Datsun 240K The relationship between Datsun, Nissan, and Prince could be confusing, with a great example being the Datsun 240K of the '70s. JDM enthusiasts might recognize it as the "Kenmeri" Skyline, which was in itself an evolution of Prince's Skyline model, but it was sold under the Datsun name in most export markets. This rather nondescript branding and Datsun's lack of a marketing push for the car saw it go under the radar for many enthusiasts, and it didn't help that the 240K didn't quite have the lightweight or zippy performance of its better-known stablemate, the 240Z. Not that the 240K was meant to be able to go toe-to-toe against the 240Z, of course — instead, it was a more practical, family-friendly car, but one built with the same enthusiast-oriented handling and competitive price. The Datsun branding was dropped after the next generation of Skyline was introduced, while the 240K never became the collectible classic that it might have been had it taken the famous Skyline nameplate. However, surviving examples have seen a resurgence in popularity (and price) in recent years as more buyers come to retrospectively appreciate this Skyline in disguise. Datsun Cherry Datsun's first front-wheel drive car was unveiled in 1970, a continuation of a project that Prince had been working on prior to being taken over by Nissan in 1966. It sold very well in Europe, since, like many of Datsun's greatest models, it was significantly more reliable than its homegrown rivals while undercutting them in price. Its front-wheel drive layout meant it was as spacious inside as many of Nissan's older, larger cars, and its success helped accelerate the transition to front-wheel drive as more manufacturers caught on to the benefits. The Cherry survived through several generations, picking up a reputation as a rather boring car along the way. It might not have been able to serve up the driving thrills of its European competition, but it beat them in almost every other possible way. It was more economical, dependable, affordable, and spacious — in short, all the things that buyers actually need in a car. It soldiered on until the mid-'80s, eventually being rebadged with Nissan branding as the company phased out the Datsun name. Datsun Coupe 1500/Nissan Silvia The internal confusion between Nissan and Datsun badging stemmed back well before the automaker's attempts to retire the Datsun badge in the '80s, and was a key issue for one of its most important sports cars ever. The first Nissan Silvia was originally called the Datsun Coupe 1500 when it was revealed at the Tokyo Auto Show in 1964 but was eventually badged as a Nissan when it launched in Japan. It was sold in various export markets too, although the car's high price meant it saw very little success. Not helping matters was its name. It was reportedly marketed as a Datsun in export markets, under a variety of names including the 1600 Coupe and Coupe GT, even though every production car featured only Nissan badging. All this confusion meant that very few examples were ever sold outside of Japan, with 49 examples reportedly finding homes in Australia, and 10 more in various Asian markets. In total, around 550 examples were built, all of which were partly handmade. It might not have been a commercial success, but the first Silvia paved the way for the revered S-chassis cars, and today any surviving examples are highly sought after on the very rare occasion they can be found for sale. Datsun 12 Phaeton The first Datsun-branded product to be produced after the creation of Nissan was the 12 Phaeton of 1933, a four-door convertible with a cloth roof. It made just 12 horsepower from its 748cc engine and was closely related to the Datsun 10 made by DAT Automobile Co. the previous year. The Datsun name itself was coined in 1931 when engineers finished work on a new car that was smaller and lighter than the original DAT. It was first christened "Datson," but that name was later deemed inappropriate as "son" means "loss" in Japanese. The spelling was changed to "sun," which avoided the issue, and the "Datsun" marque was born. The 12 Phaeton was just the first of several iterative versions of the original Datsun line, which would grow to be increasingly successful until Japan's declaration of war forced all automotive manufacturing to stop. Very few examples of the 12 Phaeton or any other early Datsun are thought to survive today, although Nissan has eight examples of the line in its official Heritage Collection.
Liked by Henry Martin, Noah KingLiked by Henry Martin, Noah King
Liked by Henry Martin, Noah King
