This Nissan Pao Isn’t A Sports car, Exotic, Or Pedigree Rich Racer, It's Just Different.

This week we squeeze into an unusual Japanese car: a 1989 Nissan Pao. The smitten owner of this adorable compact city car, Godis Sanchez, tells us what it was about the pastel teal retro-mobile that lured him.
After first discovering the limited production Japanese domestic market hatchback, Godis says, “I told my dad, ‘You know, that looks like a little wagon that never decided to grow.’ It was perfect. It's just a weird car, and I like that-the weirdness of it. It has it's own character. It looks like it came out of a Pixar movie.”
Japanese cars have become more collectable than ever thanks to a growing fanbase and, in recent years, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 25-year grey market vehicle import exemption has enabled stateside enthusiasts to dabble in foreign market autos that were never sold new in North America.
While select cult-followed Japanese Nostalgic Cars, such as the Nissan R32 GT-R, are more mainstream, enthusiasts like Godis dared to differ from the common imports with surprisingly positive results. “I like the fact that people come and ask me about the car. I like that when you're passing by, they don't know what it is. They give you thumbs-up everywhere you go,” Godis says smiling, “To me, I didn't want a GT-R. I wanted something special, something different.”
With an estimated 50 horsepower, the excessively accessorized car is more about style than speed. “It demands for you to be sympathetic with every input you put into it and to be gentle with it. You're not going to be speeding in it; this is a city car. 0-60 is dependent upon what you had for dinner last night.”
But don’t let the Pao’s portion-control-proportions fool you. Once inside, it’s roomier than you’d expect thanks to its clever, minimalistic packaging. “Seeing such a tall guy coming out of such a small car, people wonder, ‘How'd you get in there? Do you fit?’ People don't realize there’s nothing in there other than the dash, panels, and a couple switches. All you have is space.”
The Nissan Pao isn’t a sports car, exotic, or pedigree-rich racer, “It's just different, and different is always good-especially a car that makes you smile. That's always a good thing.”
Drive Tastefully®
Petrolicious.com
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[@hammer86_]

"If you need to purchase one you're gonna come to me" "Do you sell them?" "I don't"

[@HelloTheNamesJeremy]

lmfao

[@nitefors]

Hahaha, yeah. What the heck was that about :D

[@jake77515]

Yeah there are like 5 of these for sale in Dallas.

[@geofbrit59]

Bring-A-Trailer has one for sale every few months.

[@josecortez5213]

It totally gravitated towards it

[@falseshepherd6611]

Kudos to the cinematographer.

[@itxtztz]

Thanks!

[@ThePhillkillv2]

Hey, excellent work on this one. Would you know the name of the artist that starts to play the slow jazz towards the end? Once again, great work.

[@mockngbrdy]

Beautiful shots esp. towards the end

[@itxtztz]

Sultry by Daniel Millidge

[@silvertoy_]

False Shepherd ,

[@user-do6rj3ny1j]

My grand father assembled this!!

[@terrificspokesman7416]

Did he also assemble the S Cargo and Figaro

[@AWildKappa]

@@terrificspokesman7416we may never know

[@AdrianosClassicGarage]

The japanese car culture is so fascinating... It goes well beyond the JDM/ricer memes!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

That's what the 'modern' Mini should have been, not the oversized and overweight thing BMW gives us.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@Joakim Henrikson Exactly! Mini's should be small, nippy, maneuver through traffic easy! Imagine an EV with the performance of the original John Cooper Works edition, and no congestion taxes, because EV.

[@kennethj1956]

"Looks like it could've come out of a PIXAR Movie" ....haha! So true! OMG! The wheels have heart cutouts....so Japanese.

[@bluebearbank247]

Good catch man! I went back to the video to see if it's true. Yeah, you are right, the wheels have heart shape cutouts. I'd say only Japanese would dare pulling off something like that.

