1990s

March / Micra K11

Japan's bubble economy burst in 1991. Around the same time, customer preferences shifted and new types of vehicles such as SUVs and minivans became popular. Demand for compacts and kei cars also reached an all-time high.

During this time, industry realignments occurred on a global scale, and a number of cross-border mergers and business alliances took place among automobile manufacturers. Following its management crisis in the late 1990s, Nissan decided to strike a strategic capital alliance with France's Renault.

Representative models from this era include the new Serena minivan (1991), which remains in production today. The following year saw the debut of the Micra ( March in Japan) — the first Japanese car to win the European Car of the Year award. The Cube (1998) became a huge hit due to its innovative ease of use.

Research and development of lithium-ion batteries for automobiles that began in 1992 came to fruition with the Prairie Joy EV in 1997. It was the world's first commercial electric vehicle to use Li-ion batteries, and subsequent development of electrification technologies has centered around them.

1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999

1990

January	▪	Sunny Model B13 Nissan North America, Inc., the Company's regional headquarters for North American operations, is established in the United States. (Operations begin in April 1990.) Cumulative production surpasses 50 million units. Nissan North America, Inc., the Company's regional headquarters for North American operations, is established in the United States.
February	▪	Primera Model P10 The 300ZX (Fairlady Z) wins the 1990 Import Car of the Year award In the United States.
March	▪
April	▪
May	▪	Avenir Model W10 Cumulative production at the Zama Plant surpasses 10 million units. Avenir Model W10
June	▪	Presea Model R10 Presea Model R10
July	▪	Presea Model R10 Presea Model R10
August	▪	Pulsar Model N14 Announced plan to reduce CFC gas
September	▪
October	▪	President Model JG50 Sunny California Model Y10 AD Van Model Y10 President Model JG50
November	▪	Nissan acquires an equity interest in Siam Motors Co., Ltd., in Thailand.
December	▪

1991

January	▪	In a joint venture with Hitachi, Ltd., Nissan establishes Xanavi Informatics Corporation for the rapidly growing field of automobile information and communications systems and equipment.
February	▪
March	▪	A new distribution company, Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd., is established in the United Kingdom. (Operations begin in January 1992.)
April	▪
May	▪
June	▪	Cedric Model Y32 Gloria Model Y32 Vanette Serena/Vanette Serena Cargo Model C23 Nissan announces the reorganization of its parts supplier associations, and the Nissho Kai is newly established. Cedric Model Y32
July	▪
August	▪	Cima Model FY32 Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. begins exporting its Primera 5-door Hatchback model to Japan.
September	▪	Bluebird Model U13 ↳ World-first: Active Noise Control in a mass-produced vehicle Bluebird Model U13
October	▪	Atlas Model H41
November	▪
December	▪

1992

January	▪	March Model K11 Atlas Model F23 The Hokkaido Proving Grounds is established in Hokkaido as a cold-weather testing facility. March Model K11
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪	New production facility at the Kyushu Plant is completed, and production begins.
May	▪
June	▪	Leopard J. Ferie Model JY32 Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. begins production of the Altima (Bluebird). Leopard J. Ferie Model JY32
July	▪	Nissan commences U.S. sales of the multipurpose Quest minivan, a joint project with Ford Motor Co.
August	▪	Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. begins production of the Micra (March).
September	▪	Nissan Casting Australia Pty. Ltd. is established.
October	▪	Cumulative domestic sales surpass 30 million units. Vehicle production at Nissan Motor Manufacturing Co. (Australia) Ltd. ceases.
November	▪	Nissan Design Europe GmbH is established in Germany. The Micra (March) wins the Car of the Year 1993 award in Europe.
December	▪	The March wins the '92-'93 Japanese Car of the Year award and the RJC New Car of the Year 1992-1993 award in Japan.

1993

January	▪	Laurel Model C34
February	▪	Nissan Motor Iberica, S.A. begins production of a new 4WD model, the Terrano II for the European market.
March	▪	Nissan and the Zhengzhou Light Truck Factory form a joint venture, Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd., for the production of commercial vehicles in China.
April	▪	President Model G50 ↳ World-first: Rear-seat SRS air bag system
May	▪	Largo Model W30 Largo Model W30
June	▪	Largo Model W30 Largo Model W30
July	▪	Crew Model K30
August	▪	Skyline Model R33 Skyline Model R33
September	▪	Nissan begins production and sales of the AD Resort wagons and pickups in Thailand and Taiwan, specifically for Asian markets. Nissan Mexicana, S.A.de C.V. begins exporting AD Vans to Japan.
October	▪	Silvia Model S14 Nissan separates its Textile Machinery Division and establishes Nissan Texsys Co., Ltd. Silvia Model S14
November	▪
December	▪

