Nissan Just Changed the World

# The History of Nissan: A Journey from Datsun to Global Giant

## Introduction

Nissan is one of the world's most recognized automotive brands, with a rich history that spans over a century. This article delves into the complete history of Nissan, tracing its origins back to 1908 and following its evolution through significant milestones, technological advancements, and global expansion.

## The Early Years: Yoshisuke Aikawa and the Birth of Datsun

Yoshisuke Aikawa, the founder of Nissan Motors, was born on November 6, 1880, in Ochi Village (now Yamaguchi City). Growing up in a privileged family, Aikawa pursued a career in engineering, working as a mechanic while studying. His experiences in the United States, where he learned iron forging technology, inspired him to return to Japan and revolutionize the automotive industry.

In 1908, Aikawa established Tobata Himojo, an iron casting company, which became known for its Kyotan products. These flexible joints were named after a gourd due to their flat joint surfaces. The success of Tobata Himojo laid the foundation for Nissan's future endeavors in the automotive industry.

## Transition to Automobile Manufacturing

By 1910, Aikawa's vision expanded beyond iron casting. He sought to produce cars, leveraging the technology he had acquired in the U.S. This marked the beginning of Datsun, a brand that would later evolve into Nissan. The first Datsun car was produced in 1913, and by 1928, Aikawa was tasked with restructuring Kuhara Kohgo, leading to the creation of Nihon Senkiyo, which eventually became Nissan Motor Company.

## The Datsun Era: Pioneering Small Cars

The 1930s saw the rise of Datsun, known for its affordability and innovation. In 1932, the Datsun 10 Model B was introduced, featuring a 495cc engine. This car became iconic after completing a challenging 310-mile journey from Osaka to Tokyo in 1933.

## Transition to Nissan: The Shift in Brand Identity

In August 1931, Tobata Himojo acquired Datsun, solidifying Aikawa's vision of manufacturing cars. However, concerns over the brand name "Datsun" led to its rebranding as "Dot Sun" in 1934. This transition aimed to align the brand with Japan's rising sun symbol, enhancing its market appeal.

## Post-War and Global Expansion

After World War II, Nissan focused on producing vehicles for a recovering economy. The Patrol, introduced in 1951, marked Japan's first four-wheel-drive SUV. By 1958, Nissan began exporting cars to the U.S., solidifying its presence in international markets.

## Innovation and Iconic Models

The Bluebird (1959) and Cedric (1960) models gained popularity for their luxury and performance, while the Sunny 1000 (1966) catered to younger demographics. In 1976, Nissan became Japan's largest car exporter.

## The Skyline GTR: A Legend in the Making

The Skyline series, introduced in 1964, became synonymous with performance and style. The Skyline GT-R (R32), launched in 1989, was a game-changer, featuring advanced technology like All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and earning the nickname "Godzilla" for its speed and handling.

## Datsun to Nissan: A Global Rebranding

In 1981, Nissan initiated a rebranding campaign to replace Datsun with Nissan in global markets. Despite challenges, this shift positioned Nissan as a leading brand worldwide.

## Electric Innovation: The Nissan Leaf

Nissan's commitment to sustainability led to the introduction of the Leaf (2010), the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle. Its success marked a new chapter in automotive history.

## Strategic Partnerships and Global Dominance

Since 1999, Nissan has formed strategic alliances with Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, expanding its global reach. Today, Nissan operates as part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, one of the largest automotive groups globally.

