The Weirdest Nissan Of The 1980s Was A Coupe, A Wagon, And A T-Top All At Once

The 1980s were a strange and generous era for the car industry. Safety rules were looser, marketing departments had less leverage, and engineers were occasionally allowed to follow odd ideas to their conclusion. Nissan was one of the more willing experimenters, and the Pulsar NX was among the strangest cars in its lineup at the time.

Read: Before Crossovers, Nissan Sold A Coupe That Could Become Three Different Cars

The Pulsar NX came with removable T-top roof panels, as many other cars at the time, but its party piece was a removable rear hatch that could be swapped out for a large canopy, which Nissan referred to as the Sportbak.

Photos Nissan (1987 Pulsar NX)

While most Pulsars from this era disappeared into rust and junkyards decades ago, one has not, and it has just surfaced in Zebulon, North Carolina, through Raleigh Classic Car Auctions.

The Sportbak canopy was available as an option on the Pulsar and was designed for improved practicality, dramatically increasing its cargo capacity while transforming the coupe into a sleek wagon.

Low Miles, And Just Three Owners

Raleigh Classic Car Auctions

This particular Pulsar NX was purchased brand new in July of 1988 and sold to its second owner in 1994. The second owner kept the car for 31 years before handing over the keys to its third owner in December 2024. Last year, it was updated with a new timing belt, water pump, valve cover gasket, thermostat, new struts, and had its fluids changed. With just 67,000 miles (107,800 km) on the clock, the mileage has been kept surprisingly low given the car’s age.

Power comes courtesy of a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing approximately 106 hp and 111 lb-ft (151 Nm) of torque. This engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels.

Raleigh Classic Car Auctions

Not only has this car’s mileage been kept surprisingly low, but the sale also includes the original hatchback and a clean Carfax report. It also includes comprehensive service records, owner’s manual, and even the original sales brochure.

Cars like the Pulsar NX remind you that automakers once approved ideas that sounded pretty questionable even in the meeting room. A coupe that turns into a wagon with a giant plastic canopy feels wonderfully unnecessary today. You can check out the listing over here before someone else embraces that weirdness.

Raleigh Classic Car Auctions