots of chat about cars, but Figaros in particular, before we set off to do the filming. Initially, we just drove around so that Phil could see some places in the area, before stopping to discuss the shots he wanted to get. From then on, Phil went ahead to a spot, set up his camera or his drone, and then phoned me to let me know that he was ready. I then drove to the place where he was set up, while he filmed me driving past him. Once all the ‘action shots’ were done, we came to the actual interview part. By then a pleasant and sunny morning had turned rather breezy and chilly, and I didn’t know how I was going to talk to a camera while my teeth were chattering, and my feet felt frozen. The solution was for me to sit in the driver's seat while talking. Bella’s door was still open, but at least I wasn’t so exposed to the wind.

Phil really put me at ease by asking good questions or asking me to repeat things we had talked about earlier that he thought would be good to include. But the main gist of the interview was about why it is so great to own a Figaro, and about the joy Figaros bring wherever they are seen.

The whole morning’s filming will be condensed into perhaps about 60 - 90 seconds, but it was a lovely experience, and a great privilege to represent Figaro owners everywhere.

Members Raise £1,149 For Charity

During our Devon Figaro Rally 2024 back in April we held a raffle to raise much-needed money for Macmillan Cancer Support. We are delighted to announce that through the generosity of members, £1,149 was raised. 

The picture below is rally organisers Rob & Lynett Parsons and David Shepherd the local fundraiser for MacMillan Cancer Support. This brings the total raised by our fantastic members since 2010 to £10,850 😀

Engine Bay Heat Shield - £71.99

The Nissan Figaro is equipped with a turbocharger allowing the engine to produce more power, torque, acceleration and fuel economy from the 987cc powerplant.

The turbocharger works by using spent exhaust gas to spin a turbine which in turn forces air in the the engine to produce power. 

The front-mounted turbocharger generates a lot of heat and due to its position in the engine bay, this heat radiates very close to the under skeleton of the front opening bonnet/hood. To stop paint damage occurring from this excess source of heat, Nissan designed a reflective under-hood/bonnet heat shield situated just above the turbocharger to deflect heat away from the bonnet. Over time, and due to the age of the Nissan Figaro, these reflective mats have perished, fallen off or no longer perform as they should. The thin aluminium foiled unit has not stood the test of time and not only lacks the same reflective performance but looks unsightly. Read more

Front Seat Base Springs (set) - £24 Set

When you go to sit in your Figaro chances are you get that 'sinking feeling'. After 30-odd years, some of this damage is caused by the failing seat base support springs that are designed to flex and carry the weight of the driver and passenger.

Over time, these springs can corrode and lose their ability to hold this weight causing sagging on the seat base and a lack of support which can in turn stretch the leather and promote cracking. Read more

Member designs and 3D prints a new figgy-style radio!

We always knew our club members were pretty clever but Froggy (forum name) has taken this to another level. He has I bought a cheap Bluetooth/USB/SD/Radio and started creating a custom housing for it.

Froggy designed and 3D printed the enclosure including mounting brackets and knobs. After sanding, and spraying (with the interior ivory colour) he then applied water decals with the correct Figaro fonts and a few layers of clear coat. Talk about attention to detail. We say WOW, but what do you think? Read more: (login required) Read more

Buyers Guide – Published by us!

We have moved our Buyers Guide to our club website.

This document is divided into 3 colour-coded areas, before you buy, when you are viewing and when you get home. We have also included ‘Tips’ which are boxed in red and helpful nuggets of information.

Read more

Any colour of the rainbow

Looking for your own unique Figaro, but just cannot find the right colour? Colin and Lesley, proprietors of The Little Figaro Car Company can provide a good quality Figaro in any colour you like and the interior can also be bespoke. Get in touch with your requirements and budget.

Bespoke custom colours start from £10,995. Learn more

Dashboard end support bracket repair

We have seen several cracked dashboard support brackets over the years and indeed it is an item that we point out in our 'FIGARO BUYERS GUIDE', and ask people to check both brackets when they are buying the car. It is baffling why some cars appear to suffer from this and others don't.