1994

January	▪	Sunny Model B14 Production begins at the Iwaki Plant. Sunny Model B14
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪	Vanette Model S20 Nissan Motor Ibérica, S.A. begins its shipment of the Mistral (Terrano II) to Japan. Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. earns a Queen's Award for Export Achievement for three consecutive years. Nissan concludes a technical assistance and license agreement with South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. on manufacturing passenger cars. (Samsung Motors Inc. was established in March 1995.)
May	▪
June	▪	Mistral Model R20 Nissan Motor (China) Ltd. is established in Hong Kong to manage the distribution of vehicles and service parts to China. Nissan Middle East FZE is established in Dubai, UAE as the Company's regional business management company for the Middle East.
July	▪
August	▪	Cefiro Model A32 Cefiro Model A32
September	▪
October	▪
November	▪
December	▪	Rasheen Model RB14 Cumulative domestic production surpasses 60 million units. Rasheen Model RB14

1995

January	▪	Skyline Model GT-R R33 Presea Model R11 Pulsar Model N15
February	▪
March	▪	Vehicle production at the Zama Plant ceases.
April	▪	World-first: Birdview Navigation
May	▪	Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. begins production exports of the Micra (March) to Australia.
June	▪	Cedric Model Y33 Gloria Model Y33 Atlas Model H42 Cedric Model Y33
July	▪
August	▪
September	▪	Primera/Primera Camino Model P11 Terrano Model R50 Terrano Model R50
October	▪
November	▪
December	▪

1996

January	▪	Bluebird Model U14 Cumulative production of VQ engines at the Iwaki Plant surpasses 500,000 units. Bluebird Model U14
February	▪
March	▪	Leopard Model JY33
April	▪
May	▪
June	▪	Cima Model FY33
July	▪
August	▪	Terrano Regulus Model JR50 Terrano Regulus Model JR50
September	▪	Terrano Regulus Model JR50 Terrano Regulus Model JR50
October	▪	Stagea Model WC34 Cumulative overseas production surpasses 10 million units. Stagea Model WC34
November	▪
December	▪

1997

January	▪	Datsun Model D22 Datsun Model D22
February	▪
March	▪
April	▪
May	▪	Elgrand Model E50 Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. commences production at a new engine and transmission plant in Decherd. Elgrand Model E50
June	▪	Laurel Model C35 Nissan European Technology center (Espanã), S.A. is established.
July	▪
August	▪
September	▪	Nissan begins sales of the Primera and Bluebird with continuously variable transmission, Hyper CVT.
October	▪	R'nessa Model N30 Safari Model Y61 Safari Model Y61
November	▪	World-first: Titanium Clear Outside Mirror with super-hydrophilicity
December	▪	Nissan introduces the Lepard with direct injection gasoline engines.

1998

January	▪
February	▪	Cube Model Z10 Cube Model Z10
March	▪	Cube Model Z10 Cube Model Z10
April	▪	The Aerospace Division's Tomioka Plant is completed and becomes operational in May.
May	▪	Skyline Model R34
June	▪	Presage Model U30 A Nissan R390GT1 is placed third in the Le Mans 24-hour race. Nissan introduces the Presage with direct injection diesel engines.
July	▪
August	▪	Avenir Model W11
September	▪
October	▪	Sunny Model B15
November	▪	Prairie Liberty Model M12 Prairie Liberty Model M12
December	▪	Cefiro Model A33 Tino Model V10 Cefiro Model A33

1999

January	▪	Silvia Model S15 Skyline Model GT-R R34 Skyline Model GT-R R34
February	▪	Civilian Model W41 Civilian Model W41
March	▪	Nissan and Renault signs an agreement for a global alliance, including equity participation. Nissan's 7 major domestic plants and Product Planning and Research Development Group completed to obtain ISO 14001 environmental management system certification.
April	▪	Nissan transfers its Texsys' Water Jet Textile Machinery business to Toyota Automatic Loom Works.
May	▪	Wingroad Model Y11 Nissan begins driving tests of a methanol fuel cell vehicle.
June	▪	Cedric Model Y34 Gloria Model Y34 Expert Model VW11 Serena Model C24 Vanette Model S21 AD Van Model Y11 Nissan sells Fuji Plant and A/T and CVT development organization, establishes a wholly owned subsidiary, TransTechnology Ltd (now called JATCO Ltd). Gloria Model Y34
July	▪	Cumulative exports surpass 30 million Units.
August	▪
September	▪
October	▪	Nissan begins sales of the Cedric/Gloria with new generation automatic transmission "Extroid CVT". The company announces the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP).
November	▪	Bassara Model JU30 Cedric/Gloria wins "RJC New Car of the Year 1999-2000"; "EXTROID CVT" receives "Technology of the Year 1999-2000." Bassara Model JU30
December	▪	Japan's largest auto mall, "Carest Zama" begins operations.

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