## Conclusion: A Century of Innovation

From humble beginnings in iron casting to becoming a global automotive giant, Nissan's journey is a testament to innovation, resilience, and vision. As it continues to lead in electric vehicles and technological advancements, Nissan remains a pioneer in the ever-evolving automotive industry.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthis is the history of nissan it's the year 1908 the company general motors is setting up it's also a year when a great idea is born an unknown person comes up with a fantastic idea that will change this life forever looking at the auto industry in the united states of america he sees it as something with limitless potential this potential is unknown in his homeland japan so he decides to return to japan he's determined to start manufacturing flexible joints using an iron forging technology he learned well in the united states unlike the united states the automobile industry is still in its early stages in the land of the rising sun japan however this doesn't stop him from wanting to make cars all he has to do is be patient and wait for the right moment this man is yoshisuke ahikawa he will become the founder of nissan motors and one of the greatest businessmen in japan it's on november 6 1880 in ochi village now known as yamaguchi city yoshi suke a ikawa is born he grows up as a real blue blood with father who is a local lord and a grand uncle who has a key position in the government as he studies in grad school he works as a mechanic earning only 45 pennies a day he keeps this a secret from everyone and doesn't reveal his family ties or his education to anyone his hands-on experience and manufacturing will contribute to nissan's success now he makes the decision to move from japan to the united states when he gets to the u.s he gets a job as a mechanic and an iron plant owned by the gould coupler company he works there for a year studying the technology used and the different methods of production he learns that japanese cast metal is hard but breaks easily aikawa thinks the japanese industry really needs the ability to produce cheap ductile iron so he crosses the pacific ocean and returns to japan he now has the technology to shape cast iron into complex shapes and produces iron that is much stronger than before in japan a brilliant idea comes to mind he's going to produce cars it's 1910 he's back in japan he sets up an iron casting firm called tobata himono his products become known as kyotan which is two-way type of a gourd because the joint surfaces are flat like the plant the products soon become high in demand tobata himono begins producing ductile iron castings using the industry's first electric furnace the company will eventually become the predecessor of today's hitachi medals throughout the years aikawa establishes many companies and acquires other people in the industry and society view him as a dynamic young businessman he gains a good reputation it's 1928 yoshi suke ayakawa is asked to lead the restructuring of the kuhara kohigo firm one of the steps for the company is to choose a new name since this company belongs to shareholders from all over japan aikawa believes the name should reflect the entire japanese society's interests and well-being so he renames the company nihon sengio which translates into the words japan and industry his belief makes the company stand out more compared to other firms that carry family names the words nihon and sengio will later combine to become nissan this will be a historic moment especially the beginning of nissan but the name nissan won't be used until later in the future aikawa still has a long way to go before the merger the firms that would become part of the brand are already producing vehicles for example jitsuo jidosa company limited in osaka was making a vehicle called the gorham it is named after its designer and american engineer william argorum it has three wheels 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 they named the car dab from the capital letters of the company's three investors kenjiro dena roquiro aoyama and meitaro kakeuchi in japanese the sound dot is similar to the word fast or agile relating to the speed of a rabbit running later in the future this rabbit will be revealed on the hoods of the company's car the year is now 1928 the two firms merged to form the dachi dosha ceiso company four years later it's 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 so to occupy the new market segment the company develops a series of machines with an engine displacement of 495 ccs the name datsun literally means son of dot it indicates that a smaller sized car compared to the previous model it's the 1930s and japan hardly has paved roads if you found one a luck most streets are covered with sand and pebbles many cities haven't yet improved their infrastructure like other modern cities in the world yet 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 that tiny car is the datsun with the letter o which becomes the predecessor of dot sun with the letter u unfortunately the datsun 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 dots and company aikawa's dream of car manufacturing finally can come true the next year it's march 1932 ali khawa 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 and the name datsun is similar to another japanese word which means loss or damage due to negative comments 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 it's summer of 1981 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 lasts for three years 1982-1984 this campaign cost about 500 million dollars the operating expenses including changing the badges at 1100 dots and dealership locations is 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 dots and ads which are then paid for but never used much afterwards yet after all of this five years later the dotson 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 realizes he has achieved the dream he has accomplished many things in his lifetime he had organized the founding of jedosha saizo in yokohama which consists of two of his companies one company is nihon sengio which is worth six million yen the other is obata mono which is worth four million these results in an initial worth of 10 million yen which is a lot at the time it's may 30th 1934 the shareholders meet and rename the jedosha siezo company to nissan motor company it's april 1935. the very first