First announced at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1987, the Pao was available with or without a textile sun roof and was originally marketed without Nissan branding, by reservation only from January 15 through April 14, 1989.

The promotional campaign for the car included a surreal and futuristic animated video featuring members of the Pike Factory team.

[4] In 2011, noted design critic Phil Patton, writing for the New York Times, called the Pike cars "the height of postmodernism"[5] and "unabashedly retro, promiscuously combining elements of the Citroën 2CV, Renault 4, Mini [and] Fiat 500".

[6][7] The Be-1, Pao, Figaro, and S-Cargo were attempts to create cars with designs as desirable as those of Panasonic, Sony, and other personal electronics products.

[8] The Pao's chassis included rack and pinion steering, independent suspension with struts in front and 4-links and coil springs in back.

Optional extras were a clock, tonneau cover/parcel shelf, drinks holder, dash tray, under-dash tray, leather steering wheel grips, combination stereo/cd deck, rear speakers, fog lamp and front guard bar, lightweight aluminium wheels, and a ‘serviceable car kit’ comprising polish, brush, wash mitt, silver gloves, chamois and paperwork wallet, supplied in a courier-style bag made of pao seat fabric.

[3] Paoside was a range of Pao-specific products featuring the Pao logo which included accessories, clothing, toy cars and other items.

[10] A segment filmed for Japanese motoring magazine Drift Tengoku, featuring professional drifter Ken Nomura attempting to drift a heavily modified Nissan Pao alongside the car's owner, D1 Grand Prix Lights Team driver Kazayuki Akuzawa, helped bring the car to fans of Japanese Domestic Market vehicles previously unfamiliar with the model.