[@erichakanson7010]

the Nissan (ka-) Pao looks like a Japanese Mini Cooper. While its not my cup of tea, I'm so glad some people like it. its good to have these things around to create auto diversity. I wouldn't buy one but I'd like to drive one. and this car is quintessential petrolicious. not everything has to be rare and expensive to be interesting.

[@chrismckay3868]

looks like a mix of Australian Mini Clubman mixed with Mini Moke with some Japanese panache tossed in.

[@henji_6331]

It's more a Renault 4

[@frenchouillard]

0 to 60 depending on the dinner you had last night ! ahahahaha! That's a pick up line.

[@eedesign878]

I once had 10 different Nissan Pao's in my Gran Turismo fleet. Not kidding.

[@kim007250]

great cinematography, Happy car and driver and that Music soooo cool, will go to work today with a smile on my face

[@itxtztz]

Thanks!

[@TrailRecon]

Always enjoy your videos, so well produced! I'm a motorhead and love checking out the different types of vehicle you find! Keep the videos coming!

[@mulliedog1]

Heart shaped cutouts on the wheels. Cool.

[@FunnyLariat]

OMG IT HAS LITTLE HEARTS ON THE WHEELS That is so precious. I love it.

[@FeistyPineapple]

The 0-60 depends on what you had for dinner last night hahaha! Great video guys, I never knew what a Pao was but I'm really glad you guys are providing us more knowledge on more unknown cars :)

[@hickslightfoot]

This dude has the right outlook... I love it... does not matter what the car is, but that the owner has a true love for it and it reflects on the condition of the car... The cars only responsibility is to make its owner happy, and no one else :)

[@klasseact6663]

Great job Petrolicious! Once again, bringing us another car people didn't know about, I know I didn't. This owner is passionate about his car and it shows, that's what's great about this channel and it keeps me coming back and back.

[@ryanm3797]

Made me smile, great job Petrolicious. Definitely looks like it's out of a Pixar movie!

[@arisgod2749]

I have no idea why but this is one of my favorite videos from Petrolicious in a while. The dude also described the feeling owing this car so well. Great video guys.

[@blues03]

Nice touch showing the heart-shaped alloys as the owner talks about being happy when going down hill 4:39.

[@killemtoenjoythesilence]

Thanks for that time stamp. Hit it a few times in a row. 🤣🤣🤣 Hilarious.

[@VespaNuman]

I saw quite a few of these when I was in Japan a year ago. I absolutely loved the look of them, and assumed they were a modern kei car. Totally agree with all the points about small cars - to me I only see myself ever owning small cars. Great video.

[@ambergris5705]

Sooo cute ! The car makes Jiminy Cricket's noises

[@Namburiadityasairam2605]

Just reminds all of us that the only thing a car needs to be loved us petrolheads, is to be a car. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less and that's what so beautiful of our car community.

[@Punisher9419]

It's like a mini. I love those wheels with the hearts on them. Really nice.

[@DUSM]

I enjoyed the video and the owners appreciation for his car! There is something special about niche vehicles that defy generalization; even if they are not high hp or track focused vehicles. Car culture has so much diversity and creativity...simply awesome.

[@mattharvey78]

This is the best Petrolicious video I've seen in ages! I used to bump into one of these things every once in a while when I lived in Japan and although they were modern they always struck me as classic like a Citroen CV or a Volkswagen Beetle. Definitely in my dream garage.

[@18echosf]

The Music was perfect for this video! Great job!

[@garylooper5513]

51,657 built is not exactly rare

[@maprow]

I think he meant rare in the US because the car was never officially imported in the states.

[@RBeau]

He obviously likes to think its the most unique, special, amazing car in the world so he words it very misleading to draw attention and amaze to it.

[@celm74]

Gary you follow me on FB, does car look familiar ;)

[@Z28PAPI]

Reece Beaulaurier Yes but isn't this why we are all here? To hear how it's more than " just a car". It's what we individually like/feel about our cars that make them more than "just a car".

[@garylooper5513]

Yep....But I've seen them in Portland and Colorado

[@el_kraken]

"0 to 60 depending on the dinner you had last night" Hah! Great line.

