The Nissan Mid 4, known in Japan as the Nissan MID4, was a mid-engined sports car prototype developed by Nissan and first shown at the 1985 Frankfurt International Motor Show. It was presented at the time as a forthcoming high-performance production model rather than a concept car, and it was also displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show that followed a few weeks later. Responsibility for its creation was given to a design team headed by Shinichiro Sakurai from spring 1984, and the first four prototypes were completed by March 1985. A revised version, the MID4 II, was shown at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show. Despite the production intent announced at its debut, the Mid 4 remained a limited run of test vehicles and was never put into series production. It would have marked the first entry by a Japanese manufacturer into the mid-engine supercar category, a segment not reached in Japan again until the Honda NSX arrived in 1990.
Stylistically the Mid 4 closely resembled the Ferrari 308/328, sharing a similarly divided front and flanks, transverse air intakes on the front hood, a flat rear deck between descending roof lines, and a rear-deck spoiler, though its smaller second side window and lower-mounted side air intake for the mid-engine differed from the Ferrari. The body combined a steel monocoque chassis with a steel structure clad in glass-fibre-reinforced plastic outer panels, chosen for greater design freedom than steel sheet allowed. The two-door, two-seat coupe had a leather-trimmed interior with a shaded instrument panel featuring round analog gauges.
Power came from a 2960 cc VG30DE V6, developed from the engine used in the Nissan 300ZX, producing 230 hp at 6000 rpm and 285 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, mounted transversely in front of the rear axle. The engine featured a variable intake system (VIAS), variable valve timing (VTC), knock sensors linked to the ECCS engine management system, drive-by-wire throttle control, hydraulic valve lash adjustment, platinum-tipped spark plugs, and dry-sump lubrication. The car used permanent four-wheel drive through a five-speed gearbox, with torque normally split 33 percent front and 67 percent rear via a planetary differential and viscous coupling, along with four-wheel steering (HICAS) and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with ABS. Suspension was by MacPherson struts all round, with adjustable dampers at the rear. It rode on a 2435 mm wheelbase, measured 4150 mm long, 1770 mm wide and 1200 mm high, and weighed 1230 kg.