The design is questionable as the location of the holes seems to be too close to the edge of the bracket causing undue stresses to produce small cracks, which end up growing over time. It is just another quirky feature of the car that needs to be kept an eye on. We have published an article on how a member fixed it by manufacturing a metal bracket which is one solution. Read more

Figaro Pin Badge by Juniper Fox Designs

These hard enamel pins are 25mm wide with a butterfly clasp on the back. They also come on a recycled velvet touch backing card finished with a hand-inserted eyelet and are £7.50 each. These are available in Lapis Grey, Emerald Green, Topaz Mist, Pale Aqua and Pink.

Read more/buy

... and Figaro Keyrings too

Each keyring is 30mm wide and comes on a recycled backing card with a velvet finish and they cost £8.50 each.

Keyrings are available in Lapis Grey, Emerald Green, Topaz Mist, Pale Aqua, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow and Purple.

Read more/buy

Ferry Full of Figs Video becomes TicToc Sensation

We are thrilled to announce that the short reel of our Devon Figaro Rally, featuring our esteemed member Mark Banforth, has garnered an incredible 93,000 views and over 100 comments (most of them are nice, lol)

It's no surprise that this video has been so popular, as it showcases the stunning beauty of the River Dart and the exciting energy of our rally. We are proud to share this video with the world, and we hope that it inspires others to join us in our passion for adventure and fun. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Watch it now on TikTok

3D Printed Figaro!

If like us, you just cannot get your head around how a 3D printer appears to create something like magic and would like to know more, then read this interesting and comprehensive article by Jeremiah Blakley.

You can now print yourself a Figaro at 1/24 or a 1/18 or as large as you can fit in your printer! Read more

Looking for a giggle?

Then you need to head over to Facebook's fun page Figaro Smiles.

The site not only covers everyday Figaro ownership issues, but it also includes a variety of fun articles which engage the user. Plus laugh-out-loud Figgy cartoons like this :)

Member Jane Ellison-Bates was thrilled that Primrose won this lovely award for second place at Thorp Perrow Classic Car Show on Sunday 26 May, in the Best Kit & Custom / Modified class. 

According to Jane, the entry involved driving into the ring and being interviewed in the rain over the tannoy by one of the judges. All very exciting, if a little damp. Primrose was at the show with three of her friends from the North East & Yorkshire chapter of the club.

Millport Classic Car Event

Saturday 22nd June 2024

Words and pictures: Ken Graham Scottish Chapter Coordinator

It was an early start for four Figs and their owners on Saturday 22nd of June as they headed for Largs in Ayrshire to catch the 8.15 am ferry for the short 10-minute crossing to the beautiful Isle of Cumbrae.

The event had been rescheduled from 11th May due to damage to a ferry restricting vehicle capacity. Sadly, this meant several members were unable to make the rearranged date including Pete Pattermore and Sandra Early who had planned a wee trip North to support their ‘adopted’ Scottish chapter!

Thanks to Kevin, Kirsten, Heather & Reid and Ken.

The 13th Figaroteam Holland Tour

Saturday 1st June 2024

Words and Pictures Tanja and Edwin Hess

Saturday, June 1, 2024, was the 13th Figaroteam Holland Tour day in beautiful South Limburg. The start was in Mechelen, at Hotel Brull. The parking lot was full of 28 Figaros, who after receiving coffee and real Limburgse vlaai, were eager to leave for the morning route.

The Figaros drove past the 3-country point, via Belgium and Germany, to the lunch location at Doenrade Castle. Although the weather was not good, there were still real die-hards who braved the rain and drove the entire ride with the roof open.

"The participants included Dutch, Belgians, Germans, Americans and an Englishwoman. A very colourful group!"

After a delicious lunch, it was time for the afternoon route. This beautiful route also led us through Belgium and Germany to the starting location in Hotel Brull, Mechelen. Figaro Team Holland was happy that all participants had finished in one piece.

After drinks and the awards ceremony, there was a barbecue for the enthusiasts with live music this time, where even the feet got off the floor! After the barbecue, some Figaro riders enjoyed themselves in the village pub of Mechelen until the early hours.

It was a very successful weekend!

