Datsun
(1963 - 1986)
Brand:
Datsun (also known as Nissan)
Country:
Japan
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One of the rarest and probably most beautiful Japanese sports cars is the Nissan Silvia Coupé, of which just over 500 were built in the mid-sixties. Count Goertz created a design milestone that could have made an international career had the vehicle not been so narrowly cut. This report describes the history of its creation and shows an unrestored example in detail, supplemented by many historical illustrations and the original sales brochure.
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Datsun 1600 Sports - Plan B
Can we really speak of a copy if the original never existed? And more importantly, who cares? The Datsun SP 310 does not deserve to be reduced to outward appearances. After all, it was Japan's first successful production sports car - and a very good car at that. We drove an example from 1968 for this article and can now judge whether the accusations of plagiarism are justified.
In 1972, AR tested the first Japanese sports car to be truly recognized in Europe, the Datsun 240 Z. They uncovered a few shortcomings, but attested to the good serviceability of the inexpensive vehicle. They also emphasized that the demands on a mass-produced sports car can certainly be higher than on an exotic car. The test shows the results of the driving performance measurements (0-100 km/h in 10 s) and the fuel consumption measurements. The original pictures have been restored and reprocessed.
Nissan (and Datsun) built not only family cars as we know them in Europe, but also solid sports cars, GT vehicles and touring cars early on. The Skyline is one of these fast cars and they gave some established GT and sports car manufacturers a run for their money. This report portrays a Nissan Skyline from the seventies and shows its predecessors and relatives in many pictures.
The Datsun 1800 SSS E, which only failed to win the 21st East African Safari in 1973 due to a special feature of the regulations, but came second at the same time as a thoroughbred racing car, was not actually a hot car. Herbert Völker tested the fourth-placed rally car, which reminded him of a tank, for Auto Revue at the time. This report reproduces the original wording of the now 40-year-old test report and shows the car in contemporary archive photos.
...than badly homemade, is a well-known designer's adage. When Nissan wanted to develop its own off-road vehicle in the early 1950s, the Japanese took the Willys MB as a model. From 1960 onwards, the successor looked like a Land Rover. But what does that matter if it is just as talented off-road?
The Datsun 240 Z was built from 1969 to 1973 and was the most successful sports car of its time. With its design and technology, Nissan had hit the nerve of the times in America, but the Z also had a considerable fan base in Europe. Only a few examples have survived (in Europe) and are cherished and cared for accordingly.
In the winter of 1974/1975, the magazine 'hobby' compared eight compact cars from five countries in a meticulous test that required driving on the Nordschleife and the participation of eight test drivers: the Audi 50 competed against the Citroën Ami Super, Datsun Cherry, Fiat 127, Innocenti Mini, Peugeot 104, Renault 5 and Simca 1000 GLE and won hands down. The Datsun Cherry came second, but this was not the only surprise in the extensive comparison test. This article re-edits the findings of that time, showing the results in detail and the vehicles in many archive photos from back then.
Datsun was launched in Germany in 1972 and had a very good reputation for quality. As the successor to the 1200, the Type 120 Y appeared in 1973, which was a model of baroque compared to its simple predecessor and whose overall design gave the typical impression of Japanese thoroughness. However, this 1975 test report reveals the complaints it faced in practice.
When it appeared in 1970, the Cherrry with front-wheel drive and independent suspension all round was surprisingly out of step with the Japanese. This was astonishing, as the Japanese initially found it difficult to understand the foreign world and tended to design their cars less according to European standards and tastes. Whether the Cherry had become better or worse with the model update and how the prospects of success on the European market were assessed is answered in this test report from back then.
In 1973, Nissan presented the Datsun 260Z 2+2 as the successor to the popular 240 Z. With 30 cm more wheelbase and two additional seats, the coupé had become significantly more practical, but also cost considerably more. This did not detract from its success, however, and the press was certainly impressed by the elegant Japanese car. And so were we! This driving report describes the history of the 2.6-liter sports car and shows it in current and historical pictures, supplemented by a sales brochure and a sound sample.
In 1979, the magazine 'hobby' carried out a long-distance drive with three contemporary sports cars - Alpine-Renault A 310, Porsche 924 Turbo and Datsun 280 ZX. From Stuttgart to Florence and back. The focus was not on a sober comparison test, but on pure experience and emotion. This report summarizes the driving report at the time and shows how people thought about sports cars with 140 to 170 hp back then. Archive pictures show the sports cars in their heyday.
Japanese racing cars are rarely seen in Europe, especially the horsepower monsters of the so-called "Super Silhouette" series, the counterpart to the DRM in Europe. Our article takes a look at all the Super Silhouette vehicles from Nissan.
It's not that easy to replace a bestseller. But Nissan had made provisions. The successor to the 240 Z and 260 Z had been carefully redeveloped over a period of around four years; with the exception of the engine and transmission, it had hardly anything in common with its predecessors. It was called the Datsun 280 ZX in this country, but in other markets it was also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z or Nissan Fairlady 280Z. It was more modern in every respect. This driving report shows the 280 ZX in many pictures and tells the story of the Japanese sports car.
Current market prices for Datsun
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Coupe, 170 PS, 2940 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Datsun
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datsun Sports 1600 1967 Not Sold Broad Arrow Auctions West Palm Beach (November 18, 2022) |
Sports 1600 | 1967 | Not Sold | Broad Arrow Auctions West Palm Beach (November 18, 2022) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1972 Not Sold Historics at Brooklands Surrey (March 12, 2016) |
240 Z | 1972 | Not Sold | Historics at Brooklands Surrey (March 12, 2016) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1972 Not Sold Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (September 24, 2016) |
240 Z | 1972 | Not Sold | Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (September 24, 2016) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1972 Sold Classic Car Auctions UK Classic Car Sale (September 24, 2016) |
240 Z | 1972 | Sold | Classic Car Auctions UK Classic Car Sale (September 24, 2016) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1972 Not Sold Bonhams Goodwood Members Meeting (March 18, 2018) |
240 Z | 1972 | Not Sold | Bonhams Goodwood Members Meeting (March 18, 2018) | |
| Datsun Cedric 280c 1979 Sold Charterhouse Shepton Mallet (February 14, 2016) |
Cedric 280c | 1979 | Sold | Charterhouse Shepton Mallet (February 14, 2016) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1971 Sold Coys Athens Auciton (June 15, 2013) |
240 Z | 1971 | Sold | Coys Athens Auciton (June 15, 2013) | |
| Datsun 240 Z 1971 Not Sold Silverstone Auctions The Silverstone Classic Sale 2016 (July 30, 2016) |
240 Z | 1971 | Not Sold | Silverstone Auctions The Silverstone Classic Sale 2016 (July 30, 2016) | |
| Datsun 240Z 1972 Sold Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 9, 2024) |
240Z | 1972 | Sold | Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 9, 2024) | |
| Datsun 240Z ‘Super Samuri’ 1974 Sold Silverstone Auctions Race Retro (March 27, 2021) |
240Z ‘Super Samuri’ | 1974 | Sold | Silverstone Auctions Race Retro (March 27, 2021) |
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