Nissan BE-1

Which Nissan BE-1 version to buy

If you want the only version with a published kerb weight and the denser gear set, buy 1.0 MT. If you want three-speed Automatic and accept that mass, 0–100, top speed, and consumption are not measured, buy 1.0 AT. There is no later generation, restyle, extra body, extra engine, extra drive layout, or extra power figure to wait for: both versions ran the same window, January 1987–May 1988.

If you want the only version with a published kerb weight and the denser gear set, buy 1.0 MT. If you want three-speed Automatic and accept that mass, 0–100, top speed, and consumption are not measured, buy 1.0 AT. There is no later generation, restyle, extra body, extra engine, extra drive layout, or extra power figure to wait for: both versions ran the same window, January 1987–May 1988.

Arithmetic on the given numbers: 1.0 MT and 1.0 AT both make 52 hp from 987 cc, which is 52.7 hp per litre (52 ÷ 0.987). Torque is 75 Nm on both, or 76.0 Nm per litre (75 ÷ 0.987). Power does not change with the gearbox. The extra “cost” of 1.0 AT is not horsepower; it is two fewer ratios (3 versus 5) and a missing kerb-weight figure.

Nissan BE-1 generations compared

There is one generation, key 3921, sold as a Coupe from 1987-01-01 to 1988-05-31 with two versions. No second generation exists in the data, so there is no generation-to-generation change in hp, Nm, displacement, drive, tank, or clearance. Everything that differs sits inside this one Coupe generation: Manual versus Automatic.

That means a “which generation” question collapses to “which of the two 1987–1988 Coupe versions.” You cannot trade a later restyle, a later engine, or a later body against an earlier one. Ground clearance is 165 mm on both versions across the whole run. Front brakes are Disc and rear brakes are Drum on both. Front and rear suspension are Independent, spring on both.

Nissan BE-1 specs: 1.0 MT vs 1.0 AT

Identical columns: 52 hp, 38 kW, 6000 rpm, 75 Nm, 3600 rpm, 987 cc, Gasoline, 4, Inline, No, FWD. Different columns: Manual / 5 on 1.0 MT, Automatic / 3 on 1.0 AT. Feed is Carburetor on both; fuel grade is 92 on both. Valves per cylinder, compression, bore and stroke, and engine position are not measured on either version.

Engine: same 987 cc, same 52 hp

The Nissan BE-1 engine is not a choice between two motors. 1.0 MT and 1.0 AT use the same 987 cc Gasoline unit, 4 cylinders, Inline, boost No, Carburetor, 52 hp (38 kW) at 6000 rpm, 75 Nm at 3600 rpm.

What that means for a buyer: you cannot buy more power, more torque, or a larger displacement by picking Automatic. The 3-speed Automatic on 1.0 AT does not add a horsepower. The 5-speed Manual on 1.0 MT does not add a newton-metre. Specific output is 0.0527 hp per cc on both (52 ÷ 987). Specific torque is 0.0760 Nm per cc on both (75 ÷ 987).

Boost is No on both, so there is no turbo or supercharger figure to compare. If you wanted forced induction, this catalogue line does not offer it.

Gearbox: 5-speed Manual vs 3-speed Automatic

This is the only mechanical split with numbers.

1.0 MT is Manual with 5 speeds. 1.0 AT is Automatic with 3 speeds. The Automatic has 2 fewer ratios than the Manual (5 − 3 = 2). Both are FWD.

For a buyer who will shift: 1.0 MT is the version with five Manual ratios under the same 52 hp and 75 Nm. For a buyer who will not shift: 1.0 AT is the only Automatic, still 52 hp and 75 Nm, still FWD, still 987 cc Gasoline, still Carburetor, still 92.

There is no 4-speed Automatic, no 6-speed Manual, and no other named gearbox in the data.

Performance and mpg: not measured on both

0–100 is not measured on 1.0 MT. 0–100 is not measured on 1.0 AT. Top speed is not measured on 1.0 MT. Top speed is not measured on 1.0 AT. City consumption is not measured on either. Highway consumption is not measured on either. Combined consumption is not measured on either. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured.

A buyer cannot pick the “faster” BE-1 from 0–100 or top speed, because those figures are not measured. A buyer cannot pick the “more economical” BE-1 from mpg, because mpg is not measured. The only published mass that can sit next to 52 hp is 670 kg on 1.0 MT, which is 12.9 kg per horsepower (670 ÷ 52) and 8.93 kg per newton-metre (670 ÷ 75). Kerb weight on 1.0 AT is not measured, so kg/hp and kg/Nm cannot be calculated for 1.0 AT.

Do not treat the missing AT mass as “the same 670 kg.” It is not measured.

Dimensions, weight, tank, clearance

Kerb weight: 670 kg on 1.0 MT; not measured on 1.0 AT. Gross weight: not measured on 1.0 MT; not measured on 1.0 AT. Ground clearance: 165 mm on 1.0 MT; 165 mm on 1.0 AT (difference 0 mm). Tank: 40 L on 1.0 MT; 40 L on 1.0 AT (difference 0 L). Wheel sizes: not measured on either.

Chassis that is the same in words and numbers: Independent, spring front and Independent, spring rear on both; Disc front and Drum rear on both; FWD on both; Coupe body on both.

A buyer who needs a published kerb weight has only 1.0 MT. A buyer who needs published wheels, published gross weight, or published mpg has neither version.

Reliability and problems: what the numbers do and do not say

The data do not list failure rates, common faults, or service intervals. What they do list is a short production window (January 1987–May 1988), one Coupe generation, Carburetor feed, Gasoline 92, no boost, and two gearboxes.

Buying implication: both versions are the same engine family in the catalogue (987 cc, 52 hp, 75 Nm, 4 Inline, Carburetor, boost No). Choosing 1.0 AT does not buy a different engine architecture; it buys Automatic with 3 speeds. Choosing 1.0 MT does not buy a stronger engine; it buys Manual with 5 speeds and the only kerb weight in the set (670 kg).

If “problems” in a search means “which spec is more complicated,” the Automatic on 1.0 AT is the extra subsystem; the engine, drive, tank, clearance, brakes, and suspension labels do not change.

Which version to choose, by use

Choose 1.0 MT if: you want the 5-speed Manual; you want the only kerb weight in the data (670 kg); you want 12.9 kg/hp calculated from 670 kg and 52 hp; you accept that 0–100, top speed, and mpg are not measured.

Choose 1.0 AT if: you want Automatic with 3 speeds under the same 52 hp / 75 Nm / 987 cc Gasoline Inline-4; you accept kerb weight not measured; you accept the same not-measured 0–100, top speed, and mpg as 1.0 MT.

There is no third version. There is no higher-hp BE-1, no diesel, no AWD, no extra Coupe generation, and no restyle listed as a separate generation. Power is 52 hp on both. Torque is 75 Nm on both. Displacement is 987 cc on both. Drive is FWD on both. Tank is 40 L on both. Clearance is 165 mm on both. Production for both is 1987-01-01 to 1988-05-31.

What the extra Automatic does not buy: it does not buy more horsepower (52 − 52 = 0), more torque (75 − 75 = 0), more displacement (987 − 987 = 0), a larger tank (40 − 40 = 0), or more ground clearance (165 − 165 = 0). It buys 3 Automatic speeds instead of 5 Manual speeds.

Names to use when you look up a modification page: 1.0 MT and 1.0 AT. Those are the exact catalogue names.