datsun passenger car rolls off the assembly line in yokohama at the time nissan switches to using only japanese-made components and installs presses to produce body panels this change ends the old-fashioned manual processing of metal sheets and it puts nissan on the fast track to success overnight the company's president yoshisuke aikawa proves to be a brilliant leader he makes huge plans to increase his company's production to 10 to 15 000 vehicles per year and they nearly achieve it it's not just about the technology they have but also their skillful marketing for example the company often puts datsun and nissan cars on stage as backdrops to music reviews which is a popular form of entertainment in japan nissan sponsors it and proves to be a great marketing strategy since the 1930s dotson uses famous actresses to improve their public image and in 1936 nissan hires four young women to introduce datsun and nissan cars to consumers they're initially known as scotson demonstrators it's a completely revolutionary method for its time to employ women and train them to be professional saleswomen the dots and demonstrators stand on the showroom floor to show and explain the various car mob their job is to communicate directly with the consumers and answer questions about the car and the brand the training is extensive and the program proves success it will eventually become the forerunner of the miss fair lady team which starts 30 years later in 1963 and still exists today it's 1937. full color films are still rare even in hollywood nissan makes an incredibly groundbreaking move that propels them into the japanese market they start shooting their car advertisements in full color film it's 1951 this year nissan is celebrating the birth of the patrol the first four-wheel drive suv with a six-cylinder engine here's the 1951 nissan patrol and here's the modern patrol the progress is obvious it's 1958 nissan motors is beginning to export passenger cars to the united states and if september 2 datsun 1 000 sedans model 210 take part in the australian mobile gas trial rally it's one of the toughest ones in the world it's almost a race for survival but despite the enormous difficulties and complexity of the track or more like the complete absence of a track the nissan team wins a champion title in its class they went in the class of engines with fewer than 1000 cc it also was one of the longest motorsport events in the world the race runs clockwise across the australian continent it starts from sydney and ends in melbourne which is 10 000 miles participants overcome sandy hills swamps and water obstacles that reach over three feet deep but it's not just the endurance part two cars from the skoda team crash in the race also the volkswagen team runs into two trees one driver breaks his arm and the other breaks his nose in the accident the team from australian morris major loses control and both pilots fly out of the car unfortunately one of them dies more accidents happen one team breaks the axle of their car another team collides with a kangaroo it's such a tough endurance race after all of these bad accidents the race will later cease to exist after 1958 but it's at the 1958 rally the two dots and 1000 sedans successfully crossed the finish line this victory gives the company the publicity and credibility to now enter foreign markets the datsun brand now becomes synonymous with smaller high-quality car and in august 1958 nissan releases the high-end datsun bluebird unique feature of the bluebird is the first ever power assisted front brakes created by a japanese manufacturer these new power assisted brakes allow even petite japanese women to break easily with the light brake pressure it's 1960 now a new large car is in development the nissan cedric the name of the car is in honor of the main character of the famous story little lord fontelroy who's commonly known around the world these two cars the 1959 bluebird and the 1960 cedric both win japanese consumers hearts the cedric is considered a larger mid-sized car in japan cedric's luxurious body has twin headlights impressive dynamic performance and a small car's low fuel consumption the six-seater cedric is one of nissan's first monocoque having a panoramic windshield and state-of-the-art equipment it's now november 1963. the second generation skyline makes an appearance on a japanese market it's a small comfy family car reliable and easy to maintain the car's engine comes with a warranty that covers two years or 18 000 miles the year turns to 1964. the second japanese grand prix gt2 category is about to begin it features a select model the predecessor of the gtr the skyline s54 2000 gt with a 2-liter engine this skyland competes in a race with the porsche 904 gts a pure racing car built in west germany at the time there's a belief the japanese technical advancements are far behind the rest of the world on one of the laps the skyline overtakes porsche the audience is delighted and jumps with excitement although the skyline comes in second place it can now boast a public image as a sports car the next year it's february 1965. the new skyline 2000 gtb is released largely due to the success of the previous s54 2000 gtr model the skyline 2000 gtb has a 2-liter horsepower engine a limited slip differential 5-speed manual transmission and some powerful brakes even the best drivers don't fail to appreciate the excellent specs of this car the following year the memorable nissan bluebird remains popular among families but it's not very affordable for newlyweds so this leads to a new model in the spring of 1966. dotson nissan releases a new compact sedan with a one liter engine called the dotson sunny 1000. model b-10 this new release sparks the demand for more family cars like this in a japanese market because it's less expensive than the previous models the name of the car when translated mean full of sunshine or something similar to bright lively and young it is a positive name and attracts a new market of consumers in the company that it hadn't tapped before it's 1970s here's a fun fact nissan goes to outer space well not quite like tesla sending this roadstrap but nissan gets involved in developing and manufacturing rocket engines and launchers the rocket lam the 4s5 is one of the rockets they work on another thing they accomplish is launching the first japanese satellite called osimi into outer space the purpose of osemi is to observe the