Nissan Today
Nissan Believes that cars should change the world and the way we move through it.
We are more than a car company. We are an innovation company. We take the most innovative thinking in the industry and combine it with performance, value, efficiency, safety, and style. The result: cars that thrill you, every time you get behind the wheel. Innovation that excites™.
2010
NISSAN LEAF®: 100% Electric.
0 emmisions*.
In 2010, we introduced the Nissan LEAF®—the world’s first mass-produced 100% electric, zero emission automobile.
2010
Nissan Juke®:
Built to thrill
2010 also saw the introduction of the Nissan JUKE into our lineup. Today, the JUKE continues to give consumers a unique, stylish, and turbocharged alternative to the everyday crossover.
2000-2009
Over the past decade
a SHIFT_ has been made.
Nissan has nearly doubled the number of models offered and nearly doubled its sales. In 10 years, the diverse lineup has grown to include Nissan's first full-sized truck, all-new hybrid technology and a 21st-Century supercar. And this is only the beginning of what's to come.
2009
The Shape Of Things To Come
The boxy yet stylish Nissan cube® makes its North American debut with its non-traditional asymmetrical body.
2009
AMERICA IS INTRODUCED TO A LEGEND
The 5th-generation of the legendary Nissan supercar makes
its way to North America, equipped with a 480-horsepower,
twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 engine.
2007: Next-generation technology thrives with Maxima, Altima, Sentra, Quest, Versa Hatchback and Versa Sedan
2007
NISSAN'S FIRST HYBRID
In 2007, we offered a cleaner, greener
driving option for the first time ever, with the
introduction of the all-new Altima® Hybrid.
2005
OFF-ROAD POWER
AND INNOVATION
The all-new Frontier® was launched with the most powerful V6 in its class*. We also introduced a mid-sized Pathfinder® with an added 3rd-row of seating, and the 2nd-generation Xterra® made its debut.
2003
FULL-SIZED PERFORMANCE
The Z® came back. In 2003, we reintroduced the celebrated Nissan Z®. This time, it was called the 350Z®.
2003: Our first full-size truck, the Titan®, debuted in 2003. Today, the V8-powered pickup is available with a King Cab or a Crew Cab.
1990-1999
NISSAN DEMONSTRATES
ITS AGILITY IN THE '90S
Retaining the Nissan heritage, while moving in new directions.
1999
THE FIRST FOUR-DOOR COMPACT TRUCK
In 1999, we introduced the Frontier® Crew Cab, the first compact truck with four full-sized doors. That same year, Frontier, Xterra®, and Pathfinder® were named the official vehicles of the Los Angeles County lifeguards, which gave the rugged vehicles plenty of screen time on the 90’s television phenomenon “Baywatch”.
1997: Nissan is named Best of the Best by the Environmental Protection Agency, and NMMC is lauded as the most productive plant in North America in "The Harbour Report: for a fourth consecutive year since 1994.
1995
AN ALL-NEW SENTRA:
COMPACT WITHOUT COMPROMISE
This was the year we introduced the world to the all-new 200SX® and the 4th-generation Sentra.
1993
ALTIMA AND MAXIMA SALES SUCCESS
1993 was a big year for Nissan, as we celebrated 10 years of manufacturing in the United States. That year, Altima was topping the list in new nameplate sales, and the one-millionth American-made Maxima was sold.
1992
SENTRA SALES SUCCESS
The two-millionth Nissan Sentra was sold in the United States in 1992, and the very first Altima rolled off the assembly line at our manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee.
1991
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AWARD
Nissan receives its first environmental award from the EPA, and takes a big leap forward in green technology by lending its Alternative Fuel Vehicle to a California testing program and introducing the Future Electric Vehicle concept car.
1990: Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) is established in Torrance, California.
1980-1989
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN AMERICA
In the '80s, the Nissan brand came into its own. We built our first Nissan truck in the United States, and the Infiniti line of luxury vehicles.
1989
INFINITI LAUNCH
1989 was a year of milestones at Nissan. In that one year alone, we launched Infiniti, produced our one-millionth vehicle on American soil, and started the Summer Institute for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
1988: Nissan driver Geoff Brabham wins his first of four consecutive IMSA Camel GTP Drivers Championships, a streak that includes breaking the American road record. Brabham’s IMSA GTP car was practically unbeatable that year, clocking a breathtaking top speed of 200 miles per hour.
1985
FIRST SENTRA BUILT IN AMERICA
Hollywood legend Paul Newman raced the Newman/Sharp Trans-Am 300ZX® to consecutive SCCA GT1 championships in 1985 and 1986, capturing Nissan's 50th national SCCA championship in the process. That same year, the first Nissan Sentra rolled off the line in Smyrna, Tennessee.
1983
FIRST NISSAN TRUCK BUILT IN AMERICA
Worldwide marketing of vehicles using the Nissan nameplate begins, production of the first Nissan truck begins in Tennessee, and Nissan Research and Development (NRD) is established in Michigan.
