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Nissan History and Heritage
ORIGINS OF NISSAN
The name Nissan originated in Japan, when founder Yoshisuke Aikawa became president of Nihon Sangyo in 1928. Primarily dealing in foundries and auto parts, Nihon Sangyo debuted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by its ticker name NISSAN in 1933. Nissan expanded beyond its Japanese roots from there, and officially came to the U.S. as Datsun in 1958.
1914-1959: A COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION SINCE THE COMPANY'S FOUNDING IN 1933
Not only are Datsuns 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.
1933: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., IS ESTABLISHED IN JAPAN
JAPAN'S FIRST MASS-PRODUCED VEHICLE
1937
The Datsun Type 15 is the first mass-produced Japanese vehicle. Other Type 15 models include phaeton , mini pickup and delivery van.
NISSAN SKYLINE
1957
The Nissan Skyline is the predecessor to the revolutionary Nissan GT-R®, the Skyline was first introduced in 1957. The rear-wheel drive coupe has never been commercially available in America, but it has always been a highly sought-after import. The modern Nissan R35 GT-R was introduced to the world, and made for sale in the United States, in 2009.
DATSUN 1200 SEDAN
1958
Sharing much of its DNA with the British Austin of the day, the first Datsun introduced to the U.S. market in 1958 was the Datsun 1000 Sedan. It utilized the same platform as the Datsun pickup truck. The 1000 sedan sold 146 units in the US from 1959-1961 until replaced by the 1200 sedan, which sold 1,318 units.
Building a Reputation in America
1959
The first Datsun compact pickup was sold in America. Originally imported in 1958 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. Approximately 220 American servicemen purchased this truck and imported them back to the U.S. from Japan.
THE ROAD FROM JAPAN TO AMERICA
Nissan produced its first cars at the flagship Nishi-ku, Yokohama headquarters in 1935. Nissan showcased its first Datsuns (a 1000 cc car and truck) at the 1959 Los Angeles Auto Show. To keep up with global demand, Nissan started production in Mexico in 1966. Production in Australia and Taiwan followed, with the first American factory opening in Smyrna, Tennessee, in 1983.
1960-1969: PERFORMANCE BECOMES ONE WORD - DATSUN
Nissan Motor Corporation in U.S.A. (NMC) was 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.
In 1966, the first Japanese-owned production facility in North America, Nissan Mexicana manufactures its first vehicle.
Toward the end of this decade of change, Nissan built a strong reputation in both the American and the Japanese markets. The Datsun 2000 roadster, valued both for its style and performance, became synonymous with early Nissan design. Soon after, the Datsun Z changed the way people think of sports cars. The 24OZ comes to America in 1969. First unveiled at the Pierre Hotel in New York in October of 1969, the 240Z was an instant hit with media and enthusiasts alike.
DATSUN FAIRLADY 1200 ROADSTER
1961
The first Datsun sports car was imported to the U.S. The 1200 Roadster was built with steel bodywork on the same chassis as the 220-series pickup. With only 48-hp and drum brakes all around, the first Fairlady was not sporty by today's standards, but the top-down driving experience was pure fun nonetheless! Only 288 units were produced through 1962, and the Nissan U.S. Heritage Collection has one of the only 220 imported to the U.S.
DATSUN 320 TRUCK
1965
The Datsun 320 was the first upgrade to the basic truck, with a 60 horsepower engine and our first 4-speed floor shift pickup truck. The featured vehicle was found in the Arizona desert and restored by Classic Datsun of Vista, CA.
EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE
1967
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 was limited to 1,000 and the first 10 were light-weight versions for racing. The Roadster won 10 SCCA National Championships between 1967 and 1987.
NISSAN 411 4-DOOR SEDAN
1967
The Datsun 411 was Nissan’s first move up market. Designed by Italian design house Pininfarina and featuring a luxurious interior, this model was more aesthetically pleasing to the American consumer. An upmarket car in Japan, sales were slowed by a higher MSRP than some American consumers were willing to pay for a compact. This was the first Datsun vehicle in the American market to feature a fully 3-speed automatic transmission by Borg Warner.
NISSAN PATROL
1967
The Patrol, Nissan's first SUV in the U.S., followed Land Rover’s trail and offered more power for less, but just as tough and utilitarian. Some 2,216 units were sold through 1969, until imports were halted. The Patrol was the only vehicle sold and marketed in the U.S. as a Nissan prior to 1983. The Patrol was restored by former Nissan employee Bill Thomas, who discovered it on a farm in Nebraska.
AMERICAN INSPIRED
1968
Nissan launches the first car styled for the U.S. market, the Datsun 510 sedan, in 2-door, 4-door and a 5-door wagon.
DATSUN® 1600 ROADSTER
1969
The Datsun 1600 Roadster debuted in 1964-1965 as the Datsun Fairlady 1500 and shared many mechanical features with the Datsun Bluebird. Eventually, the model evolved into the Fairlady 1600 Roadster. The car was designed to compete with British-built sports cars such as the MGB and Triumph TR6. Later, Datsun offered the Fairlady 2000 with the 2.0L 4-cylinder upgrade.