ionosphere the sun and millions of energetic particles from the earth the same year the company starts expanding its manufactures including making engines for the shipbuilding industry by 1976 nissan finally becomes the largest car exporter in the world the next year they sell more than 20 million cars later in february 1994 the first h2 a rocket-powered nissan engine launches successfully beginning in 1990 nissan firmly established itself in the european market with its release of the primera in 97 nissan begins selling this model with a hyper cvt which increases the fuel economy a combination of a variable transmission a powerful 2-liter engine with 190 horsepower is one of the first used in the industry at the end of 2002 nissan motors announces the development of seat belts that are already tensioned when the car is braking hard it's a design that helps cushion the passenger from injury in a possible collision the new limiting system detects the movement of a potential collision based on the driver's brake pedal force and pre-tensions the seat belt to keep the driver or the passenger safe if an accident were to happen the seat belt limiter helps to maximize the effectiveness of all the other safety systems starting with the production of miniature cars nissan has grown over time into a fully global brand that has established itself in europe in just a quarter of a century 1969 nissan kicks off the year with an ad campaign to promote the gtr sports car sadly very few people respond enthusiastically to the campaign so it seems like the ad is a big waste of money since they aren't making a profit surprisingly though it ends up becoming legendary as one of the longest running ad campaigns in japanese history the campaign can be summed up in a simple phrase the skyline of love three years later it's 1972 the campaign turns into a series called ken and mary for the new fourth generation skyline c110 now this series becomes a sensation people love it the skyline already has an image as a type of car meant for racing with amazing speed something that's not for the average commuter nissan creates a new image for the car a bright fashionable style thanks to the launch of the ken and mary ads the series is about a young couple who enjoy the hokkaido countryside it's a huge hit and it convinces many potential buyers that the car is a dating magnet it's rather unconventional compared to the traditional marketing methods other companies are implementing but what matters is that people actually start to believe that driving a skyline can help them with their dating life or pave the way for happy relationships the car starts selling like hotcakes just goes to show the power of advertising regardless of the adds the skyline gtr c110 is a perfect car to have the c110 is the successor to the c10 which performed well in sales so you'd expect the c110 to also sell well in fact a lot of the car specs are similar like the same hard top body 2 liter inline 6 rear wheel drive 5 speed gearbox and 160 horsepower despite that the c110 fails dismally that's because it's 1973. the oil crisis takes a huge toll on the economy large powerful cars fade away into the darkness more people prefer smaller cars with lower gas consumption nissan ends up producing only 197 copies of the skyline gtr if you can get your hands on one now you got a real collector's item after six months they end production and the rest is history for that model nissan retires from motorsports and the production of the famous gtr goes on to hiatus for 16 years despite nissan's ad campaign in the end the car loses popularity it's the mid-1980s nissan's research and development department launches the 901 activity program the goal is to achieve the title of the world's best vehicle performance by 1990. they then released the nissan primeira p10 and the nissan skyline r32 with these two cars nissan strengthens its reputation as a leader in technology it's now 1988 nissan shows the world it's monster with the gtr name the earlier gtr was sharp for the racetrack but was also made for the average working person a key role in the creation is the fia regulations for group a racing cars in which nissan is actively involved the previous model the r31 was powered by rb series engine which equips the original nics nissan induction control system intake system they introduced their proprietary hica high capacity active steering system for the first time this is a different way of rotating the steering wheel using hydraulics rotating both the front and the rear wheels as a result the vehicle's maneuverability and cornering improves the power of the rp20det engine reaches 190 horsepower and 240 newton meters of torque the r32 has all the stuffings nissan initially plans to increase the volume of the rb20det to a 2.4 liter and then adds another turbocharger but according to the regulations having a turbo would put the car in a class that doesn't allow wheel size of more than 10 inches nissan fits the gtr with an a tessa ets electrically controlled all-wheel drive which weighs about 220 pounds they lose the advantage over the 4-liter rear-wheel drive they decided to go all in increase the engine to 2.6 liter now to put the car into an even higher class than before the 4.5 liter class but at least they are in the correct weight class one of the main goals of the development of the r32 generation is to compete with porsche porsche at the time the nuremberg nordschleife record for production vehicles was held by the porsche 944 at 8 minutes 45 seconds but nissan test driver hiro yoshi kato flies through the nord shleef in 8 minutes 20 seconds in the new r32 gtr this track is almost 13 miles long consisting of 33 left turns and 40 right turns the elevation changed from the lowest to highest points of 980 feet differential still the nissan skyline r32 gtr strikes down the previous title holder the ford sierra cosworth after that australian journalists nicknamed the r32 gtr godzilla because of its fast acceleration and excellent handling the car becomes legendary in the local japanese touring championships this beast wins all 29 out of 29 races the gtr holds the title for five years in a row and it also wins all races in the n1 super tyco series what do people love about the gtr it's unrivaled power and speed the 2021 nissan gtr nissmo is the fastest car of the brand and they put it in mass production the car has the 600 horsepower engine propels the car