1982
CHAMPIONSHIP OFF-ROAD RACING
Between 1982 and 1992, we collected an impressive 19 off-roading championship trophies. Our most radical off-roader — a sand-blasting 380-hp King Cab desert racer — competed in the HRDA/SCORE Class 1 Unlimited Vehicle series.
1981: Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC), Nissan's financing division, is established in Torrance, California.
1980: Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) is established in Smyrna, Tennessee, to fulfill the growing demand for Nissan Vehicles.
1970-1979
PUSHING THE LIMITS.
BUILDING A REPUTATION
The 70’s were a great decade for us. We sold our one-millionth Datsun and became the top vehicle importer in the United States.
1979
TAKING DESIGN TO A NEW LEVEL
In 1979, Nissan Design International (NDI) was established in La Jolla, California, with a mandate to bring American style and concepts to Nissan vehicles. Over the years, NDI has brought us the original Altima®, the original Pathfinder®, the modular Pulsar NX, today's Xterra®, and the Gobi pickup concept pictured here.
1977
A TRUCK THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU
We introduced the King Cab, the first extended cab pickup, in 1977.
1975
Datsun becomes the top U.S. vehicle importer.
1973
The one-millionth Datsun vehicle is sold in America.
1972
THE FIRST FOUR-DOOR SPORTS SEDAN
Datsun introduces the 510—a family car with a racing heritage. It was a novel concept at the time: a good-looking, economical, fuel-efficient, five passenger car that was fun to drive. Over its lifetime, the 510 went on to sell more than 300,000 units, and its influence can still be seen in the Nissans of today.
1971
250,000 DATSUNS IN ANNUAL SALES
Annual sales eclipse 250,000 in the United States for the first time. Nissan also establishes itself on the track, as the now-legendary Datsun BRE 510 dominates on two continents, winning the SCAA Trans AM Championship, the American Rally Championship, and the treacherous East African Safari.
1960-1969
PERFORMANCE BECOMES
A ONE-LETTER WORD
Toward the end of this decade of change, Nissan has built a strong reputation in both the American and the Japanese markets. The Datsun 2000 roadster, valued both for its style and performance, becomes synonymous with early Nissan design. Soon after, the Datsun "Z" changes the way people think of sports cars.
1969
THE BEST-SELLING 240Z
Datsun introduces the "Z®" for the 1970 model year. Boasting European performance and interior features like roll-up windows and a heater—all at an affordable price—the 240Z® becomes the best-selling sports car in the world. The Corvette took nearly twenty-five years to see 500,000 units; the Z® does it in fewer than ten.
1968
AMERICAN INSPIRED
Nissan launches the first car styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan.
1967
EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE
The Datsun most-desired by collectors, the 2000 Roadster, is also the first Japanese production sports car to come with a 5-speed. That, plus its robust 150-hp engine, makes it extra fun to drive. Production is limited to 1,000 and the first ten are light-weight versions for racing. The 2000 Roadster wins ten SCCA National Championships between 1967 and 1987.
1966: The first Japanese-owned production facility in North America, Nissan Mexicana (NMEX) manufactures its first vehicle.
1962
BLAZING THE TRAIL OF UTILITY VEHICLES
Focused on American driving needs, the Bluebird is the first Datsun with a fully synchronized 3-speed transmission. It also sports classic two-tone paint, wide white-wall tires and optional bucket seats. Off the road, Nissan's first utility vehicle, The Patrol, makes its debut, with TV hero Roy Rogers as its spokesman. Pitched as the world's most powerful and advanced 4-wheel drive, the Patrol's brawny 145-hp 6-cylinder developed enough torque "to climb trees”, as the ad said.
1960
DATSUN ENTERS THE SPORTS CAR MARKET
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. (NMC) is established in Gardena, California. That same year, the SPL 201—Datsun’s very first sports car—was introduced. The sleek 4-seat roadster featured a fold-down soft-top, a "4 on the floor" transmission, and a 48-hp engine (that would soon be replaced by a powerful 85-hp version).
1914-1959
NISSAN HAS DEMONSTRATED A
COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION SINCE
THE COMPANY'S FOUNDING IN 1933.
Not only are Datsun's the first mass-produced Japanese vehicles, their unique, automotive style makes a major impact on the U.S. market when Datsun sedans and compact pickups are first imported in the late '50s.
1959
BUILDING A REPUTATION IN AMERICA
The first Datsun compact pickup is sold in America. Originally imported with a 37-hp 1000-cc engine, it was soon given a boost with a 48-hp 1200-cc engine. This quarter-ton pickup firmly established Datsun in the American market.
1958
DATSUN'S DEBUT
IN AMERICA
The first Datsun sedan—the 1200—arrives in the United States. The rugged sedan packs a modest punch with a 48-hp, 1200-cc engine. The 1200 has a bit of a cult following in the U.S. to this day.
1937
JAPAN'S FIRST
MASS-PRODUCED
VEHICLE
The Datsun Type 15 is the first mass-produced Japanese vehicle. Other Type 15 models include a mini pickup and delivery van.
