With its external door hinges, round headlights, and distinctively vintage silhouette, the Pao's design channeled many different 1960s cars, from the original Mini to classic Renaults and Citroëns. All of them are incredible, but today we're focusing on the 1989-1991 Nissan Pao. Called the "Pike cars" after the Nissan Pike factory that built them, the group comprised four retro models: the Figaro, Be-1, S-Cargo, and Pao. But fewer are aware that Nissan made a number of other retro-styled JDM cars in the late '80s and early '90s. Most car nerds will know about the Nissan Figaro, a 1950s-inspired fixed-pillar ragtop convertible that went full retro before it was cool. Also, it has one of the greatest names ever to appear on a car badge. Unlike the Veloster, however, the Minica Lettuce was designed specifically for shopping. The Lettuce was developed in partnership with a Japanese grocery store chain and featured an asymmetric door layout (two on the passenger side, one on the driver's side) much like the Hyundai Veloster. Despite all that tech, the Dangan ZZ only made 63 hp-but then again, you don't need all that much in a car that weighs less than 1,600 pounds. The latter (pictured) came with a dual-overhead-cam sub-1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine packing a novel five valves per cylinder. But it wasn't until the sixth that the produce-inspired Minica Lettuce and itty-bitty hot hatch Dangan ZZ were introduced. Sold in Japan from 1962 to 2011, the Minica lasted eight generations. The Mitsubishi Minica was a member of the Kei car class, meaning it was among Japan's smallest road-legal vehicles. We promise this list isn't made up entirely of cars with funny names (our pal Aaron Gold already wrote that list).
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