Interesting facts about Nissan Motors

Do you love Nissan’s GT-R? Want to know some amazing facts about this fifth largest automaker in the world? You are just in the right place! Here are 18 facts about Nissan Motors that you might not know before this day:

 

Nissan Build and Sold British Cars for Over Seven Years

In 1952, Nissan entered a partnership with British automaker Austin, which benefited both companies. This allowed Nissan to build and sell British cars as well as use Austin patents, which would make a big influence on Nissan’s engine technology.

Nissan Also Built Rocket Engines

Nissan used to have a booming aerospace industry. They designed and developed engines for the Lambda 4S-5 spacecraft which launched Japan’s first-ever satellite, the OHSUMI.

Nissan global headquarters

 

Nissan’s Global Headquarters is Located in Yokohama, Japan

Nissan’s Global headquarters is located in Nishi-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is among the major Japanese companies having its headquarters in Nishi Ward, Yokohama’s business district.

In World War II, Nissan Had to Shift Its Focus from Car Manufacturing to The Production of Military Equipment

As many other companies were producing military equipment, Japanese car manufacturer “Nissan”, was forcefully producing army trucks, aircraft engines, and motorboats’ engines. This experiment turned out to be very useful for the company as it evolved the creation of independent shipbuilding and engine building divisions which still are part of the world and growing well.

Nissan is 100 Years Old

In fact, Nissan is 104 years old this year (as of this writing). Although Nissan Motors was founded in 1933, it has its roots way back in 1914 when Kaishinsha Motorcar Works rolled out its first car named DAT. DAT was an acronym based on the first letters of the three company founders’ last names. You can read more about the company’s history here.

In 1932, Kaishinsha released a new car with a smaller, 495cc engine to comply with the new Japanese laws which allowed vehicles with 500cc engines or lower on the road. They named the new vehicle Datson (meaning “son of DAT”). But they later changed it into Datsun, since “son” sounds akin to the Japanese word for “disadvantage.”

 

Nissan Made Japan’s Ford Model T

When Nissan acquired Datsun, the ample resources made from this acquisition allowed the company to produce its first mass-produced car, the Type 15, in 1934.

Nissan’s Greatest isn’t Even a Nissan

If you are a car lover, you must know how great Skyline GT-R is. But did you know it was actually first built in 1957 by another Japanese car maker, Prince? Nissan and Prince merged during the 1960s, which brought a more luxurious lineup into the Nissan fold. The name “Prince” was subsequently scrapped, and Skyline has been considered as a Nissan car since.

If you are a true sports car lover, you can’t go wrong with a Nissan Skyline GT-R. Skyline GT-R: The Ultimate Japanese Supercar is an interesting read by Andy Butler that will take you through the details of all the Skyline variants with quite amazing information!

The Pulsar GTI-R Had A Hidden Umbrella

The Nissan GTI-R carried a full-sized umbrella, tucked inside its driver side doorframe compartment. We think that all cars should have one!

Sex Sells

Nissan Was A Pioneer in The Idea That “Sex Sells”

You can thank Nissan for the “sexy” part of marketing — pretty models smiling and standing next to cars at car shows. As Tom Reichert of the University of Georgia said, “Sexual information does grab attention”, many companies use sex to sell their products.

In 1936, Nissan employed four women to showcase and advertise their cars to the public. Particularly in Japan, a car model (auto girl) is often seen at an important and distinguished position. This occupation can even be passed from mother to daughter.

 

You Can Still Buy a Datsun, But You Will Have to Go to India

Nissan has revived the Datsun brand after almost three decades. The company released the Datsun Go, a slow, basic hatchback car that’s pretty affordable. However, it is available only in emerging markets. Although the first line of Datsun’s Go is available only in India, they will also be released in other selected countries such as Indonesia and South Africa.

Datsun became Nissan

Datsun Officially Became Nissan In 1986

Datsun officially changed its name into Nissan in 1986 for several reasons, mainly to make marketing a bit easier, and make it less confusing to consumers. However, many speculated the reason behind the name change was to do away with Datsun’s old image as a “rust bucket” during the 1970s.

Are you a Datsun enthusiast? Have a look at Nissan / Datsun: A History of Nissan Motor Corporation in U.S.A.

Datsun Won Its First Race Way Back In 1936

Japan held its first motorsport competition, the All-Japan Automobile Competition in 1936. Datsun entered the race with NL-75 which had a supercharged DOHC engine — quite an innovation at that time. Needless to say, Datsun won the race, which gave birth to Nissan’s illustrious racing history.

Nissan Participated in European Car Competition

The Nissan Micra actively took part in the prestigious car competition which was held in 1993 and won the competition with the title “Car of the Year”.

The First Mass Production of Nissan

Nissan launched the Nissan LEAF in 2010, an affordable car that runs exclusively on electricity. This was the best selling electric vehicle in the world up till today. Nissan is planning to manufacture more electric vehicles and extend the number of electric-powered models in the future.

Nissan includes more than 60 models in all classes which is quite a big number for any company.

The Creation of The First Limousine

1967 was the year which is marked as the best year for the company in history, as this year was full of success and pride. Nissan created the first Limousine, a vehicle that other Japanese companies can only dream of, even the Emperor of Japan himself. This was the magnificent design of the Emperor’s limo.

Infiniti – Division of Nissan North America

Infinity, a luxury division of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Company, created its luxury cars with a goal of producing a new entity to compete with European luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. For that, the famous Infiniti Q45 was introduced in the market.

Related articles: Interesting facts about BMW, Interesting facts about Mercedes Benz

Nissan Patrol Designated as A Luxury Vehicle

The Japanese automaker inaugurated its famous model Nissan Patrol in the market. This legendary vehicle has many fanatic features which were the center of attraction all around the world. In the light of all its mind-blowing features, it was given the status and importance of a luxury vehicle.

Nissan Won the Highest Award for its Autonomous Driving System

Nissan always struggles to be at the forefront of technological progress. During the exhibition of CEATEC in 2013, Nissan was awarded for its outstanding performance and driving system in their cars. The purpose of installing such an advance system was to enhance the driver and passenger safety by reducing significant risks of accidents. This technology became a game changer in the automobile market, undoubtedly.

To the surprise of many people, Nissan holds a record for the fastest production model in the world. The Nissan GT-R excelled Ferrari and Porsche which showed an excellent performance and best timing on the famous racing track Nurburgring. For that reason, Nissan GT-R is considered as the fastest street-legal.