Drive Your Figaro Weekend

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th June 2024

Over this weekend we were delighted to announce that 82 Members participated in our Drive Your Figaro Day (DYFD).

ENJOY THE PICTURES

Drive Your Figaro Day Eastern Group Meets

Saturday 15th June 2024

Words and Pictures by Eastern Chapter Coordinator Adam Woods

After last year’s March Drive Your Figaro Day (DYFD) was a bit of a washout with pouring rain, scheduling for June this year stood us a better chance of nice weather. Well, at least the rain this year was a bit more like a tropical storm with thunder and torrential rain! But we’ll get back to that later…

Meeting lovely Figgy Folk is ALWAYS a joy, so again for this year’s Drive Your Figaro Day, we decided to meet at two garden centres with big car parks 75 miles apart at either end of the Eastern Chapter!

Part one was in Essex over at Harlow Garden Centre, which has a nice cafe popular last year. As we headed out from Suffolk, the weather looked fine, but as we crossed the border into Essex, the clouds swept in, joined by a little rain as we arrived… but that wasn’t going to dampen our spirits as one by one Figgys pulled in and joined us from 11 am.

This Figgys and Chat format works so nicely as everyone just has a chance to chat and share their Figgy experiences, poking around each other’s cars… and not only is it lovely to catch up with Figgy friends we’ve met before but welcomes new club members and Figgy owners. And after a good chat, we all headed in for some coffee and cake and chatted some more…

"Time seemed to flash us by as suddenly it was time for us to leave as we were heading over to meet more Figgy Folk in Norfolk… but as we said our goodbyes, with a huge rumble of thunder, the sky’s opened and it poured down!!"

Part Two

But we had to crack on and get over to Bressingham Garden Centre, another popular choice from past years… and we had a little convoy drive planned too, so there was no time to lose!

The weather seemed to calm as we travelled the 75 miles, but as we neared Bressingham the gods were being a bit mean as the heavens opened again… seeing 5 of the 6 cars were there, we hung around until the final car arrived then headed in to catch up with everyone sheltering from the storm and indulged in some coffee and cake.

The storms kept rolling in, so we did our best to nip back out to take some photos between the showers and thunder, including with people by their cars!

Overall it was certainly fun to be out with our Figs on Drive Your Figaro Weekend, and as always fantastic to meet lovely Figgy Owners!!

Thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy the day, braving the storms!

Gordon Bennet Meet-Up

Monday 3rd June 2024

Words and pictures by Dolly Webb

Well, the Irish Chapter went in style on the 4th June 2024 to celebrate the Gordon Bennet day in Monasterevin.

What a display of beautiful cars including our own. To be in this show this year was amazing. We didn’t expect to be part of it but more enjoying the other vehicles. However, we were lucky enough to join all the festivities and line up proud as punch along the most amazing cars. We received our rally pack and went to the tea party where super delights awaited.

"We then proceeded to show off our figgys, which was a super attraction. Everyone flocked to see them."

We then listened to the Gospel Choir before heading to Traceys, an attached old house/pub for a BBQ and music to finish the evening. I want to thank all those who made the effort to attend especially Jackie and Sean who came from the North. Also to the Gordon Bennet Committee who made us feel so at home and so helpful at all times.

Sandringham Pageant of Motoring

Sunday 26th May 2024

Words and pictures by Eastern Chapter Coordinator Adam Woods

This year in the Eastern Chapter we decided to try a few different events to our usual Day Trips and do a mix of Figgy and Chats and Car Shows.

One that we had always wanted to do was the Sandringham Pageant of Motoring, in the Royal Parkland of Sandringham Palace in Norfolk. Featuring an impressive array of classic vehicles, craft and vintage traders, vehicle manufacturer stands, and live music, we decided to go ahead and arrange with the organisers to have a stand for the Club.

