Performance Nissan history

Primarily dealing in foundries and auto parts, Nihon Sangyo debuted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by its ticker name NISSAN in 1933.

Nissan produced its first cars at the flagship Nishi-ku, Yokohama headquarters in 1935.

The Nissan Skyline is the predecessor to the revolutionary Nissan GT-R®, the Skyline was first introduced in 1957.

Sharing much of its DNA with the British Austin of the day, the first Datsun introduced to the United States market in 1958 was the Datsun 1000 Sedan.

Nissan showcased its first Datsuns (a 1000 cc car and truck) at the 1959 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The journey begins In 1963, professional car racer Genichiro Tahara won the first-ever Japanese Grand Prix.

The car was officially launched on May 1, 1964 and competed in its first race just two days later.

Prince joined the expanding Nissan family in 1966, and the following year the Skyline (S57) was launched, featuring the most powerful 1.5-liter engine of its day.

In 1967, sports car manufacturer Prince Motors merged with Nissan, infusing the company with years of experience assembling motorsports vehicles.

First unveiled at the Pierre Hotel in New York in October of 1969, the 240Z was an instant hit with media and enthusiasts alike.

Available in United States from 1970-73, in which 89,541 units were sold, the Datsun 1200 became Datsun’s best-selling car of the time.

In 1973, the 1-Millionth Vehicle is sold in America.

Nissan sold the one-millionth Datsun and became the top vehicle importer in the United States by 1975.

Building a solid reputation for durable and fun-to-drive small trucks, Datsun introduces the King Cab, the first extended cab pickup, in 1977.

The 1978 model was rated at 48 mpg highway, and the “B210 Plus” edition boasted 50 mpg highway – a lofty achievement for a carbureted vehicle.

In 1979, Nissan Design America (NDA) was established in La Jolla, California, with a mandate to bring American style and concepts to Nissan vehicles.

In 1980, Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) is established in Smyrna, Tennessee, to fulfill the growing demand for Nissan vehicles.

The first-generation Nissan Sentra was introduced in 1982 as a replacement for the popular and economical B210.

Production in Australia and Taiwan followed, with the first American factory opening in Smyrna, Tennessee, in 1983.

The founding ethos was a simple one and is as relevant today as it was in 1984 – and 20 years earlier with the launch of the Prince Skyline.

In 1986 came Nissan's debut at one of the world's unique motorsport challenges, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Nissan Skyline R32 In 1988, Nissan's first dedicated race car debuted, based around the Saurus roadster, to take part in a single-make series.

Subsequently, in 1989, the fourth generation 300ZX entered the scene, Three years later, the company launched it’s very first convertible Z32.

The Skyline R32, however, is perhaps best known for its total domination of the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1990-93 and the nickname it received.

In 1992, the 2-millionth Nissan Sentra was sold in the United States in 1992, and the very first Altima rolled off the assembly line at the Nissan manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee.

In 1993 Nissan celebrated 10 years of manufacturing in the United States.

In 1997, Nissan is named “Best of the Best” by the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nissan Smyrna is lauded as the most productive plant in North America in "The Harbour Report” for a fourth consecutive year.

In 1999, Nissan introduced the Frontier® Crew Cab, the first compact truck with four full-sized doors.

The Datsun most-desired by collectors, the 2000 Roadster, is also the first Japanese production sports car to come with a 5-speed.

The Z series was discontinued for a short while and then reintroduced in 2003 with the 350Z Coupe.

In 2004, fans witnessed the arrival of the NISMO-prepared Fairlady Z (sold as the 350Z in the United States and Europe). It was an astonishing start.

In 2007, Nissan offered a cleaner, greener driving option for the first time ever with the introduction of the all-new Altima® Hybrid.

The Ultimate Nissan GT-R: R35 The global launch of the stunning new Nissan GT-R road car in 2008 inevitably led to a renewed focus on racing.

In 2010, Nissan introduced Nissan LEAF®—the world’s first mass-produced, 100% electric, zero emission automobile.

NISMO Today In 2013, Nissan's commitment to global motorsport remains as strong as ever with the mighty GT-R GT3 racecar competing in series all over the globe.

Nissan’s high-performance Nismo variant came in the year 2015 in the form of the 370Z Nismo Roadster Concept.

2019 marks Nissan’s foray into the exclusive sports car segment.