1980s

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
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989

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
October	▪	Leopard Model F30 Leopard Model F30
November	▪	Laurel Model C31 Laurel Model C31
December	▪	Laurel Model C31 Laurel Model C31

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 Motor Co., Ltd. to adopt unified brand name of "NISSAN" for overseas markets
August	▪	Skyline Model R30 Cumulative production surpasses 30 million units. Skyline Model R30
September	▪	Cooperation agreement between Nissan and Volkswagen concluded
October	▪	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.
April	▪	Pulsar Model N12 Silvia Model S110 ↳ World-first: Voice recognition power-assisted windows New office building belong Nissan Headquarters completed 1982 The 30th Safari Rally (April 15, 1982), totally win through 4 years, with Nissan Violet Pulsar Model N12
May	▪
June	▪	Signed a technical assistance agreement in the aerospace industry with Martin Marietta of the United States.
July	▪
August	▪	Prairie Model M10 Civilian Model W40 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
November	▪
December	▪	Announcement of new corporate mark

1983

January	▪	Spain's Nissan Motor Ibérica begins production of the Nissan Patrol (Japanese name: Safari) Patrol 160 Type 1
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪
May	▪	Oppama wharf completed
June	▪	Cedric Model Y30, Gloria Model Y30 ↳ World-first: Windshield wipers that adjust to changes in rain/snow level 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
October	▪	Bluebird Model U11 Bluebird Model U11
November	▪
December	▪

1984

January	▪
February	▪	Production and sales of Santana started in partnership with West German VW.
March	▪
April	▪	Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. is established. (Production begins in July 1986.)
May	▪	Cumulative domestic sales surpass 20 million units.
June	▪
July	▪
August	▪	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
November	▪	Construction of the Oppama Wharf is completed. (The harbor had been opened in May 1983.)
December	▪

1985

January	▪	World-first: Insulated rear window glass to improve air conditioning performance
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪
May	▪
June	▪
July	▪	Nissan obtains Taiwan government's approval on equity participation in Yue Loong Motor
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
September	▪	Sunny Model B12 Vanette Model C22 Vanette Model C22
October	▪	1985 WEC in Japan (Oct 22, 1985) only pictures available Construction of Nissan Overseas Training Center is completed
November	▪
December	▪

1986

January	▪	Kawasaki parts center completed
February	▪	Leopard Model F31 Leopard Model F31
March	▪
April	▪
May	▪	Pulsar Model N13 Vanette Largo Model GC22 Pulsar Model N13
June	▪	First appearance in the Le Mans 24 Hours race with Nissan R85V
July	▪
August	▪	Terrano Model WD21
September	▪	Caravan/Homy Model E24
October	▪
November	▪
December	▪	Pulsar Model N13 The Pulsar, EXA, Langley, and Liberta Villa win the '86-'87 Japanese Car of the Year award. Announcement of corporate philosophy and management guidelines

1987

January	▪	The Pulsar, EXA, Langley, and Liberta Villa ↳ World-first: Triple Viscus Full-Time 4WD Be-1
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪	Cumulative exports surpass 20 million units.
May	▪	Daewoo introduces Vanette under technical collaboration with Nissan
June	▪	Cedric Model Y31 Gloria Model Y31
July	▪
August	▪
September	▪	Nissan exhibits H-I rocket Bluebird Model U12 Bluebird Model U12
October	▪
November	▪	Safari Model Y60 Safari Model Y60
December	▪	Safari Model Y60 Safari Model Y60

1988

January	▪	Cedric Cima/Gloria Cima Model FY31 Cedric Cima Model FY31
February	▪	World-first: Painting with fluorocarbon polymers
March	▪	Nissan's ARC-X wins the "Car Design Award 1988, Torino---Piemonte".
April	▪
May	▪	Silvia Model S13 ↳ World-first: Head-Up Display on mass-produced vehicle Silvia Model S13
June	▪
July	▪	Nissan European Technology Centre Ltd. is established in the United Kingdom.
August	▪
September	▪	Nissan to start local forklift production in the United States 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	▪	The Silvia wins the '88-'89 Japanese Car of the Year award.

1989

January	▪	Laurel Model C33 Laurel Model C33
February	▪	Laurel Model C33 Laurel Model C33
March	▪	180SX RS13 180SX RS13
April	▪	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.)
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
August	▪	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 Nissan develops Intelligent Body Assembly System
December	▪

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