The tricky thing with having a club stand is that it is quite a commitment, as often members and their cars have to remain onsite for the full day, which often means getting there well ahead of the event officially opening, getting everything set up, and being around to welcome people. But it is oh so very rewarding…

But I’m getting ahead of myself, as we had a lot of planning to do first! I had our gazebo, and the club flag ready to bring with us, but what theme should we go for… After consulting with our lovely members who were coming along, we decided that a Japanese / British Picnic theme would be a great idea! Eilish and Peter would be assured to have the kimonos ready while Maria and Gary were bringing some bunting, and Claire and Clive brought some picnic gear and a fantastic Japanese cake! In fact, everyone brought lots of items and bunting galore to make the Japanese / British Picnic idea work. We also had another couple of members due to come along but an injury prevented them from joining us which was a great shame! But, onward and upwards, we would do our best to enjoy ourselves… So, we had the theme, we had cake, we had our cars… What else?? I remembered that on one of our recent Figaro Smiles playlists, a member of our Facebook Group had nominated a couple of familiar songs but in Japanese! Great – so Lukas and I had a good look around and managed to put together a playful playlist exactly on that theme, and you can access it yourselves on Amazon Music, by following this link. Click here

The week before had been quite a magical time with the Northern Lights playing across the sky, and so the prospect of attending an event at one of the Royal Family’s Royal Palace was quite exciting! But even more exciting is meeting Figgy Fans and the Figgy curious! It’s wonderful meeting such a great range of visitors to the stand, and letting them know all about the Figs! It’s brilliant when you meet fans coo-ing over the cars, the dad whose kid wants one, and of course the Figgy curious… those who sidle over trying to work out what the cars are, and whose eyes widen in astonishment as you tell them about the Figaro only being produced in one year, the lottery, being Japanese, the 55 accessories, that they are automatic, have power steering, and electric windows… the famous owners and the car’s idiosyncrasies! As always it’s the smiles that always steal the day – the joy, the happiness that these cars bring! One guy said to me, “I heard the laughter, so I knew that had to be the Figaros!”

   "I heard the laughter, so I knew that

had to be the Figaros!”

We had our bit of joy too, as the show’s organisers had asked if we would be happy to participate in an event at the Arena and drive the cars about while they were talked about… And Eilish did an amazing job of letting them know all about the cars and how special they are too!

The only dark cloud on the horizon of the day was a literal one… As we knew the weather might turn a bit wet… But we were so lucky, as other than one massive thunderstorm, the rain pretty much held off throughout the whole event.

As always with these things, it’s the people that make it, so as well as all the lovely people we met visiting the stand, I would like to take a moment to say a massive thanks to our wonderful members who did a wonderful job of greeting and chatting to visitors to the stand! Their passion and excitement for the cars was just wonderful to behold, a bit like the Figs themselves!

We hope that the video below helps capture some of the atmosphere of this most royal but fun event!

WATCH OUR SHORT VIDEO

Digital Clock Upgrade

Member Mark Williams bought a Figaro with a faulty clock so decided to fit a digital replacement

When we bought out Figaro back in 2016 one of the annoying little faults was the clock not working. Asking around people said, “You won’t repair it and you can’t buy a replacement”. We were stuck with a clock that was only correct twice a day.

I do a little hobby electronics and frequently get emailed with sales pitches for new electronic components. One of these emails contained a picture of a small circular TFT display, a GC9A01.

A colour LED display the size of a wristwatch. After checking the specifications, I decided this was the perfect size to replace the Figaro clock.

Now I needed to find a small microcontroller to drive it. There isn’t a lot of room inside a Figaro Tachometer, and I wanted to package it on a PCB on the back of the display. The Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller had been released early in 2021 and companies were now implementing the RP2040 chip on their development boards. The smallest I could find was the aptly named Tiny2040 made by Pimoroni.

BVAC Classic Festival of Motoring

Sunday 2nd June 2024

Words and pictures by Scottish Chapter Coordinator Ken Graham

Having made our debut visit to this show in 2023 many of the Scottish Chapter were keen to attend again. Set in the beautiful grounds of Thirlestane Castle in the Scottish Borders town of Lauder, and with over 1000 classic cars, motorcycles and other vehicles on display it is a wonderful day (or weekend) out. Six cars from Scotland signed up, and we were delighted when Katherine and Steve from Durham took advantage of the Borders location for a relatively short trip up North to join us and make seven! In addition, myself and Carol Newman, Lee and Craig Smith, Heather and Reid Martin, Libby and Trevor Welsh, Fiona and Les Reid and Deanna McGinney also attended.

