Toward the End of This Decade of Change, Nissan Has Built a Strong Reputation in Both the American and the Japanese Markets

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Nissan Heritage Japan's first automotive manufacturer, begins rolling out DATs in 1911 DAT motors founded in 1914 begins producing trucks due to non- existent consumer market for passenger cars at the time

1937- The Datsun Type 15 is the first mass-produced Japanese Vehicle

1957 Nissan Skyline introduced. This is the predecessor to the revolutionary Nissan GT-R released to the United States in 2009

1958 Datsun releases the Datsun 1200 Sedan into the US market. 4 cylinder, 1200 cc

1961 Datsun Fairlady 1200 Roadster is introduced to the US markets

1967 The most desireable Datsun for collectors, the 2000 roadster is produced. Complete with a 150 hp engine and a 5 speed shifter, the Roadster wins several championships between 1967-1987 also known as the Datsun Fairlady 1500/1600/200

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.

Datsun z is hot as sh*t 1969-1978 Datsun 240z (nissan s30) produced. One of the most succesful sports ca lines ever produced, De- signed by Yoshihiko Matsuo, this car is straight fire and Iwant NEED one.

At the 1969 introduction of the new DATSUN 240-Z to the employees of Nissan Motors USA, Mr. Yutaka Kata- yama, President, Nissan Motors USA said:

"The 240-Z represents the imaginative sprit of Nissan, and was designed to please a demanding taste that is strictly American. It meets all the requirements of sports-minded drivers, fulfilling their desire for superb styling, power and safety, and provides them with the most thrilling and enjoyable ride available in any car."

Mr. Katayama continued; "Our new product reflects the rapid advancement of our company... We have studied the memorable artistry of European coachmakers and engine builders and combined our knowledge with the Japanese craftsman. The result is an exotic, high-performance car exclusively for America." The design of the DATSUN 240-Z established a complete paradigm shift in the automotive industry. For the first time a major manufacturer designed and produced a product line aimed specifically and squarely at a target export market. Using customer requirements from that market to both define and constrain the development effort.

Working with broadly defined customer requirements and very narrowly defined design constraints; Mr. Matsuo and his team were both creative and flexible enough to be able to incorporate all the product and design requirements coming from Mr. Katayama and his American customers, as well as all the US Federal Safety and Emis- sions Standards. This was all accomplished without sacrificing the design nor the styling integrity of the car. An equally significant feat was accomplished by Mr. Matsuo as he got his design through the design to production transition phase, without sacrificing its design integrity. (this is very rarely accomplished).

In Closing I'll Quote Mr. Matsuo: "...with the birth of the Z the complexion of the American Sports Car Market changed overnight." (A typical Matsuo understatement...cjb)

1978- Datsun B210GX - renowned as Nissan's best selling small sedan of the 1970's, the B210GX was the first Nissan car sold in the US to achieve 50 mpg highway.

1989- Infiniti Launch 1991- EPA award. introduces the Future Electric Vehicle concept car 1997- EPA names Nissan the Best of the Best 2007- Nissan Altima Hybrid Introduced 2009- GT-R released. The GT-R has become an icon in the US sports car market. Brake lights are classic Nissan, taken from the Skyline

2009- Nissan Cube, asymmetrical body, electric vehicle 2010- Nissan Juke introduced 2010- Nissan Leaf introduced, 100% electric Range of 84-107 miles Can charge to 80% in 30 mins using DC fast charging The Leaf's design locates the battery, the heaviest part of any EV, below the seats and rear foot space, keeping the center of gravity as low as possible and increasing structural rigidity compared to a conventional five-door hatchback.[9][38][40] In February 2014, the Automotive Science Group (ASG) published the result of a study conducted to assess the life-cycle of over 1,300 automobiles across nine categories sold in North America. The study found that among advanced automotive technologies, the Nissan Leaf holds the smallest life-cycle environmental footprint of any model year 2014 automobile available in the North American market with minimum four-person occupancy. The study concluded that the increased environmental impacts of manufacturing the battery electric technology is more than offset with increased environmental performance during operational life. For the assessment, the study used the average electricity mix of the U.S. grid in 2014

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