to 60 miles an hour in just two and a half seconds with the top speed of 205 miles an hour the gt-r's fast steering rigid construction and adjustable suspension make even the enthusiasts feel like a pro behind the wheel in the new version the supercar gets a six-cylinder twin-turbo engine also the new turbochargers increase the power significantly each engine block has an ihi turbocharger with integrated exhaust manifold and electronic waste grate activator to decrease weight and bolster car balance the electronic stability control constantly monitors the car's behavior if off-balance behavior is detected such as sliding and skidding torque so the wheel gets altered to help stabilize the car the nissan gtr can reach speeds of up to 205 miles an hour thanks to the all-wheel drive system the attessa ets all-wheel drive transmission has excellent responsiveness it takes just 0.1 seconds to go up a gear the fuel tank of this modern godzilla is 19.5 gallons the mileage in the city is 16 and in ohio it's 22 in the mixed mode it's 19.6 the improved aerodynamic features of the gtr increases the downforce which keeps the drag coefficient at a very low 0.26 nissan isn't only into gasoline engines nissan also has expertise in electric vehicles such as the nissan leaf nismo rc racing competition model the all-wheel drive leaf nissan rc has twice the power and torque of its predecessor which was induced in 2011. in 2011 nissan changes the concept of racing when they launched the world's first zero emission race ready car without an exhaust pipe the nissan leaf nismo rc in 2018 the second generation of the series arrives with the promise of electric high performance the nissan leaf nismo rc does not have a traditional engine does not use gasoline and it drives almost silently the three-piece body is made from carbon fiber which makes it as light as possible the low wide silhouette and chunky tail are designed to create significant downforce while maintaining vehicle stability and traction the new all-wheel drive system gives the nissan leaf nismo rc outstanding cornering progress power is controlled independently of each axle instantly transferring torque to the tire with maximum grip the power in the axles allows the car to quickly and efficiently maneuver around the track like the production nissan leaf the nissan leaf nismo rc is powered by electrically stored revolutionary lithium ion batteries the long sloping headlights are also the true nissan leaf design but that's where the family resemble its ends the nissan rc does not have a trunk rear doors or seats carpets navigation screen or other common amenities it is wide and low to the ground and its aerodynamics form less than 48 inches from the roof of the road and it's almost 12 inches shorter than the original nissan leak a 100 electric transmission does not require oxygen to maintain peak performance even at high altitudes where thin air tends to reduce combustion engines efficiency immediate acceleration is a hallmark of not just the leaf nismo rc but every nissan electric vehicle in 1999 nissan allied with the french car maker renault in 2016 mitsubishi motors joined the alliance today the total number of alliance sales is over 11 million vehicles selling more than 60 gas and electric car models worldwide under the brand's nissan infiniti and datsun if you like this episode please subscribe to my channel and hit the like button youthis is the history of nissan it's the year 1908 the company general motors is setting up it's also a year when a great idea is born an unknown person comes up with a fantastic idea that will change this life forever looking at the auto industry in the united states of america he sees it as something with limitless potential this potential is unknown in his homeland japan so he decides to return to japan he's determined to start manufacturing flexible joints using an iron forging technology he learned well in the united states unlike the united states the automobile industry is still in its early stages in the land of the rising sun japan however this doesn't stop him from wanting to make cars all he has to do is be patient and wait for the right moment this man is yoshisuke ahikawa he will become the founder of nissan motors and one of the greatest businessmen in japan it's on november 6 1880 in ochi village now known as yamaguchi city yoshi suke a ikawa is born he grows up as a real blue blood with father who is a local lord and a grand uncle who has a key position in the government as he studies in grad school he works as a mechanic earning only 45 pennies a day he keeps this a secret from everyone and doesn't reveal his family ties or his education to anyone his hands-on experience and manufacturing will contribute to nissan's success now he makes the decision to move from japan to the united states when he gets to the u.s he gets a job as a mechanic and an iron plant owned by the gould coupler company he works there for a year studying the technology used and the different methods of production he learns that japanese cast metal is hard but breaks easily aikawa thinks the japanese industry really needs the ability to produce cheap ductile iron so he crosses the pacific ocean and returns to japan he now has the technology to shape cast iron into complex shapes and produces iron that is much stronger than before in japan a brilliant idea comes to mind he's going to produce cars it's 1910 he's back in japan he sets up an iron casting firm called tobata himono his products become known as kyotan which is two-way type of a gourd because the joint surfaces are flat like the plant the products soon become high in demand tobata himono begins producing ductile iron castings using the industry's first electric furnace the company will eventually become the predecessor of today's hitachi medals throughout the years aikawa establishes many companies and acquires other people in the industry and society view him as a dynamic young businessman he gains a good reputation it's 1928 yoshi suke ayakawa is asked to lead the restructuring of the kuhara kohigo firm one of the steps for the company is to choose a new name since this company belongs to shareholders from all over japan aikawa believes the name should reflect the entire japanese society's interests and well-being so he renames the company nihon sengio which translates into the words japan and industry his belief makes the company stand out more compared