THE DATSUN-NISSAN CARS ARCHIVE

What’s in the Datsun-Nissan Archive

The Datsun-Nissan Archive contains a compendium of model information, illustrations, specifications and factoids. Significant in the archive will be the increasing development of Car Models Fact Sheets for each model and year – a one-stop shop of all the critical information on that brand’s year and model. The Car Models Fact Sheets are a single page for each model where we gather all the information on that vehicle that is available. It will not be a static page, but rather a living document that we will add to as information comes to light.

Please click the Tabs below and select any available model and year to see what we have collected to date.

About The Datsun-Nissan Brand

Not until 1958 did the first tiny Datsun sedans begin to arrive in the US, but the company had been in operation in Japan before and after World War II.

For some history, consider: in 1911, an American-trained engineer, Masujiro Hashimoto, formed Kwaishinsha Motors to build the first Japanese car. It was named “DAT” which stood for initials of three men who provided capital: Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama, and Meitaro Takeuchi. In rough translation it also meant “very fast”. By 1918, company produced a two-seater sports car called “Datson” (son of DAT). The name later changed to “Datsun”. In 1933, the company became Nissan Motor Company Ltd., with public shares offered. Two years later, cars were being exported outside Japan. One was an Austin Seven, built under license from the British firm.

After the war, in 1947, once again, Austin-licensed cars were rolling off the line.  Growth continued, and in 1952 Datsun produced about 2,400 vehicles. Significant, that year, a Datsun Sports roadster debuted, powered by an 860 cc four cylinder. When occupation forces withdrew in 1955, Nissan was ready to expand and produced a Datsun 110 sedan  – with 13,354 delivered in that year. The 110 soon was joined by a station wagon, a K110 convertible, and a model 120 pickup truck.

Next came the 210 model sedans. These appealed to only a modest number of Americans, but interest grew considerably when Datsun the 310 (Bluebird) sedan and sports cars appeared. The initial introduction of the Fair Lady sports car  led to the more refined Sports 1500 and 1600, which in turn headed toward the renowned Z-cars of 1970.

An expanding selection of subcompact and compact sedans and station wagons served as the meat for Nissan’s sales in the U.S., but the sports cars (and the early performance-oriented 510 sedans) got most of the public and media attention. No matter, because by the end of the 1970s, more than half a million Datsuns were finding American customers each year.

The decision to change the name Datsun to Nissan in the U.S. was announced in the autumn (September/October) of 1981. The rationale was that the name change would help the pursuit of a global strategy. A single name worldwide would increase the possibility that advertising campaigns, brochures, and promotional materials could be used across countries and simplify product design and manufacturing.

Further, potential buyers would be exposed to the name and product when traveling to other countries. Industry observers, however, speculated that the most important motivation was that a name change would help Nissan market stocks and bonds in the U.S.

In 1999, facing severe financial difficulties, Nissan entered an alliance with Renault of France. In June 2001, Renault executive Carlos Ghosn was named chief executive officer of Nissan. In May 2005, Ghosn was named president of Nissan’s partner company Renault. He was appointed president and CEO of Renault on 6 May 2009.

Note: The “L” (meaning left-hand drive) in Datsun nomenclature is sometimes used as part of the model prefix, but sometimes not. Often the prefix letters were omitted. Some factory material even added extra suffixes to the already long model numbers. Certain sources have used hyphens in model numbers (SPL-310, 240-Z, etc.), but they are omitted here.

In 1999, facing severe financial difficulties, Nissan entered an alliance with Renault of France. In June 2001, Renault executive Carlos Ghosn was named chief executive officer of Nissan. In May 2005, Ghosn was named president of Nissan’s partner company Renault. He was appointed president and CEO of Renault on 6 May 2009.

Under CEO Ghosn’s “Nissan Revival Plan” (NRP), the company has rebounded in what many leading economists consider to be one of the most spectacular corporate turnarounds in history, catapulting Nissan to record profits and a dramatic revitalization of both its Nissan and Infiniti model line-ups.

In late July 2019, Nissan announced it would lay off 12,500 employees over the next 3 years, citing a 95% year on year net income fall. In May 2020, Nissan announced that the company would cut production capacity by 20% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a spokesperson of Nissan North America, the company had suffered from a strategy of “volume at any cost”, which has been attributed by analysts to Ghosn.