Datsun

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese automobile manufacturer. In the period from 1932 through 1983, cars were also produced under the name Datsun sold. Nissan is one of the larger automobile manufacturers, after Toyota. In the 1990s, the group ran into financial difficulties and the French automotive group Renault became the majority shareholder and owner of Nissan in late 1999.

History of Datsun/Nissan

In 1911, the Japanese Hashimoto founded the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works. Masujiro Hashimoto built his first cars for his friends. He named the first model 'DAT', the initials of the surnames of his friends Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama, and Meitaru Takeuchi, who were the fortunate owners of this car. In 1915, the DAT 31 came onto the market. This car was built in a small series. A year later, the DAT 41 followed.

Before World War II, Japan was still a poor country. Only a few wealthy Japanese could afford a car at all. Hashimoto struggled with his car factory. In 1931, DAT Automobile Manufacturing Co. became part of the Tabato Imono concern. The next car, built in the 1930s, was even smaller than its predecessors and was therefore called 'the son of DAT': Datson. Because the Japanese word 'son' also meant 'ruin', Masujiro Hashimoto preferred to write Datson with a u: Datsun.

Datsun and Nissan

In 1934, the aforementioned Tabato Imono merged with the Nihon Sangyo Company; the new enterprise was named Jdosha Seizo Corporation. Within this company, the cars were produced in a separate company: Nissan Motor Company Ltd.

The smaller cars continued to bear the Datsun name. From 1936, a larger model was supplied under the Nissan brand. The Nissan 70 was a luxury passenger car with an 85 hp six-cylinder engine. The Japanese had copied the Americans for the Nissan 70, as the model looked exactly like the Graham-Paige. However, this Nissan was unaffordable even for the wealthier Japanese. The Japanese government helped the Nissan brand purchase a few units, but Nissan was forced to cease production of these cars as early as 1938. Nissan also benefited from the Second World War, as the Japanese army provided them with a good customer through the production of trucks. After the war, Nissan resumed manufacturing passenger cars, and production of the Datsun passenger car was restarted.

1938 Nissan Phaeton

Nissan uses its expertise in producing military vehicles, gained during World War II, to create a legend, the Nissan Patrol. The 4x4 with 85 hp and a six-cylinder engine outperforms American Willis Jeeps in terms of load capacity and power.

Nissan gradually gained recognition in the global automotive market when a Datsun 210 won the Mobilgas Round Australia Trial. The brand further solidified its position with the introduction of the Datsun Bluebird, which would become one of Nissan's most successful models. Two years after exporting the first cars to America, Nissan officially established itself there with the founding of Nissan Motor Corporation USA (NMC) in California, and in 1962, it began exporting cars to Europe.

Four years later, Nissan merged with the Prince Motor Company. As a result, a number of excellent mechanics joined the company, along with the famous Skyline and Gloria models. In 1969, the legendary 240Z was launched. The 2.4-liter inline six-cylinder produces 150 hp, offering performance that rivals the Porsche—and this for half the price!

In the midst of the 1973 oil crisis, the Nissan Sunny took first place in fuel economy tests conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, making this Nissan enormously popular in America. Nissan acquired an interest in Motor Iberica, SA in Barcelona, ​​Spain. Cumulative exports now amounted to more than 10 million vehicles.

1973 Datsun Sunny (later we also got the Nissan Sunny)