Nissan Figaro long-term Part 7: 0-100km/h with a boost

Dean Evans
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Specifications

See All See All
Body type
convertible
Fuel Consumption (l/100km)
7.4
Fuel Type
unleaded
Maximum power kW
56
Maximum torque Nm
106
0-100 km/h
12.8
Pros
  • A pure happiness machine
  • Back to factory speed with a bit of boost
  • Summer is here, time to drop the top and enjoy!
Cons
  • A few horses have strayed from the power paddock
  • Three-speed auto isn't great for motorways
  • Classic radio needs a Bluetooth helping hand

Having owned this 1991 Nissan Figaro for over six months now, and racking up a rather unimpressive 500km, it has, however, undergone a lot of improvements.

The turbo was replaced, bits of trim and rubber replaced, fixes and fiddles were done, the radio was upgraded on the cheap, the fuel gauge was fixed properly, and even the vital but boring major maintenance was done with a new cam belt and crankshaft seal replaced.

 

Figaro is a convertible, Fiat 500 style, not that you'd know it from the profile and fixed pillars.

One thing I’ve not really had much time to get into is how it drives. Especially given we don't often review 33 year-old turbo Nissans. So here we are...

 

It’s fun, without doubt, and proof that fun doesn’t always have to be fast. With its 56kW and 106Nm, while it might weigh less than 900kg, through its three-speed automatic, Nissan quotes a 0-100km/h time of a rather relaxed 12.9 seconds.

Funny thing is, the Figaro is so busy and buzzy, it feels faster and with its turbocharger putting in a modest amount of boost (around 7psi), it feels faster, and certainly fast enough to challenge on David’s Suzuki Jimny (0-100km/h in 12.7 secs). Maybe he could carry a passenger…

 

It's a little thing, dwarfed by big SUVs, and doesn't take up much parking space.

Whether that intra-office drag battle actually happens is yet to be seen, but I did the next best thing and mounted our RaceBox performance meter to the Figaro to see what she’d do, and to assess if any horses had strayed from the power paddock over the last 33 years.

 

And yes, it seems they had…

With a boost gauge attached peaking at that factory quoted 6-7psi, the Figaro turned in a 100km/h sprint time of 14.5 seconds. Hardly sizzling.

 

Leftovers from modifying turbo cars in the 90s, a boost gauge and boost bleed valve.

While it was running clean and fine, pride meant it needed to at least be revived to factory specs, and that’s the beauty of a turbocharged car: there’s more power with a few simple mods… within reason.

 

I dug out my old 1990s Turbosmart T-piece turbo bleed valve, and starting screwing up the boost: not to Nissan Bluebird Bathurst qualifying levels, but creeping up a few psi at a time. Along with a tank of 98 octane and a temporary boost gauge to monitor and keep it all safe.

 

A tank of 98 octane and injector cleaner and new fuel filter ensured it was running its best.

Just to be sure, it was also given a pre-test tank with fuel injector cleaner; with so many on the market, a little research uncovered the important active cleaning ingredient is polyetheramine, so a trip to the local RepcoCheap found the cheapest bottle containing that, and in it went for a full tank, before a refuel of 98 octane.

 

Truth be told, come re-test time, I started at the wrong end of the bleed valve. The Figaro came on boost and hit with a mighty wallop of power – er, all relative, of course. Like being pushed in the back by your 6 year-old daughter. The Figaro immediately pumped in 1bar (14.5psi) of boost, and while that certainly raised a wry smile, it also hit and highlighted that the Figaro has a Nissan safeguard fuel cut defender, for such safety circumstances: that is, it cuts power immediately to prevent engine damage.

 

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, etc... 1.0-litre turbo four perked up with a few more psi.

Eventually trial-and-error adjusting the bleed/boost screw back to “about there”, the boost settled at a more sane 10-11psi. The result was actually backwards/simultaneously engineered to hot the faxtory time target, rather than  specific boost level. That 10psi resulted in another test and results of the magic target of 0-100km/h time of 12.9 seconds: I got 12.8 seconds, for the record, and was happy with that.

 

The turbo audibly spools up with a nice, characterful whistle, as boost arrives smoothly and the acceleration comes with a mild but kiddie-sized mean rush of speed. It’s never enough to break into wheelspin, but plenty to raise a smile from this driver, and with the roof dropped, such a fun little package with the sounds of boost and whistle and the merest hint of wastegate flutter.

 

It loves a motorway... as long as the driver doesn't mind 4000-4500rpm.

It’s still thrumming along at 4000rpm at 100km/h, and the speedo is quite a way off: 100km/h indicated is actually 91km/h GPS speed, so the Figaro loves the suburbs and just cruising along in the sunshine, with the ability to boost up and blast off when needed… all in perspective, of course.

 

 

With a decent percentage of speedo error, this is actually 100km/h.

Fun in loads, Figaro is a smile machine: whether people are happy with it or at it – the Figaro, it gets plenty of points, smiles and attention wherever it goes.

 

From a heavily smoking, leaking and barely driveable car in need of some attention just six months ago, I’ve tipped a few thousand and many, many hours of love into the Figaro to bring it up to a mighty higher standard, from its new rubber seals to its brand new bonnet badge.

 

Roof down, sunny day, turbo whistles, Nissan Figaro is made for Summer (and speckled roads).

Leak-free, all freshened up with gaskets, and a new turbocharger, while it’s not perfect - the seats could do with a freshen up, but that might be a job for the next owner - for now, this FGR091 should be seeing a lot more sunshine this Summer.

Until next time, when we wrap up our adventure.

Acceleration times (seconds)

Figaro:           Factory     FGR091@7psi    @10psi

0-30 km/h:         2.4               2.3                 2.3
0-40 km/h:         3.3               3.2                 3.2
0-50 km/h:         4.1               4.4                 4.0
0-60 km/h:       5.1               5.9                 5.0
0-70 km/h:         7.2               7.4                 7.1
0-80 km/h:         8.9               9.2                 8.8
0-90 km/h:         10.8            11.0                10.7
0-100 km/h:    12.9            14.5                12.8

BREAK IT DOWN
1991 Nissan Figaro
ENGINE: 1.0-litre turbo petrol four
GEARBOX: 3-speed auto
POWER: 56kW/106Nm
0-100KM/H: 12.8 sec (tested)
ECONOMY: 7.4l/100km
WEIGHT: 810kg
PRICE: Approx $15k (2024)

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