It’s the year 1975. So we’re going back almost five decades. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan unveils a concept vehicle that was very similar to the 1974 Fiat X1/9 and will also be very similar to the later 1984 Toyota MR2. But the Nissan never made it into series production and became a “forgotten study”.
This interesting and two-seater design study with a transverse engine was based on the Nissan Cherry F10 1400, but with a very unique layout, designed with the best possible aerodynamics (Cd of 0.26) in mind and developed in the wind tunnel.
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Thanks to the low air resistance of the body and a weight of only 740 kilograms, the Nissan AD-1 could do with a compact and economical engine. It used the brand’s 1.4-litre, electronically fuel-injected A14 four-cylinder engine, with power output not disclosed but likely to be under 100bhp, like the production cars.
The transmission was a five-speed manual. And unlike most mid-engine cars, Nissan decided that large air intakes on the side of the car weren’t necessary, although “gills” were needed in the engine cover to draw heat out of the engine bay.
Aesthetically, the prototype featured restrained proportions, relatively short overhangs, a very horizontal rear end, a floating roof (with slender A-pillars), large square headlights, and mirrors mounted on the doors instead of the front fenders then common in Japan.
There were also many chrome details on the exterior, a roof hatch and a rear window. In addition, the AD-1 had quite advanced solutions for the time, especially for such a small car. The McPherson strut suspension and the brake discs on both axles can be mentioned here as examples.
The cabin of the Nissan AD-1 was rather simple and not at all futuristic in design. It was equipped with two sporty seats that could be infinitely adjusted (seat, backrest, height). In addition, there was a rather strange steering wheel and a small dashboard.
Although it was quite a production car, the brand never dared to put it on the market. Toyota then began exploring the feasibility and viability of such a compact sports car in 1976, which eventually ended in the 1984 MR2.
