History of Nissan

At Bill Seidle's Nissan, we believe it's important to know the history of our OEM and how Nissan came to be what it is today.

The brand we know as Nissan today was originally founded as Datsun and was one of the first automotive companies in Japan. The brand’s first model made its world debut in 1937 and quickly became Japan’s first mass-produced vehicle. The Datsun Type 15 came in many forms, including a pickup truck and van. The model’s four-cylinder engine produced just 15 horsepower, but it marked a new era for the automotive industry.

In 1958, just over 20 years later, Datsun produced what would become the predecessor to the Nissan Altima. The Datsun 1000 Sedan rode on the same platform at the truck version and saw just 146 units sold between its launch and 1961. It was replaced by the Datsun 1200 Sedan, which saw more than 1,300 units take to American roadways.

Pickup trucks were quite popular in the 1950s and 1960s and Datsun was out to make a name for itself. The Datsun compact pickup had a 37-horsepower engine under the hood, but it was soon boosted to 48 horsepower. It was so popular that more than 200 American servicemen had the truck imported back to the United States. The 1959 Datsun compact pickup became the predecessor to the modern Nissan Frontier.

American muscle became all the rage in the decades after. Datsun introduced its own powerhouse, the 2000 Roadster, in 1967. The 150-horsepower engine model saw a limited production run of just 1,000 units. It stands in history as the predecessor to the Nissan 370Z sports car that enthusiasts know and love today.

In 1971, Datsun saw annual sales surpass 250,000 units in the United States, a record for the brand. Just two years later, the one-millionth Datsun was sold in the United States. By 1975, Datsun became the top automotive importer to the United States.

In 1984, the Nissan parent brand did away with the Datsun nameplate, effectively establishing itself as a reputable manufacturer in the United States.

The history of Nissan is fairly extensive and very interesting to those who love the automotive industry. Check out Nissan’s latest models today, here at Bill Seidle’s Nissan.