1980s

1980's

Fairlady Z / Nissan 300ZX

Japan ranked as the world's top car-producing country in 1980, mostly due to its high U.S. sales. But its car exports became a major source of bilateral trade friction, prompting Japanese makers to begin opening factories stateside.

Notable models in this era include the March (1982), a new-generation basic car, and the unique Pike car series' Be-1 and PAO, which were based on the March.

The appreciation of the yen in the wake of the 1985 Plaza Accord triggered a bubble economy in Japan. 

This led to a luxury car boom that produced some of history's most famous cars. The 1988 Cima became a symbol of the luxury car boom, and the 1989 Fairlady Z created a sensation with its unprecedented performance.

On the R&D front, the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, began operations in 1981 as a comprehensive technology-development base. This was followed by the 1983 establishment of Nissan Research & Development Inc. (now Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.) in the U.S.

1980

January

Nissan acquires an equity interest in Motor Iberica, S.A. in Spain.
Cumulative exports surpass 10 million units.

February
March
April
May
June

Safari Model 160

July

Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. (NMMC) is established. (The first Datsun truck rolled off the line in June 1983; the first Sentra (Sunny), in March 1985.)

August

Caravan/Homy Model E23

September

Leopard Model F30

Leopard Model F30

Leopard Model F30

October
November

Laurel Model C31

Laurel Model C31

Laurel Model C31

December

1981

January
February
March
April
May
June

Construction of the Kambara Manufacturing Plant, the satellite facility of the Yoshiwara Plant, is completed, and operations begin.

July

Nissan begins worldwide marketing of vehicles under the Nissan name as part of a new corporate identity program.

August

Skyline Model R30

Cumulative production surpasses 30 million units.

Skyline Model R30

Skyline Model R30

September

Nissan is tied up with Volkswagen AG of West Germany to produce and market passenger cars in Japan.

October

Sunny Model B11

Sunny Model B11

Sunny Model B11

November

The Nissan Technical Center is completed.

December

Atlas Model H40

1982

January
February

Atlas Model F22

March

Construction of the Kurihama Manufacturing Plant, the satellite facility of the Yokohama Plant, is completed. (Production begins in May 1982.)

April

Pulsar Model N12

Silvia Model S110
↳ World-first: Voice recognition power-assisted windows

Construction of the head office annex is completed.

Nissan wins the Safari Rally for the fourth consecutive year.

Pulsar Model N12

Pulsar Model N12

May
June

Nissan concludes a technical assistance agreement with Martin Marietta, U.S.A., in the aerospace sector.

July
August

Prairie Model M10
Civilian Model W40

Prairie Model M10

Prairie Model M10

September

Datsun Vanette Largo Model GC120
Sunny Vanette Largo Model GC120
Cherry Vanette Largo Model GC120

October

March Model K10
Sunny AD Van Model VB11
Pulsar AD Van Model VB11
Datsun AD Van Model VB11

March Model K10

March Model K10

November
December

The new corporate mark is announced.

1983

January

Nissan Motor Iberica, S.A. begins production of the Patrol (Safari).

Patrol 160 Type 1

Patrol 160 Type 1

February
March
April
May
June

Cedric Model Y30, Gloria Model Y30

↳ World-first: Windshield wipers that adjust to changes in rain/snow level

Cedric Model Y30

Cedric Model Y30

July

Nissan Research & Development, Inc. is established in the United States.

August

Silvia/Gazelle Model S12

September

Fairlady Z Model Z31

Fairlady Z Model Z31

Fairlady Z Model Z31

October

Bluebird Model U11

Bluebird Model U11

Bluebird Model U11

November
December

1984

January
February

In line with its agreement with Volkswagen AG, Nissan begins production and sales of the Santana.

March
April

Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. is established. (Production begins in July 1986.)

Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. is established.
May

Cumulative domestic sales surpass 20 million units.