to other firms that carry family names the words nihon and sengio will later combine to become nissan this will be a historic moment especially the beginning of nissan but the name nissan won't be used until later in the future aikawa still has a long way to go before the merger the firms that would become part of the brand are already producing vehicles for example jitsuo jidosa company limited in osaka was making a vehicle called the gorham it is named after its designer and american engineer william argorum it has three wheels 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 they named the car dab from the capital letters of the company's three investors kenjiro dena roquiro aoyama and meitaro kakeuchi in japanese the sound dot is similar to the word fast or agile relating to the speed of a rabbit running later in the future this rabbit will be revealed on the hoods of the company's car the year is now 1928 the two firms merged to form the dachi dosha ceiso company four years later it's 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 so to occupy the new market segment the company develops a series of machines with an engine displacement of 495 ccs the name datsun literally means son of dot it indicates that a smaller sized car compared to the previous model it's the 1930s and japan hardly has paved roads if you found one a luck most streets are covered with sand and pebbles many cities haven't yet improved their infrastructure like other modern cities in the world yet 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 that tiny car is the datsun with the letter o which becomes the predecessor of dot sun with the letter u unfortunately the datsun 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 dots and company aikawa's dream of car manufacturing finally can come true the next year it's march 1932 ali khawa 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 and the name datsun is similar to another japanese word which means loss or damage due to negative comments 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 it's summer of 1981 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 lasts for three years 1982-1984 this campaign cost about 500 million dollars the operating expenses including changing the badges at 1100 dots and dealership locations is 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 dots and ads which are then paid for but never used much afterwards yet after all of this five years later the dotson 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 realizes he has achieved the dream he has accomplished many things in his lifetime he had organized the founding of jedosha saizo in yokohama which consists of two of his companies one company is nihon sengio which is worth six million yen the other is obata mono which is worth four million these results in an initial worth of 10 million yen which is a lot at the time it's may 30th 1934 the shareholders meet and rename the jedosha siezo company to nissan motor company it's april 1935. the very first datsun passenger car rolls off the assembly line in yokohama at the time nissan switches to using only japanese-made components and installs presses to produce body panels this change ends the old-fashioned manual processing of metal sheets and it puts nissan on the fast track to success overnight the company's president yoshisuke aikawa proves to be a brilliant leader he makes huge plans to increase his company's production to 10 to 15 000 vehicles per year and they nearly achieve it it's not just about the technology they have but also their skillful marketing for example the company often puts datsun and nissan cars on stage as backdrops to music reviews which is a popular form of entertainment in japan nissan sponsors it and proves to be a great marketing strategy since the 1930s dotson uses famous actresses to improve their public image and in 1936 nissan hires four young women to introduce datsun and nissan cars to consumers they're initially known as scotson demonstrators it's a completely revolutionary method for its time to employ women and train them to be professional saleswomen the dots and demonstrators stand on the showroom floor to show and explain the various car mob their job is to communicate directly with the consumers and answer questions about the car and the brand the training is extensive and the program proves success it will eventually become the forerunner of the miss fair lady team which starts 30 years later in 1963 and still exists today it's 1937. full color films are still rare even in hollywood nissan makes an incredibly groundbreaking move that propels them into the japanese market they start shooting their car advertisements in full color film it's 1951 this year nissan is celebrating the birth of the patrol the first four-wheel drive suv with a six-cylinder engine here's the 1951 nissan patrol and here's the modern patrol the progress is obvious it's 1958 nissan motors is beginning to export passenger cars to the united states and if september 2 datsun 1 000 sedans model 210 take part in the australian mobile gas trial rally it's one of the toughest ones in the world it's almost a race for survival but despite the enormous difficulties and complexity of the track or more like the complete absence of a track the nissan team wins a champion title in its class they went in the class of engines with fewer than 1000 cc it also was one of the longest motorsport events in the world the race runs clockwise across the australian continent it starts from sydney and ends in melbourne which is 10 000 miles participants overcome sandy hills swamps and water obstacles that reach over three feet deep but it's not just the endurance part two cars from the skoda team crash in the race also the volkswagen team runs into two trees one driver breaks his arm and the other breaks his nose in the accident the team from australian morris major loses control and both pilots fly out of the car unfortunately one of them dies more accidents happen one team breaks the axle of their car another team collides with a kangaroo it's such a tough endurance race after all of these bad accidents the race will later cease to exist after 1958 but it's at the 1958 rally the two dots and 1000 sedans successfully crossed the finish line this victory gives the company the publicity and credibility to now enter foreign markets the datsun brand now becomes synonymous with smaller high-quality