[@NoBrakes23]

First saw one of these in '98 on Kadena AB in Okinawa. I've wanted one ever since.

[@bariandrachoesin2052]

wow that shot at 6:28 plus the fan belt chirping...its perfect!

[@whatareyoudoingyouidiot342]

These videos are always so well shot and put together. Great camera work, good music and of course an interesting subject. This is why I'm subscribed. It's not like half the car channels out there which seem to exclusively focus on hypercars with shakycams and techno blasting constantly.

[@yaoi698]

I HAVE to know what those wheels are. My Pao needs them, they are PERFECT.

[@fannekuchen]

Did you find out?

[@yaoi698]

@@fannekuchen G-Corporation Heart Cafe Wheels.

[@fannekuchen]

Arvid Ooms the current line up differs from those in the video. I checked them out months ago. Now I remember the manufacturer. Thanks.

[@SahlEbrahim]

sometimes I only watch petrolicious just to enjoy the cinematography 5:57 ,my word!!!! just brilliant!

[@nofearRC1]

Seriously out of a quirky Pixar film - even the wheels have hearts on them.

[@eurekaca4717]

Just bought one!!! and i totally agree, you get happier going downhill! lol

[@DavidJackTumusiime]

This is one of the happiest sounding car owners ever featured!

[@hene193]

Amazing car. That Pixar line is so true! You who made the music for this video. Great sound work! Also amazing filming. So good production quality.

[@aa240sx]

nice work on the editing - really captured LA!

[@itxtztz]

aa240sx - Thanks, I tried my best!

[@ITrexI]

O_o Those images at the end from 05:57

[@itxtztz]

Péter Lovas - Thanks!

[@guobin1234]

3:58 "there's no airbags that you have to worry about" on the contrary i think that is something to worry about

[@1188clean]

Ashton Phua if your buying a old car like this I don't think your buying it for the safety features.

[@marcd7332]

J Rod I have to agree with both of you

[@hypocycloidiaspora]

If Takata manufactured your airbag, you have something to worry about!

[@archiebeech5427]

Ashton Phua --- coddled puss. cars were fine w/o airbags for years. your head in your arse on the celly is what we worry about.

[@ezevaillard7740]

the back of my car in tinny little letters states "No airbags, we die like real men" swedmet.storenvy.com/products/14416983-volvo-decade-decals

[@yousahdood]

I love the little hearts on the hubs.

[@dattepo7534]

good looking car won a award at the peterson museum.. good video too

[@benjamincardoza5335]

How can you not smile for this entire video?

[@lynnmckenney1987]

saw it, watched, liked it, love it.

[@dreamofelephant]

Needless to say that Pao is fabulous car. Also I would like to say that the camera work and this video editing are marvelous! Nice!

[@christianluff]

Today's word is 'gravitate'. I've always found the Pao appealing. Really cute. We had a pretty big JDM import boom a while back here in the U.K. and these seemed pretty popular along with the Figaro.

[@alext6081]

I'm in Japan and its not a common car to see at all even here , so calm down on the guessing comments jut because you have seen one somewhere ! The PAO , Figaro and the B-1 which had only 10.000 made were all based on the Nissan Micra chassis...

[@mrstrawcloud]

“0-60 depending on the dinner you had last night” that killed me 😆

[@uhhrace]

Seriously in love with the video work here. The tilt-shift here REALLY adds to show how small this car is. Hope the filmer / editor reads this!

[@itxtztz]

Race Bays - Tilt-Shift? Thanks, but I didn't use any...

[@uhhrace]

Well whatever effect you've got going on in this video, specifically the shallow depth of field in the last shot overlooking the city at night, I'm absolutely in love with that shot.

[@itxtztz]

Shoot a 50/0.95 lens wide open - voila!