On our previous visit, we had only attended the car show on Sunday, however, there is also a ‘Borders Scenic Drive’ on Saturday. So, this year, five of our seven cars decided to participate in the drive too which involved staying over from Friday to Sunday - Katherine, Steve and Deanna chose the B&B option, while Carol and myself, Lee and Craig and Heather and Reid chose two nights under canvas at the neighbouring (and particularly well appointed!) Thirlestane Caravan Park & Campsite! Lee’s barbecue catering on the Friday evening was wonderful and very welcome and we met some lovely other exhibitors in addition to the gorgeous Meg, an extremely photogenic border collie who was pictured with every one of our Figaros at some point during the weekend!

Saturday 1st June found the five drive participants registering at 10.30 am in front of the imposing Thirlestane Castle before being flagged off on the planned route. The drive was over 80 miles, but flexibility was built in for shortcuts or for anyone who wished to stop off and visit some of the many Borders attractions. We took advantage of this and after around 30+ miles we headed for a coffee and then to Selkirk for a bite of lunch and some sightseeing.

The Sunday show was excellent, with the usual high level of interest in our cars. I must thank every single one of the members who supported the event for their amazing enthusiasm and engagement with the public. I genuinely believe the way our members are prepared to chat with everyone who comes to our stand makes our wee club stand out from many others at Classic Car events.

"One of the highlights was our drive in the parade ring where the master of ceremonies talked about the cars a little before chatting to me and then handing me the microphone (very risky!) to do my usual Figaro Chat/History lesson!"

All in all a wonderful weekend, helped not a little by the fact it seems to have taken place on the two days which will probably be remembered as ‘The Summer of 2024’!!

Some of us have already booked our camping pitch for 2025 - although the dates have still to be confirmed the campsite owners take your booking and will phone you once the dates are fixed! Great service! Read more

Tayside Classic Car Show – Sunday 9th June 2024

In what was proving to be a busy start to June for the Scottish Chapter, just a week after our Thirlestane Castle weekend we were off on our travels once again to Errol Airfield (between Perth and Dundee) for one of our favourite events, the Tayside Classic Car Show. It’s one of our favourites partly because, on our first visit a few years ago, we won the ‘Best Car Club Stand’ award (we keep trying to regain it, but so far without success!).

Also, all proceeds go to children’s charities, and for members, it’s a favourite because of the location as it’s possible for those from a range of places in Scotland to attend without driving TOO far, at around a 1-hour 45-minute drive from both Glasgow and Aberdeen it is reasonably accessible.

Read full article and see more pictures

Figgys and Chat at Caffeine and Machine The Bowl Sunday 9th June 2024

Words and pictures by Eastern Chapter Coordinator Adam Woods

So, we thought of trying a new type of event this year where members could meet up somewhere, grab a beverage, and chat with other Figgy Folk… After all, sharing your highs and lows of Figgy fandom and ownership is good for the heart and soul… and even the bank balance!

So, this year over in the Eastern Chapter we are doing a couple of these new events that we’re calling Figgys and Chat.

Our first destination for this new format was suggested to me by a member. Some of you may remember the visit to Caffeine and Machine on the 30th a few years ago, so when it was mentioned that they had opened another venue in Bedfordshire, it felt like the perfect opportunity to get members together. So, we reached out to the guys at Caffeine and Machine and found a way to make it work so that the Figs could be the stars of the Yard!

"The weather was chillier than expected, but it was worth it as 10 cars attended with their wonderful owners, chatting in a chilled and friendly atmosphere."

What stood out to me was how everyone makes their cars their own… whether by loving the swirls of some of the original designs or making their statement in their own way. These cars do such a great job of bringing people together for that community feel that the club is all about. It’s fantastic catching up with old friends and making new ones! It’s such a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

And not only that but attending a venue like this helps our quirky cars reach out to the broader car-loving scene. The venue was hospitable and the team were so pleased to see something as different as the Figaro!