car and in august 1958 nissan releases the high-end datsun bluebird unique feature of the bluebird is the first ever power assisted front brakes created by a japanese manufacturer these new power assisted brakes allow even petite japanese women to break easily with the light brake pressure it's 1960 now a new large car is in development the nissan cedric the name of the car is in honor of the main character of the famous story little lord fontelroy who's commonly known around the world these two cars the 1959 bluebird and the 1960 cedric both win japanese consumers hearts the cedric is considered a larger mid-sized car in japan cedric's luxurious body has twin headlights impressive dynamic performance and a small car's low fuel consumption the six-seater cedric is one of nissan's first monocoque having a panoramic windshield and state-of-the-art equipment it's now november 1963. the second generation skyline makes an appearance on a japanese market it's a small comfy family car reliable and easy to maintain the car's engine comes with a warranty that covers two years or 18 000 miles the year turns to 1964. the second japanese grand prix gt2 category is about to begin it features a select model the predecessor of the gtr the skyline s54 2000 gt with a 2-liter engine this skyland competes in a race with the porsche 904 gts a pure racing car built in west germany at the time there's a belief the japanese technical advancements are far behind the rest of the world on one of the laps the skyline overtakes porsche the audience is delighted and jumps with excitement although the skyline comes in second place it can now boast a public image as a sports car the next year it's february 1965. the new skyline 2000 gtb is released largely due to the success of the previous s54 2000 gtr model the skyline 2000 gtb has a 2-liter horsepower engine a limited slip differential 5-speed manual transmission and some powerful brakes even the best drivers don't fail to appreciate the excellent specs of this car the following year the memorable nissan bluebird remains popular among families but it's not very affordable for newlyweds so this leads to a new model in the spring of 1966. dotson nissan releases a new compact sedan with a one liter engine called the dotson sunny 1000. model b-10 this new release sparks the demand for more family cars like this in a japanese market because it's less expensive than the previous models the name of the car when translated mean full of sunshine or something similar to bright lively and young it is a positive name and attracts a new market of consumers in the company that it hadn't tapped before it's 1970s here's a fun fact nissan goes to outer space well not quite like tesla sending this roadstrap but nissan gets involved in developing and manufacturing rocket engines and launchers the rocket lam the 4s5 is one of the rockets they work on another thing they accomplish is launching the first japanese satellite called osimi into outer space the purpose of osemi is to observe the ionosphere the sun and millions of energetic particles from the earth the same year the company starts expanding its manufactures including making engines for the shipbuilding industry by 1976 nissan finally becomes the largest car exporter in the world the next year they sell more than 20 million cars later in february 1994 the first h2 a rocket-powered nissan engine launches successfully beginning in 1990 nissan firmly established itself in the european market with its release of the primera in 97 nissan begins selling this model with a hyper cvt which increases the fuel economy a combination of a variable transmission a powerful 2-liter engine with 190 horsepower is one of the first used in the industry at the end of 2002 nissan motors announces the development of seat belts that are already tensioned when the car is braking hard it's a design that helps cushion the passenger from injury in a possible collision the new limiting system detects the movement of a potential collision based on the driver's brake pedal force and pre-tensions the seat belt to keep the driver or the passenger safe if an accident were to happen the seat belt limiter helps to maximize the effectiveness of all the other safety systems starting with the production of miniature cars nissan has grown over time into a fully global brand that has established itself in europe in just a quarter of a century 1969 nissan kicks off the year with an ad campaign to promote the gtr sports car sadly very few people respond enthusiastically to the campaign so it seems like the ad is a big waste of money since they aren't making a profit surprisingly though it ends up becoming legendary as one of the longest running ad campaigns in japanese history the campaign can be summed up in a simple phrase the skyline of love three years later it's 1972 the campaign turns into a series called ken and mary for the new fourth generation skyline c110 now this series becomes a sensation people love it the skyline already has an image as a type of car meant for racing with amazing speed something that's not for the average commuter nissan creates a new image for the car a bright fashionable style thanks to the launch of the ken and mary ads the series is about a young couple who enjoy the hokkaido countryside it's a huge hit and it convinces many potential buyers that the car is a dating magnet it's rather unconventional compared to the traditional marketing methods other companies are implementing but what matters is that people actually start to believe that driving a skyline can help them with their dating life or pave the way for happy relationships the car starts selling like hotcakes just goes to show the power of advertising regardless of the adds the skyline gtr c110 is a perfect car to have the c110 is the successor to the c10 which performed well in sales so you'd expect the c110 to also sell well in fact a lot of the car specs are similar like the same hard top body 2 liter inline 6 rear wheel drive 5 speed gearbox and 160 horsepower despite that the c110 fails dismally that's because it's 1973. the oil crisis takes a huge toll on the economy large powerful cars fade away into the darkness more people prefer smaller cars with lower gas consumption nissan ends up producing only 197 copies of the skyline gtr if you can get your hands on one now you got a real collector's item after six months they end production and the rest is