When we saw a Nissan Figaro on a Hong Kong street we were pretty impressed by its retro-stylings – the two-tone color, the rounded edges, the convertible top.

It tapped into the same vibe as a Volkswagen Beetle or MINI Cooper, but it seemed more fresh and new, and we couldn’t wait for the roll-out.

Then we did some research and had to hit the brakes. What we had been admiring was a limited edition car produced over 30 years ago in Japan.

Marketed with the slogan "Back to the Future," the Nissan Figaro was made available through a lottery-type system, with around 20,000 of them rolling off the assembly line circa 1991.

With a current value of US$5000 to US$40,000, the Figaro originally cost about US$18,000. A 2-door automatic with right wheel steering, this mighty mite can pack a punch, reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour.

But the real winner is its looks.

Fans find it cute like Hello Kitty and even one design critic at the New York Times said that the Figaro's "expressive face is worthy of Pixar Studios."

Who knows? Maybe Nissan will someday revive the model. One can always dream the Figaro delivers on its original promise and comes roaring back to the future.

IMAGES

Lead-in image by Tolulope Akanni on Unsplash; back card image by Alexa from Pixabay