[@coscorrodrift]

Love the wheels on that car, with the lil hearts. Such a quirky vehicle

[@C345OFR]

Well, this is as close as I'm gonna get to Petrolicious featuring a K10 Nissan Micra/March, which was my beloved first car. IIRC, that's what the Pao was based on.

[@ethownzbh]

How could you not love a car with hearts on it's wheels??

[@scootosan]

0 to 60 depending on what you ate for Dinner....haha Cute Car.

[@maxmaldonado1240]

That last scene was absolutely fitting for that beautiful, little Pao.

[@13THPR0PH37]

I've never seen this car. What a jewel.

[@Roger_Ramjet]

13THPR0PH37 what about the Nissan Figaro?

[@robinhorton3251]

I have never worried about an air bag in my life, in a smash, worried is not the thought that will be going through my mind as my face is protected from going through a sheet of glass.

[@asd36f]

A neat little design. The overall shape is well proportioned and it’s the exposed hinges, side-ribbing and other ‘utilitarian’ cues that give it most of its personality.

[@MrADThomson]

Pretty sure I saw this little babe on the road in Minneapolis last month. It is as eye catching in person as it is on film.

[@SixPackDan]

I have a 91 geo metro Xfi with 49 h/p..... i can get into traffic just fine. Granted im to the floor but it works! You have 52 and even less weight!

[@LeadFootash23]

I wish a car manufacturer would make a retro style car now. The Pao and the Figaro were so cool because they were different and retro even back in the 80's when they were released

[@BGcontentproduction]

really cool video, great production value and story, cheers guys :)

[@wryyysespieces]

Classy video, classy car, classy owner.

[@Nutguy95]

These are about as rare as a book in a library...

[@hermitld]

Great music and narrative, thanks for sharing, oh yeah! cute car too!

[@karstensiegmarsson5304]

Looks exotic enough to me. Absolutely adorable. I like the sometimes weird approach of Nissan to styling of cars. A neighbour of mine owns a Nissan Cube. Strange, but different and somehow cool, with all the non conform design breaks, like the dash and the off-centre rear window. Very nice.

[@aleoimpala]

Cute little car, love it.

[@muhammadnajmimurindo9289]

Made in 1989-1991 with the retro style of 60s-70s , Damn it was beautiful ...........

[@TinLeadHammer]

There are pretty small cars, but this one is just as if it was made by someone in his garage from whatever parts he had for different cars. Does not matter that it is unique.

[@shb3395]

Digging the concentric hearts on the wheels.

[@biyahpictures]

The music, the car, the commentary. This is a great video.

[@xx1willis1xx]

Some of the past videos were a bit awkward and boring. Some of the shots were too long but this video in particular was done pretty well. This video has balance. Either way Petrolicious is one of my favorite automotive youtube channels and has great cinematography.

[@michaelconverse5127]

Neat car. I remember Reading about these when I was a kid. If honda kept making the first gen style Honda Civic into 1989, it would have looked like this

[@Dethmeister]

2:10 "What car do we have now in this time and age that would make you smile? Not Mini." Well, so much for my guess.

[@turowat]

Finally after so many months, Petrolicious created a video of an attractive car!!

[@edwardbrearey6413]

Interesting design, if the owner/description didn't mention the year I would have had a hard time figuring it out. It looks like it could be much newer.

[@Munkenba]

And much older at the same time. It looks like a retro inspired concept car for the 2017 geneva motor show.

[@grayshadowhandpan4277]

Yes he did @ 0:38 - 1989 ;)

[@power3244]

Grayson Hr.... it's basic English, "if the owner/description DID NOT mention the year I WOULD HAVE HAD a hard time figuring it out." Do you get it now? xD

[@grayshadowhandpan4277]

oops. I'm dumb. read that wrong. Nice call.

[@power3244]

You're way too good of a person for the internet, actually acknowledging a mistake. Have a nice day! :)

[@juliannezuccardi552]

Came across this video prepping to purchase my own Pao. It was imported with all the paper work done except I'm not sure if it'll pass smog even with modification. Any tips for getting it registered in CA? I mean it's an efficient vehicle and remodification is gonna cost a pretty penny so I want to make sure it is possible before I commit to purchasing the Pao, which is such a dream. Excellent video btw, it really captures the whimsy of driving around in that little cream puff.

