Classic Car Profile: The Nissan S-Cargo
Nissan S-Cargo
We’ve been digging around in the Nissan Heritage Collection and found this goofy gem of a commercial vehicle. Meet the Nissan S-Cargo!
You’ve probably already put together the uncanny resemblance to a snail and the funny name that plays off the French word for snail, “Escargot”. This tiny, round vehicle was inspired by the Citroën 2CV, which was called The Tin Snail by the French. “S-Cargo” also stands for “small cargo”, which was the exact purpose of this little delivery van.
Revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1988 and launched in 1989, the right-hand drive S-Cargo was powered by a 1.5-liter four cylinder engine that cranked out about 72 horsepower through a 3-speed automatic to the front wheels. The engine allowed it to haul up to about 660 pounds of S-Cargo escargot cargo.
Photo credit: Michael Gil via Flickr
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Nissan made 8,000-12,000 S-Cargos, which were only sold in Japan, although many have found their way to other countries through private importation. The US government bans imports of foreign cars under 25 years old, but if you’d like to get your hands on one, you’re just in time. The S-Cargo was produced from 1989 to 1992, so it’s a great time to scoop one up in the next couple of years. Maybe you can fit it in the shipping container with your R32 Skyline GT-R.
Other weird quirks were an optional oval window for the side panels and an electric canvas sunroof. With its rarity and strange looks, the Nissan S-Cargo would certainly turn heads in the US.
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