Let’s face it, there’ll never be a better Japanese mid-engined sports car built than the legendary Honda NSX. The New Sports eXperimental arrived in 1990 as a bonafide threat to Ferrari and Porsche, eventually establishing itself as one of the true legends of the JDM glory days.
Yet, if things had turned out a little differently, it could’ve had a serious contender for that crown from Nissan. And well before the NSX even came to be.
Nissan MID4, front 3/4
This is the often-forgotten Nissan MID4, revealed as a concept at the 1985 Frankfurt Autoshow, and looking a bit like the nine-month result of a boozy night between a Lotus Esprit and a Ferrari Testarossa.
Yet, it was nothing like either of those cars under the skin. This was an all-wheel drive car, the first to use a HICAS rear-steering system and utilising a then-newly developed VG30DE 3.0-litre naturally aspirated V6, good for 242bhp. Seemingly low now, but not bad for a Japanese sports car in 1985.
Nissan MID4, interior
From the get-go, Nissan was clear the MID4 was a concept but despite that, it looked pretty close to production-ready. Especially considering the relatively-mundane looking interior.
Things went a little quiet on the MID4 until 1987, when the ‘II’ was revealed at that year’s Tokyo Motor Show. It was quite an evolution too – an overhauled design looked much more futuristic, particularly the rear-end which appeared an S14 had travelled back in time and offered up its rear lights.
The engine gained a set of turbochargers as well, upping power to a fairly monstrous 325bhp. Worth mentioning this was before the Japanese gentleman’s agreement came into force, meaning the MID4 II could’ve changed the course of JDM history had it made it to production.
Nissan MID4 II, rear 3/4
Sadly, it never would, as the investment was not considered worth the return. Although the mid-engined Nissan sports car would never be a reality, the tech within it would live on.
That VG30DE would go on to power the Nissan 300ZX, while the all-wheel drive system formed a foundation for what would become ATTESA in the Skyline GT-R. While Nissan never had its true NSX rival, its greatest cars from the greatest era of JDM have a lot to thank it for.