[@SmallBlogV8]

Fair play for appreciating such a niche car, but this guy carries himself with more swagger (and talks more bollocks) than is necessary for something like this. Oh, and it's not a "microcar." It's based on the Nissan Micra/March, which is a B-segment hatchback like a Fiesta or Polo.

[@jliscorpio]

What a cool little car! It's like dolls should be riding in it!

[@TheSkepticXP]

Love this video, the edits, the car and his passion Makes me feel the same with my fiat 126, a lot more were made but theyre rare nowadays, puts a smile on eveyones face 👌🏼

[@CarPhonix]

An enormous amount of styling take from the Nissan Figaro

[@jedimike9459]

CarPhonix CarAudio or the other way around, since the Pao predates the Figaro by 2 years (yeah, yeah, there was a Figaro prototype in 1989)

[@mokeimusic]

I had one of these for 5 years. I even drove it from coast and coast here in Japan. Its a wonderful car. Based on a Nissan March so parts are way cheap. Sadly these are starting to disappear a quite a bit. Rust catches up to them and it cost more to fix than what they are worth. But huge fun and a car that would have been great any where if it wasnt built by such a small company.

[@MikeDragon]

That's one adorable little car!

[@davideslava3526]

It's a perfect blend of classic designs (Citroën 2CV, Mini, Fiat 500) with Japanese reliability. I'd rock one for sure.

[@anthonygalang4120]

It's like a micro Range Rover

[@Roger_Ramjet]

Anthony Galang or a 2cv. It's hardly a micro car either.

[@roninpride]

Anthony Galang it looks like a 60's Fiat to me

[@LoEMDubstep]

"0-60 depending on the dinner you had last night" now that is finely accurate performance data

[@bouwmr]

The rear windows look a lot like the front windows on a Citroen 2CV.

[@daviddouillet4138]

Funny story Apparently the design cues of the PAO borrowed a lot from the Renault 4 one the most iconic cars of the 20th century (in Europe at least)

[@bluebearbank247]

Designed by Studio Gibri. Beautiful filmography, excellent comments. You guys made my day :)

[@williamfullman2639]

The car is smooth and the driver is cool smooth whoever filmed it the music what a great video

[@GordonMoat]

I remember seeing one in San Diego a couple years ago. Don't know whether this is the same car. Upon first seeing one, it seemed British, though perhaps that's what the designer intended. Still prefer the Nissan Figaro, though I've yet to see one in person.

[@Horse6L]

There is a random garage in the middle of Alabama I pass every year on the way to Talladega that has a ton of these sitting outside.

[@o.d.c.dreamgarage1625]

I hate How much I love this car... I need one in my life now lol

[@driverfilms]

Ive only ever seen one of these, nice looking car!

[@rotuueneider6530]

A few Japanese love Nissan Pao and Nissan Figaro so much. They're cute.

[@constructivecritique4049]

I like it. I really like that Bakelite-looking steering wheel, and the pastel colors go perfect together. I have a 1965 Fender Jazz Bass in the exact same colors. And, the case is the same color tan as the roof on it. It probably cost more to buy than that car, though. To be honest, I'd boost it, put a better suspension/brakes on it. But, keep it stock-looking, save for some wheels.

[@ck166666]

Saw one of these in Bristol (U.K.) today - damn cool

[@christophermorin9036]

"Zero to 60, depending on the dinner you had last night." LMAO.

[@pdr9999]

Amazing vid! The filming and edit are sooo nice, love the 1440p

[@Ribeirasacra]

Again great cinematography But this guy talks a lot about the cars "little details" and we do not see much of them. Maybe do some shots of what the owner likes about his car. All said and done keep this work going, I love it.

[@noot9360]

Keep up the good work guys luv your vids