The humble Nissan March has been a favorite target for many retro designs. Over the years Nissan has used the March as the basis for its own retro designs like the BE-1, Pao, Figaro, and S-Cargo as well as the Bolero. The miniature Jaguar inspired Mitsuoka Viewt is probably the most well known non-Nissan conversion but there are others. Those mentioned have been fairly well covered here already so instead we will look at some of the less known conversions, many of which were offered by the aftermarket.
Here are the stock March/Micra examples in K11 and K12 form. The K11 ran from 1992 to early 2003 with a minor facelift in 1997. The K12 was introduced in 2002 and ran to 2009 with a revision in 2005.
Many of these conversions were avaliable in kit form so there are many variants with the exact specifications varying from car to car. Body style could be two door, four door or convertible depending on the owner’s preference. First up is this Fiat 500ish conversion based on the K12 Nissan March. Being the later March that means these were avaliable at the same time as Fiat’s own 500 reboot.
A Fiat 500 but now with four doors! Perhaps a reason to pick this one over the modern Fiat 500? The steel wheels with the partial hub cap is a good and economical look for a modern car aping a classic one.
The interior of this particular example features plenty of fake wood but other similar examples were outfitted with totally stock interiors.
Coming around to the rear view I think there are some genuinely classic elements as the tail lights look like Rover/BMC/Austin (classic) Mini units. It is actually not a bad choice all in all.
Here is another Nissan March looking like a Fiat 500 but now with moon disc style hubcaps. The front end is reasonably faithful … until we get to the windshield area.
They did the best they could with the rear view.
This example features a much more stock looking interior. Sadly, all most none of these I have seen for sale features a manual transmission.
Here is another one with a different tail light style that is more Beetle than 500. These less square units are probably a better fit aesthetically however.
Around the other side however the front appears to be a mix of Fiat 500 and classic Volkswagen Beetle. This one is a 2008 model.
If the previous one was not Beetle enough then how about a Volkswagen New Beetle inspired Nissan March? This one is badged as a 2007 which meant it could have been had at the same time as the Volkswagen but again could the owner could select one with four doors as opposed to only two.
No flower vase like a genuine Volkswagen New Beetle! The interior is a nice match for the vibe the exterior is putting out.
The rear view displays a rather unique attempt at an oval window.
As one of the more unexpected conversions is a tribute to an ADO16 Princess as featured on this 1997 Nissan March. The Vanden Plas Princess made almost no impact outside of the UK but apparently the Japanese love them. Tatra87 has done a full write up on one which is well worth checking out and he was able to identify these as a kit called the Mooku Tokio Princess produced by Mooku Industrial Design for the K11 March.
The dashboard features fake wood which feels very on brand for the Princess which also featured a big slab of wood. The gauges have an overlay to look like a set of separate Smiths gauges.
Being kit based these could be had in convertible form which is quite fun.
This one features an upgraded interior which works reasonably well with the exception of the alarmingly raised horn button.
The side view is not the best view but I think we have seen worse.
The rear view is more successful with a replaced bumper and perhaps an original item for the tail lights.
Used by permission from https://www.flickr.com/photos/quicksilver_coaches/36751590962
There are a few other lesser known (musical themed) variants; the Bolero, Tango, Polka, and Rumba. These were built by Autech and appear to have been sold by Nissan dealers. This 1996 Tango features revised front styling that frankly feels a bit half hearted at best and budget JC Whitney style aftermarket at worst.
This 1997 Nissan March Bolero highlights some alternate style that works reasonably well on the front end. It was marketed as a luxury variant of the March with an upgraded specification interior.
The rear view highlights some rather less well integrated styling including the fake looking bumpers right over top of the stock rear bumper. The tail light conversion is more successful.
Tatra87 has provided us a lovely write up on the Rumba which was similar to the Bolero but (allegedly) more sporty looking. The chrome over bumpers were dropped for the Rumba thankfully. It shares the Bolero tail lights.
Only the Bolero managed to make the transition to the K12 generation but came out looking rather different. This 2008 model year gives me some Lancia vibes with that grill but these later Boleros seem less cohesive and special than the earlier ones.
The rear view offers less difference from the stock car but it was still considered to a be a bit upmarket. There is still a vestigial remainder of the chrome over bumper.
Certain March models could now be had with 4WD including this lightly retro (mostly limited to the grill) Rafeet, again built by Autech.
Given all these amazing conversions which is your favorite? The stock car? Or perhaps one of the well polished Pike cars? Or does your taste run on the wild side with one of the more obscure conversions featured here? For myself I would have a hard time choosing and my answer would likely vary daily but for now I will go with the lovely and unique Pao.
Anything like the ADO16 princess sold well in Japan when the used import racket kicked off, a mate of mine was shipping cars in both directions,
Some of the March variations can be complied for the road here and are seen in traffic some arent roadlegal here Mitsuokas Viewt being one of those, but those Nissan Marches as built by Nissan are still everywhere,
Ive been working and parking in a factory staff car park there are several Nissan March/Micras there everytime I am,
At shift change people on their way in or out stare at the Hillman Superminx estate parked there, its easy to find in a car park, my silver C5 blends in with everything else.
Thanks for this look at some oddities, David. Of the conversions, I think my favourite would be the Fiat 500-ish one you opened with. I’d have to say I never took to the styling of the K12 and I’m not surprised so many companies tried to improve it. But that ‘500’ just looks right. Some of the others are more different for difference’s sake.
Arguably NIssan started this juggernaut rolling with the Pike cars – would so many companies have tried customising the humble March otherwise? I’d quite like a Pike car, but it’s so hard to choose which. My son had a little friction toy S-Cargo when he was a boy, so not that. Either a Be-1 or a Pao, I think.
As a Fiat 500 owner I’m amused by the imitation Fiats, they are roomier but less sophisticated than the real deal with the 1.4 Multi-Air and 6 speed automatic. Have you seen any with painted dashboards like the Fiats?
I’m not surprised there is an ADO16 kit, the Japanese love the Vanden Plas version and even the awkward looking Allegro version.
My favorite retro Marches are the Viewt and the Pao, I’d really like a Viewt done up Inspector Morse style in maroon with a vinyl roof
I think a Viewt with a manual five speed and the bigger 1.3L engine would be a lot of fun.
A great selection. I’m quite a fan of the March/Micra being a blank canvas for such retro treatment, my favourite here being the ADO16 but I do ultimately prefer the Mitsuoka and Pike cars if I’m being honest.
Interestingly, the 1996 Tango you show is on UK plates, so was quite possibly a personal grey import for someone at some point, unless it’s a UK spec Micra and the body kit had been imported. Either way, it’s sadly looking a bit worse for wear now.
I think the K11 Micra looks like what the BMC Mini would have looked like, if they hadn’t stopped updating the styling in 1965. The K11 was assembled in the UK and they were everywhere but the subsequent versions have never been as popular.
Similarly there were lots of Figaros around, but rust seems to have claimed them all now.
I would love a deeper explanation of the economics of these “kit” conversions. Maybe it’s just my viewing skills, but it seems that most of these conversions require new panels on both ends if not also sides. And that’s before one gets into something like cutting the roof off of a car and turning it into a full-on convertible (hopefully with added body strengthening?).
Just how many of these kits were sold?
When I think about mass-market (i.e., cheap) kit cars, I am still stuck in the JC Whitney catalog days where one could get the Rolls conversion (a new hood with attached grill) for their VW, or perhaps other relatively minor Beetle conversions. But most of these March conversions look a heck of a lot more complicated than what one could have done in their driveway with a wrench back in the day. How could one of these things be better than simply buying a different car altogether?