We’ll definitely be back again, not just for the Figgys and the Chat, but for the fantastic Figgy Family that the Figaro Owners Club helps nurture and support.

Thanks to everyone who came along… you’re all so fab!!

1991 Lottery Tickets

Application process and example of a winning ticket

On the 14th of February 1991, ‘NISSAN NEWS’ (the official media channel of Nissan Motor Co Ltd) published a 5-page Press Release telling the world about the Figaro. Contained in this release was an unusual statement about the car’s ‘Price and Sales Method’.

To understand why they needed to clarify this we have to rewind the clock to 15 months earlier when Nissan launched the car at the 28th Tokyo Motor Show (26th Oct – 6th Nov 1989).

The reaction to the prototype on display was unprecedented from both the public and dealers. Nissan had already decided to limit the production to just 20,000 units over three batches, so this left them with a problem: what do you do when you have more customers than available cars? The solution to offer 100,000 lottery tickets was both initiative and fair as it gave everyone an equal opportunity to purchase a Figaro!

The tickets were issued in three batches to match the allotment schedule of the factory.

The Lottery Process

Below is a scan of a leaflet translated into English that explains how the Lottery system works the processes involved in applying and how and when you are notified.

On the 14th of February 1991, ‘NISSAN NEWS’ (the official media channel of Nissan Motor Co Ltd) published a 5-page Press Release telling the world about the Figaro. Contained in this release was an unusual statement about the car’s ‘Price and Sales Method’.

To understand why they needed to clarify this we have to rewind the clock to 15 months earlier when Nissan launched the car at the 28th Tokyo Motor Show (26th Oct – 6th Nov 1989).

The reaction to the prototype on display was unprecedented from both the public and dealers. Nissan had already decided to limit the production to just 20,000 units over three batches, so this left them with a problem: what do you do when you have more customers than available cars? The solution to offer 100,000 lottery tickets was both initiative and fair as it gave everyone an equal opportunity to purchase a Figaro!

The tickets were issued in three batches to match the allotment schedule of the factory.

The Lottery Process

Below is a scan of a leaflet translated into English that explains how the Lottery system works the processes involved in applying and how and when you are notified.

Interesting Observations



1. February 14th was the 1st application date for 8,000 units along with the announcement about the car’s launch
2. March 14th was the 2nd application date for 6,000 units and the 15th of March was the deadline for the first application
3. April 6th was the announcement of who had won from the 1st application
4. June 16th was the announcement of who had won from the 2nd application.
5. June 17th was the 3rd application date for 6,000 units and the 15th of March was the deadline for the first application
6. June 29th was the announcement of who had won the 2nd application
7. August the 8th was the announcement of who had won from the 3rd application.
8. All cars were manufactured to order with a delivery time of 3 months after signing the contract
9. You had to take the application to the dealer you could not post it!
10. If desired you could withdraw from the process by not signing the contract within the given time frame
11. The car was no longer manufactured after 31st December 1991

Thanks to Claire Nicol for sending us a copy of the application form allowing us to carry out the translation

Members Gallery

We love it when members send in pics of their figgies so don't be shy.

Julie Janes sent us this picture of Colmworth Breakfast Meet which featured both of her cars.

Member Mandy Forder sent us this picture of a figgy get-together at Stody Gardens a few weeks ago. Left to right are Mandy, Debbie, Trica and Claire.

US Member Katy Abram sent us pictures of her picking up her Emerald Green Figaro. Along with her husband, they drove 6 hours from Pennsylvania to Virginia to look at the large selection at Duncan Automotive. It was like being a kid in a candy store! After looking at a few different Figgy’s we found our adorable new baby who has yet to receive a name. We are in love with this little car that will need some TLC, but we’re looking forward to making her our own with some refurbishment.

We are looking forward to learning more about our new family member! We're especially excited to find others who have redone their interiors. We need ideas!

Tessa Spencer sent us these pictures of our members enjoying Classic Wheels Rutland Showground last month. Judging by the pics it looks like perfect Figgy weather! The show featured over 1,000 classic vehicles alongside Autojumble stands, Food & Craft stalls, Live music, Children’s Entertainment and Club displays. We will be back next year.