Fairlady was the beginning of Nissan's true sports car legacy. Bob Sharp won Datsun’s first SCCA National Championship in a Fairlady Roadster in 1967. More than 23,600 units were sold.
1970-1979: PUSHING THE LIMITS OF DATSUN. BUILDING A SOLID REPUTATION
The 70s were a great decade for Nissan. Nissan sold the one-millionth Datsun and became the top vehicle importer in the United States by 1975.
In 1971, annual sales eclipsed 250,000 in the United States for the first time. Nissan also established itself on the track, as the now-legendary Datsun 510 and 240Z dominated racing on two continents; winning the SCCA Trans Am 2.5 Championship, the American Rally Championship and the treacherous East African Safari. In 1973, the 1-Millionth Vehicle is sold in America.
In 1975, Datsun becomes the top U.S. vehicle importer.
In 1979, Nissan Design America (NDA) was established in La Jolla, California, with a mandate to bring American style and concepts to Nissan vehicles. Over the years, NDA has brought us the original Altima®, the original Pathfinder®, the modular Pulsar NX, Xterra® and the Gobi pickup concept pictured here. Newer works include the TITAN, Kicks and the latest Altima and Maxima.
Datsun Coupe
1971
The Datsun Coupe featured seating for five and "fold-down" rear seats. Available in U.S. from 1970-73, in which 89,541 units were sold, the Datsun 1200 became Datsun’s best-selling car of the time. The vehicle featured was used in the sales brochures and served as the field technician service training vehicle. Datsun 1200 Coupes won three SCCA C-Sedan National Championships on racetracks and were frequently seen around the U.S. at vintage racing events.
DATSUN 510 BRE #46
1971
Peter Brock and Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) built and raced the number 46 Datsun 510, which won the 1971 and 1972 SCCA Trans-Am championship driven by John Morton. The featured car is the actual winning 510; it’s the only one left in all original colors and is in “as-raced” condition. With its success, this 510 began the rich racing heritage of Datsun’s and Nissan’s in the U.S. and helped to bring brand recognition to a newcomer in the emerging Japanese market.
DATSUN 240Z®
1971
In 1969 at the New York Auto Show, Datsun introduced a new sports car to the market named the 240Z. It featured a fastback styled body based on European design and a focus on the balance between performance and price. Standard equipment like a strong inline 2.4 liter 6-cylinder engine, full instrumentation reclining bucket seats at an affordable price made the Z an instant success in the U.S. market.
DATSUN 510® THE FIRST 4-DOOR SPORTS SEDAN
1972
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. The popular 510 was available in a 4-door sedan or 2-door coupe with independent rear suspension, or a 5-door wagon. 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.
A TRUCK THAT WORKS AS HARD AS YOU
1977
Building a solid reputation for durable and fun-to-drive small trucks, Datsun introduces the King Cab, the first extended cab pickup, in 1977.
DATSUN B210GX®
1978
The B210 was renowned as Nissan’s best-selling small sedan of the 1970s. The 1978 model was rated at 48 mpg highway, and the “B210 Plus” edition boasted 50 mpg highway – a lofty achievement for a carbureted vehicle.
1980-1989: FINDING OUR STRIDE, BUILDING ON RACING LEGENDS
In the '80s, as manufacturers worldwide struggled to forge their identity, Nissan built upon its successes of the 1970s – both in the showrooms and on the racetrack. NIssan also built the first Nissan truck in the United States.
In 1980, Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) is established in Smyrna, Tennessee, to fulfill the growing demand for Nissan vehicles. North American manufacturing operations are now integrated under the umbrella of Nissan North America (NNA). In 1989, Nissan produced the 1-millionth vehicle on American soil, and started the Summer Institute for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
On the track, 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. It is victories like this one on the track that are the proving ground for NISMO, Nissan's performance line.
CHAMPIONSHIP OFF-ROAD RACING TRUCKS
1982
Between 1982 and 1992, Datsun collected an impressive 19 off-roading championship trophies. Our most radical off-roader — a sandblasting 380-hp King Cab desert racer — competed in the HRDA/SCORE Class 1 Unlimited Vehicle series.
FIRST AMERICAN-BUILT NISSAN TRUCK
1983
The marketing of vehicles using Nissan badging in the U.S. begins with the production of the 1984 Nissan pickup on June 16, 1983, at the new assembly plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. Early models carried dual Datsun-Nissan branding to help consumers make the change.
FIRST SENTRA® BUILT IN AMERICA
1985
The first-generation Nissan Sentra was introduced in 1982 as a replacement for the popular and economical B210. It was so popular in the U.S. that, in 1985, Sentra became the second Nissan model to roll off the line in the U.S in Smyrna, Tennessee.