June
July
August

Skyline Model R30
↳ World-first: Plasma Spark ignition system

September
October

Bluebird Maxima Model PU11
↳ World-first: Super Sonic Electronic Control Suspension with ultrasonic road surface sonar

Laurel Model C32
↳ World-first: Electric retractable colored door mirrors and Auto Reflex Room Mirror (automatic antiglare LCD)

Laurel Model C32

Laurel Model C32

November

Construction of the Oppama Wharf is completed. (The harbor had been opened in May 1983.)

Construction of the Oppama Wharf is completed.
December

1985

January

World-first: Insulated rear window glass to improve air conditioning performance

February
March
April
May
June
July

Nissan acquires an equity interest in Yulon Motor Co., Ltd. in Taiwan.

August

Skyline Model R31
↳ World-first: System that allows locking and unlocking with only a card

Datsun Truck Model D21

Cumulative production surpasses 40 million units.

Skyline Model R31

Skyline Model R31

September

Sunny Model B12
Vanette Model C22

Vanette Model C22

Vanette Model C22

October

Construction of Nissan Overseas Training Center (now called Nissan Overseas Business College) is completed.

November
December

1986

January

Construction of the Kawasaki Parts Distribution Center is completed.(Operations begin in February 1986.)

February

Leopard Model F31

Leopard Model F31

Leopard Model F31

March
April
May

Pulsar Model N13
Vanette Largo Model GC22

Pulsar Model N13

Pulsar Model N13

June
July
August

Terrano Model WD21

September

Caravan/Homy Model E24

October
November
December

New corporate philosophy and corporate principles are announced.

1987

January

The Pulsar, EXA, Langley, and Liberta Villa win the '86-'87 Japanese Car of the Year award.
↳ World-first: Triple Viscus Full-Time 4WD

February
March
April

Cumulative exports surpass 20 million units.

May

Daewoo Motor Co., Ltd., begins production and marketing of Vanette trucks in South Korea.

June

Cedric Model Y31
Gloria Model Y31

July
August

The H-I rocket, featuring the fixed apogee motor designed and produced by Nissan in Japan, successfully launches the engineering test satellite KIKU-5.

September

Bluebird Model U12

Bluebird Model U12

Bluebird Model U12

October
November

Safari Model Y60

Safari Model Y60

Safari Model Y60

December

1988

January

Cedric Cima Model FY31
Gloria Cima Model FY31

Cedric Cima Model FY31

Cedric Cima Model FY31

February

World-first: Painting with fluorocarbon polymers

March
April

Nissan's ARC-X wins the "Car Design Award 1988, Torino---Piemonte".

May

Silvia Model S13

↳ World-first: Head-Up Display on mass-produced vehicle

Silvia Model S13

Silvia Model S13

June

Nissan European Technology Centre Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom.

Nissan European Technology Centre Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom.
July
August

Nissan acquires equity in Barrett Industrial Truck Inc. of the United States, a manufacturer of forklifts, and decides to locally manufacture forklifts.

September

Cefiro Model A31
↳ World-first: Automatic antiglare door mirrors

Prairie Model M11

October

Maxima Model J30

The Nissan Silvia Q's win "Good Design Grand Prize" for 1988.

November
December

1989

January

Laurel Model C33

The Silvia wins the '88-'89 Japanese Car of the Year award.

Laurel Model C33

Laurel Model C33

February
March
April

180SX RS13

Nissan Europe N.V., the Company's regional headquarters for European operations, and Nissan Distribution Service (Europe) B.V., are established in the Netherlands. (Operations begin in April 1990.)

180SX RS13

180SX RS13

May

Skyline Model R32

June

Cedric / Gloria Model Y31
↳ World-first: Full-range electronic controlled 5-speed automatic transmission

July

Fairlady Z Model Z32

↳ World-first: Four-wheel multi-link suspension system

Fairlady Z Model Z32

Fairlady Z Model Z32

August

Skyline Model GT-R R32

Skyline Model GT-R R32

Skyline Model GT-R R32

September
October
November

Infiniti Q45 Model G50

↳ World-first: Hydraulic active suspension in a passenger car

December