history for that model nissan retires from motorsports and the production of the famous gtr goes on to hiatus for 16 years despite nissan's ad campaign in the end the car loses popularity it's the mid-1980s nissan's research and development department launches the 901 activity program the goal is to achieve the title of the world's best vehicle performance by 1990. they then released the nissan primeira p10 and the nissan skyline r32 with these two cars nissan strengthens its reputation as a leader in technology it's now 1988 nissan shows the world it's monster with the gtr name the earlier gtr was sharp for the racetrack but was also made for the average working person a key role in the creation is the fia regulations for group a racing cars in which nissan is actively involved the previous model the r31 was powered by rb series engine which equips the original nics nissan induction control system intake system they introduced their proprietary hica high capacity active steering system for the first time this is a different way of rotating the steering wheel using hydraulics rotating both the front and the rear wheels as a result the vehicle's maneuverability and cornering improves the power of the rp20det engine reaches 190 horsepower and 240 newton meters of torque the r32 has all the stuffings nissan initially plans to increase the volume of the rb20det to a 2.4 liter and then adds another turbocharger but according to the regulations having a turbo would put the car in a class that doesn't allow wheel size of more than 10 inches nissan fits the gtr with an a tessa ets electrically controlled all-wheel drive which weighs about 220 pounds they lose the advantage over the 4-liter rear-wheel drive they decided to go all in increase the engine to 2.6 liter now to put the car into an even higher class than before the 4.5 liter class but at least they are in the correct weight class one of the main goals of the development of the r32 generation is to compete with porsche porsche at the time the nuremberg nordschleife record for production vehicles was held by the porsche 944 at 8 minutes 45 seconds but nissan test driver hiro yoshi kato flies through the nord shleef in 8 minutes 20 seconds in the new r32 gtr this track is almost 13 miles long consisting of 33 left turns and 40 right turns the elevation changed from the lowest to highest points of 980 feet differential still the nissan skyline r32 gtr strikes down the previous title holder the ford sierra cosworth after that australian journalists nicknamed the r32 gtr godzilla because of its fast acceleration and excellent handling the car becomes legendary in the local japanese touring championships this beast wins all 29 out of 29 races the gtr holds the title for five years in a row and it also wins all races in the n1 super tyco series what do people love about the gtr it's unrivaled power and speed the 2021 nissan gtr nissmo is the fastest car of the brand and they put it in mass production the car has the 600 horsepower engine propels the car to 60 miles an hour in just two and a half seconds with the top speed of 205 miles an hour the gt-r's fast steering rigid construction and adjustable suspension make even the enthusiasts feel like a pro behind the wheel in the new version the supercar gets a six-cylinder twin-turbo engine also the new turbochargers increase the power significantly each engine block has an ihi turbocharger with integrated exhaust manifold and electronic waste grate activator to decrease weight and bolster car balance the electronic stability control constantly monitors the car's behavior if off-balance behavior is detected such as sliding and skidding torque so the wheel gets altered to help stabilize the car the nissan gtr can reach speeds of up to 205 miles an hour thanks to the all-wheel drive system the attessa ets all-wheel drive transmission has excellent responsiveness it takes just 0.1 seconds to go up a gear the fuel tank of this modern godzilla is 19.5 gallons the mileage in the city is 16 and in ohio it's 22 in the mixed mode it's 19.6 the improved aerodynamic features of the gtr increases the downforce which keeps the drag coefficient at a very low 0.26 nissan isn't only into gasoline engines nissan also has expertise in electric vehicles such as the nissan leaf nismo rc racing competition model the all-wheel drive leaf nissan rc has twice the power and torque of its predecessor which was induced in 2011. in 2011 nissan changes the concept of racing when they launched the world's first zero emission race ready car without an exhaust pipe the nissan leaf nismo rc in 2018 the second generation of the series arrives with the promise of electric high performance the nissan leaf nismo rc does not have a traditional engine does not use gasoline and it drives almost silently the three-piece body is made from carbon fiber which makes it as light as possible the low wide silhouette and chunky tail are designed to create significant downforce while maintaining vehicle stability and traction the new all-wheel drive system gives the nissan leaf nismo rc outstanding cornering progress power is controlled independently of each axle instantly transferring torque to the tire with maximum grip the power in the axles allows the car to quickly and efficiently maneuver around the track like the production nissan leaf the nissan leaf nismo rc is powered by electrically stored revolutionary lithium ion batteries the long sloping headlights are also the true nissan leaf design but that's where the family resemble its ends the nissan rc does not have a trunk rear doors or seats carpets navigation screen or other common amenities it is wide and low to the ground and its aerodynamics form less than 48 inches from the roof of the road and it's almost 12 inches shorter than the original nissan leak a 100 electric transmission does not require oxygen to maintain peak performance even at high altitudes where thin air tends to reduce combustion engines efficiency immediate acceleration is a hallmark of not just the leaf nismo rc but every nissan electric vehicle in 1999 nissan allied with the french car maker renault in 2016 mitsubishi motors joined the alliance today the total number of alliance sales is over 11 million vehicles selling more than 60 gas and electric car models worldwide under the brand's nissan infiniti and datsun if you like this episode please subscribe to my channel and hit the like button you\n"