Nissan Be-1

The Nissan Be 1 is a retro styled two door notchback sedan manufactured by Nissan for model years 1987 1988, and originally marketed solely in Japan at their Nissan Cherry Stores. Designed to be a fashionable city car, the Be 1 was marketed without any Nissan branding, by reservation only, and solely in Japan. Nissan's own design team made a design proposal (A), while industrial designer Naoki Sakai and an unnamed Italian design studio also provided proposals (B1 and B2). Sakai's B1 design was chosen, and with it, the name as well. Because of its origins at the Pike Factory, Nissan's special project group, the Be 1—along with the Nissan Figaro, Pao and S Cargo—are known as Nissan's "Pike cars." It, the Pao, and the Figaro are built on the Nissan March's underpinnings. In 2011, noted design critic Phil Patton, writing for the New York Times, called the Pike cars "the height of postmodernism"

Like the later Pao and Figaro, the Be 1 is based on the first generation Nissan Micra chassis. As such, it is powered by the 1.0 L (987 cc) carbureted MA10S I4 engine coupled to a choice of a 3 speed automatic or 5 speed manual transmission. This engine produces at 6000 rpm and of torque at 3600 rpm. The chassis included rack and pinion steering, independent suspension with struts in front, as well as 4 links and coil springs in back. Disc brakes were used in the front A large, electronically operated canvas roof was offered as an option The interior is very basic and notably features a large, centrally mounted speedometer. Like the original Mini, the Be 1 has a small bootlid (although it opens upwards) and a fixed rear window and is thus a two door sedan. Nissan themselves has sometimes classified the car as a "coupé".