UK’s rarest cars: 1990 Nissan Bluebird, one of only 22 leftThe TelegraphAndrew B RobertsFri, September 11, 2026 at 6:30 AM UTCAdd us on GoogleFour decades ago, the Nissan Bluebird became the first fully Japanese car to be manufactured in the UKThis splendid example of an early 1990s saloon, complete with duotone paintwork and the finest velour upholstery, is also a rare surviving example of the first Nissans to be produced in Britain.Owned by Ricky Rall and his son Ravi, it is a fascinating reminder that shortly after British Leyland had collaborated with Honda to produce the distinctly Honda-esque Triumph Acclaim in 1981, 40 years ago the Nissan Bluebird became the first wholly Japanese car to be assembled in the UK.On February 2 1984, The Telegraph reported that Nissan had signed a pilot deal to assemble cars produced from kits imported from Japan. South Wales, Humberside or the North East were under consideration for the £50m new factory. Nissan eventually chose the former RAF Usworth site near Sunderland, with construction commencing in November 1984. It was the Japanese firm's second attempt at a European factory after the not copiously successful Alfa Romeo Arna venture of 1983.The 1990 Nissan Bluebird was reasonably priced, and praised for its reliabilityHowever, a UK factory seemed wholly logical. The Thatcher government actively encouraged Nissan to invest in the North East and the Japanese concern, initially using its Datsun brand, had been established in the UK for 16 years. In 1970 it held 0.2 per cent of the market, rising to more than 5 per cent by 1975, when it was the UK's leading car importer.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn response, trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) negotiated an 11 per cent quota for all Japanese car sales that year to protect domestic production.Nissan decided to build only the front-wheel-drive 1985 T12-series Bluebird in the UK. In the tradition of incredibly complicated Japanese model line-ups, the T12 was known as the Auster in Japan and the Stanza in the US.This newspaper reported that, unlike the Japanese Nissan operations, the UK factory would have "no company song, and morning exercises would be optional".On July 8 1986, the first T12 Bluebird left the UK production line near Washington, Tyne and Wear; it now resides in the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.AdvertisementAdvertisementMargaret Thatcher, the prime minister at the time, officially opened the plant on September 8 1986. The T12's body panels and all major components, shipped in from Japan, were still classed as part of the 11 per cent import quota. Nissan announced it sought to achieve at least 60 per cent local content, which would class the T12 as a domestic product.This 1990 Nissan Bluebird is owned by Nissan enthusiasts father and son Ricky and Ravi RallMeanwhile, some observers note the historical irony of the Sunderland-built Bluebird, as the UK motor industry was instrumental in Nissan's post-war revival. The firm signed a "technical co-operation" agreement with Austin in 1952 to assemble the 1.2-litre A40 Somerset.The 1.5-litre A50 Cambridge replaced it in 1956, with Nissan assembly of Austins ending in 1959. Ominously for the future of Britain's motor industry, the Japanese Austin build quality was said to be far superior to the parent model.By 1986, British motorists were familiar with Anglo-Japanese products, including the Honda-derived 1981 Triumph Acclaim and 1984 Rover 200. Nissan evaluated the Austin Montego, Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier during the T12's development and The Telegraph thought: "Fleet buyers will like it for its ease of driving and promise of reliability."AdvertisementAdvertisementNissan planned its dealerships to sell the Bluebird as a company car to local businesses.By 1987, all UK-market Bluebirds were made in Sunderland, while exports commenced in 1988 as part of Nissan's phase two operations. The next year the T12 was facelifted as the T72, when this 1.6-litre Premium model made its bow.By 1987, all Nissan Bluebirds for the UK market were assembled in SunderlandAt £8,190, the Bluebird was reasonably priced for a car with power-assisted steering, a tilt-adjustable steering column, bronze-tinted glass, a Blaupunkt stereo radio/cassette player and fashionable two-tone paintwork.When the P10 Primera succeeded the T72 in 1990, after 187,178 Sunderland Bluebirds, the success of Nissan UK seemed assured. The T12/T72 were once so ubiquitous as minicabs and company cars resting at motorway services that it is a minor shock to learn that only 22 Premiums are believed still to be roadworthy.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Ralls are long-term Nissan enthusiasts and Ricky searched for a Premium for more than 10 years, as a tribute to his late father. This example had been off the road for many years and seemed destined for the scrapyard. Fortunately, he acquired the Bluebird and, says son Ravi, "he made the promise reality".Having been off the road for many years, the car was destined for the scrapyard when Ricky and Ravi acquired itThis machine is yet another demonstration of how a car does not have to be either vastly expensive or technically advanced to be important to automotive history or on a personal level.During the recent Festival of the Unexceptional, a celebration of unremarkable everyday cars that are now vanishingly rare, numerous visitors were heard to remark: "My father/mother/headmaster/next door neighbour had one of those…"Thanks to: Ricky and Ravi RallAdvertisementAdvertisementWe use the fascinating howmanyleft.co.uk for figures for surviving examples, but some cars present more of a challenge than others, so the figures are rarely authoritative. Some pre-1974 records were lost before the DVLA centralised the process, while some cars have their model type misnamed on the V5 registration documents. A further issue is the omission of the exact model name or generation, or distinction between saloon and estate bodystyles.Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.
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