NISSAN RACING RECORD
1988
Nissan racing driver Geoff Brabham wins his first of four consecutive IMSA Camel GT Driver’s Championships. Brabham’s IMSA GTP ZX-T car was practically unbeatable that year, clocking a breathtaking top speed of 200+ miles per hour on several tracks and winning eight consecutive races. The mighty GTP ZX-T employed a turbocharged version of the 3.0 liter V6 in the third generation Maxima and 300ZX of the era.
1990-1999: A DECADE OF AGILITY
Nissan demonstrates its agility by retaining the Nissan heritage while moving in new directions.
In 1991, 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. In 1997, Nissan is named “Best of the Best” by the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nissan Smyrna is lauded as the most productive plant in North America in "The Harbour Report” for a fourth consecutive year.
In 1992, the 2-millionth Nissan Sentra was sold in the United States in 1992, and the very first Altima rolled off the assembly line at the Nissan manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee. In 1993 Nissan celebrated 10 years of manufacturing in the United States. That year, the NNA Smyrna-built Altima was topping the list in new nameplate sales, and the 1-millionth Maxima was sold.
COMPACT WITHOUT COMPROMISE
1995
1995 was the year Nissan introduced the world to the all-new 200SX® coupe and the all-new 4th-generation Sentra.
THE FIRST FOUR DOOR COMPACT TRUCK
1999
In 1999, Nissan 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 television phenomenon “Baywatch.”
2000-2009: A NEW CENTURY OF THRILLS
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.
After a six-year absence, the legendary Nissan Z returned to prominence in 2002 with the introduction of the widely acclaimed Nissan 350Z®. Under the hood was a lively 3.5-liter V6 pumped out 287 horsepower, a number that would increase every year it was in production. In 2009, the 350Z® was replaced by the more powerful 370Z®, the fastest Nissan Z ever produced.
Explore the history of the Nissan Z
The first full-size Nissan truck, the TITAN®, debuted in 2003 as a 2004 model. Today, the V8-powered pickup is available with a King Cab or a Crew Cab. In 2007, Next-generation technology thrived with Maxima, Altima, Sentra, Quest, Versa Hatchback and Versa Sedan.
OFF-ROAD POWER AND INNOVATION
2005
An all-new midsize Frontier® was launched with the most powerful V6 in its class. Nissan also introduced a mid-sized Pathfinder® with an added 3rd-row of seating, and the 2nd-generation Xterra® made its debut.
NISSAN'S FIRST HYBRID
2007
In 2007, Nissan offered a cleaner, greener driving option for the first time ever with the introduction of the all-new Altima® Hybrid.
AMERICA IS INTRODUCED TO A LEGEND
2009
Nissan brought its legendary GT-R to the U.S as an affordable supercar. With amazing acceleration, all-wheel drive, aggressive handling and bold styling, it has become an icon in the U.S. sports car market.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME
2009
The boxy yet stylish Nissan cube® makes its North American debut with its non-traditional, asymmetrical body.
2010-2020: THE DAWN OF NISSAN ELECTRIFICATION
Nissan helped to lead the automotive industry into the age of electric vehicles when it debuted the all-electric Nissan LEAF® and throughout the decade continues its tradition of innovation that excites with all new vehicles like the Nissan Kicks and safety technology like its available Safety Shield® 360 suite of features. [[1381]] Explore Safety Shield 360
NISSAN LEAF®:
2010
In 2010, Nissan introduced Nissan LEAF®—the world’s first mass-produced, 100% electric, zero emission automobile. The standard 24-kWh battery was replaced with a 30-kWh battery for 2016, featuring 107 miles of range. The 2018 LEAF introduced an all-new design and a 40-kWh battery that took range up to 151 miles, and in 2019, LEAF PLUS added an available 60-kWh battery, estimated by EPA to offer up to 226 miles of range.
NISSAN KICKS: THE CROSSOVER OF SELF EXPRESSION
2018
Nissan Kicks offers a bundle of technology and functionality at an attractive price. It’s a one-of-a-kind crossover that’s big on attitude and self-expression. It demands attention with dynamic styling and nimble performance, while Nissan Intelligent Mobility™ means seamless connectivity, and available advanced driver assistance features.
NISSAN ALTIMA: ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SEDAN
2019
Continuing the Altima tradition of innvovation in the sedan market, the Nissan Altima with an available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system was made available for the first time. And it's still available today. [[1323]]
A NEW ERA OF THRILL 2021-Present:
Nissan storied history has spanned more than 90 years but it is just getting started. From electrification, to buying a Nissan@Home to the latest generation of Nissan capability in trucks, SUVs and sports cars, the latest chapter is unfolding now. [[1510]]
NISSAN ARIYA
2022
Nissan packs more than a decade of expertise in electric vehicle technology into the 2023 Nissan ARIYA, an all-electric crossover that features available e-4ORCE all-wheel drive and will drive Nissan and us towards an electric future. [[1461]]