Nissan
Nissan Japan -In English
A little bit of Australian history[edit]
Nissan is Australia's most popular full-line Japanese importer with a history dating back to 1934 when Datsun Phaetons were sold locally.
Renowned for excellent engineering and searing handling and dynamics technology, Nissan has won the hearts and minds of Australian drivers with stunning sports coupes, as well as its legendary off-road line-up.
It was the famous Australian automotive industry figure Sir Lawrence Hartnett who initially secured distribution rights for Datsun vehicles in this country after being so enthused by the Datsun 1200 model which was shown at the 1960 Melbourne Motor Show.
Nissan itself subsequently reached agreement with the Hartnett Organisation and commenced local assembly of Bluebird models in 1966 at the Pressed Metal Corporation plant in Sydney.
The famous Datsun 1600SSS - which went on to ignite countless rally careers - was launched in 1967 and propelled Nissan to spectacular sales successes. Local production topped 20,000 vehicles for the year and Nissan was the seventh-biggest name in the Australian market.
Nissan entered genuine local manufacture in 1972 with the installation of a highly automated engine plant and vehicle assembly line at Clayton in Victoria and the opening of a new Australian headquarters in nearby Dandenong.
In 1977, Nissan's local production topped 127,754 vehicles.
By 1984 Nissan had gained a reputation as a sports car company with the turbocharged 300ZX selling large numbers, supported by the Gazelle, Eza and Pulsar turbo models.
A change came in 1986 with the launch of two locally produced sedan models - the 6-cylinder Skyline and 4-cylinder Pintara. The stylish new Navara Ute - designed by Nissan Design International in San Diego was challenging for supremacy in the light commercial segment. Nissan's all-new Patrol 4WD lineup boasted coil suspension all-round and collected numerous awards as well as sales in large numbers.
The above information has been taken from the Nissan Australia website, if you want to read the rest of the article, click here.