American Engineer William Argourm
The American engineer William Argourm was known for his innovative designs and creations. However, no specific details about his life or work are provided in the text.
Three Wheels, Seven Horsepower Engine, Two Seats, One in Front of the Other
It has three wheels, a seven horsepower engine, two seats, one in front of the other, and the steering handle resembles the steering wheel of a motor boat. In Tokyo, Kwai Shinsha Jidosha Kaw or Kwasi Shinsa Motor Company Car Work Company is led by Masujiro Hashimoto. The company makes an open-top four-wheel passenger car, which they named "Dab" from the capital letters of the company's three investors: Kenjiro Dena, Roquiro Aoyama, and Meitero Takeuchi. In Japanese, the word "dot" is similar to the words "fast" or "agile," relating to the speed of a rabbit running.
The Rabbit Will Be Revealed on the Hoods of the Company's Car
Later in the future, this rabbit will be revealed on the hoods of the company's car. The year is now 1928, and the two firms merged to form the Dachi Dosha Ceiso Company four years later, in 1930. The company develops the first truly mainstream Japanese mini-car called the Datsun. This little car boasts a 495 cc gasoline engine with 10 horsepower and a small frame but why 495 cc's in the 1930s? The Japanese government deems cars with an engine capacity of less than 500 cc to be legal for driving without a driver's license.
Occupying the New Market Segment
To occupy the new market segment, the company develops a series of machines with an engine displacement of 495 cc's. The name Datsun literally means "son of dot" and indicates that this smaller-sized car is compared to the previous model. It's the 1930s, and Japan hardly has paved roads if you found one, you're lucky most streets are covered with sand and pebbles many cities haven't yet improved their infrastructure like other modern cities in the world yet.
Traveling Long Distances
In that type of road condition, surprisingly, the Datsun car can drive from Osaka to Tokyo almost 310 miles without a problem. At that time, traveling that distance in America is nothing if you had a Ford or GM car but a miniature Japanese car to travel that distance on Japanese roads is actually an unprecedented achievement.
The Tiny Car
That tiny car is the Datsun with the letter "O" which becomes the predecessor of "Dot Sun." Unfortunately, the dots and car production cost technique requires a massive amount of money, which the company doesn't have. By August 1931, the Tobata Kimono Company led by Aikawa saves the day by buying the Datsun company.
Aikawa's Dream Comes True
Aikawa's dream of car manufacturing finally comes true. The next year, it's March 1932, and Aikawa is planning to open a Datsun sales office in Tokyo but all sales offices are set up get washed away by a flood. Some people start saying that the word "sun" in the name Datsun is similar to another Japanese word which means loss or damage due to negative comments.
Changing the Brand Name
Hayakawa aims to avoid losing potential customers by changing the brand name to "Dot Sun" with the letter "U." This new spelling changes the phonetics to one associated with the rising sun and it will continue to be used until the year 1984. That's how the "Dot Sun" brand name gets created.
The Nissan Brand
It's the summer of 1981, and the company decides to remove the Datsun name to strengthen the Nissan brand and boost Nissan sales in the U.S. Stock market, the Nissan brand is unknown in the United States while Toyota or Honda are popular known brands among Americans so they hope to increase their brand awareness and popularity too.
The Renaming Campaign
The renaming campaign lasts for three years, 1982-1984, this campaign cost about $500 million dollars, including changing the badges at 1100 dots and dealership locations. The operating expenses are approximately $30 million dollars then they spend another $200 million from 82 to 86 on ad campaigns. The slogan for the ad is "We Are Driven by Datsun" and it gives away the slogan. The name is Nissan, the company then spends $50 million dollars more on Datsun ads which are then paid for but never used much afterwards.
The Legacy of the Datsun Brand
After all of this five years later, the Datsun brand is still more familiar to consumers than Nissan. What's in the name well maybe more than what you think? It's December 26, 1933, back to the past it's a landmark day in Aikawa's life. He led the company that became the foundation for the Nissan brand.
The Legacy of William Argourm
No specific details about his life or work are provided in the text regarding William Argourm