NISSAN/datsun

Nissan Laurel/ Datsun 1800 (C30)

This was the first Nissan that from the start was a Datsun in the export (except for the low-volume 1965 Nissan Silvia, originally meant to be a Datsun in Japan, and with limited regular exports only to Australia). Though manufactured in the former Prince factory with a 1815cc Prince engine, the Laurel was a Nissan design, originally intended to be called ‘Bluebird Laurel’ as a senior car model in the Bluebird series. Nissan would create its 1.8 (1770cc) engine only in 1970. The trailing arm rear suspension that was designed for the Laurel (using some of Prince’s DeDion axle technology) found its way unexpectedly to the Bluebird a half year before. Its wheelbase was a substantial 20 cm longer, and other than what was the case with the Skyline S50, where the extra room was for the 6-cylinder engine, at the Laurel it mainly benefited the interior. The 2.0-litre that became available in Japan in mid-1970, together with Nissan’s first 2-door hardtop, also was a 4-cylinder Prince-based engine. This outstanding hardtop adopted 14 inch wheels, followed by the sedans two months later. Though somewhat wider than the 1968/69 Skyline GT C10, which used the same semi-trailing arm rear suspension, the rear tread of the Laurel was 2 cm less (but 2 cm wider than that of the Bluebird 510).

The Laurel was aimed as a personal car, to which Toyota didn’t yet have an answer. The Corona Mark II, released about a half year after the Laurel, and intended as the successor to the Corona, still had a rigid rear axle with leaf springs through 1971, even for its hardtop (and offered wagons and even pick-ups). Laurel and Mark II had about the same dimensions, but the wheelbase of the Mark II was eleven cm shorter. Set side by side with the Mark II sedans/hardtops, one out of six was a Laurel initially, but this would rise to one out of three by mid-1970, when Laurel hardtops became available, then constituting four out of ten Laurels. From here on this generation Laurel 1.8/2.0 would outsell the upper Mark II (1.9) models in Japan.

Nissan Laurel/ Datsun 200L (C130)

The second generation arrived in April 1972, three months after the new Mark II with both featuring a similar-looking “blown up” coke-bottle shape, suggesting much car for the money. The Laurel sedan now received a rigid rear axle with leaf springs, but the hardtop (less refined, but more swinging than the previous model) kept the independent suspension. The Mark II sedans/hardtops had all changed to a live rear axle with coils and a lateral track rod. In Japan, a Laurel 6-cylinder 2-liter became available from the start, but in the export it came instead of the 4-cylinder by 1975. The Laurel now took further distance from the Mark II (also available with a 6-cylinder) in all dimensions, and relative sales remained one Laurel for every two Mark II.

In Japan, the basic Laurel (1.8 DX) sedan was now somewhat less expensive than the Bluebird-U 1.8 DX sedan with its independent rear suspension, so the Laurel really wasn’t a top level Bluebird. One third of the Laurels were hardtops in the first year, but this declined to one fifth in later years (half as high as at the Mark II). The Laurel DX was about 2% more expensive than the Mark II DX (1.7). When the Mark II 1.7 became a 1.8 in August 1973, the Laurel was the cheapest, but this changed again when Toyota entered a standard model at the end of 1974. In the course of 1974, the Laurel sales went closer to those of the Mark II.

Over half of the sedans had the 6-cylinder 2-liter engine, while 30% had the 1.8 and 20% the 4-cylinder 2-liter. At the hardtop these figures were about 60%, 20% and 15% respectively.

Nissan Laurel/ Datsun 200L/240L (C230)

For the next generation, the hip up styling was tempered, but not lifted, just as with the Mark II, and both arrived around the turn of the year 1977. The Laurel had a clear wedge shape, and it surely looked better than its key competitor which sold better. The chassis dimensions were the same as for the previous generation, but the solid rear axle now was sprung by coils in the sedans and 4-cylinder hardtops, for the first time at a Nissan. The Mark II (now called Cressida in the export) grew closer to the Laurel. Following the Cedric/Gloria, the 2-door hardtop shell was given two extra doors to create a 4-door hardtop, and this body style became available in the export by 1979 as a first for a Japanese car.

Nissan Laurel/ Datsun Laurel (C31)

This next generation saw the width widened to Cedric/Gloria level, with the wheelbase retained. There were now also sedans with the independent rear suspension. At the autumn 1982 facelift, the export models became Nissans, and all general export models, not for Europe, received a hood ornament (incl. the base model), as well as the Medalist and later Grand Extra models for Japan. Laurel now sold only half as much as Mark II, and about a quarter when the Toyota Chaser and Cresta siblings are taken into account. In the last years, three out of ten Laurel/Mark II was a Laurel, and only two incl. the Toyota siblings.

Nissan Cherry/ Datsun 100A/120A (E10)

Next to the Cedric, another Nissan model with strong resemblance to an Austin, was the Cherry, which front-wheel-drive layout was an obvious copy of (Sir Alec) Issigonis’ Seven, later known as Mini. Prince had started the development of this fwd model before the merge with Nissan. The Cherry was sold in Japan by dealers that earlier handled the Cony 360 micro van/truck, built by Aichi Machine Industry, which had started a business tie-up with Nissan in 1965.

Nissan Cherry F-II/ Datsun 100A/120A F-II (F10)

The second generation was no longer available in Japan with the 1-litre engine.

Nissan Pulsar/ Datsun 100A/120A/130A/140A/150A/Cherry (N10)

The Europe-oriented Pulsar started as a 4-door fastback without rear hatch, which was deleted in Japan a half year after the release of the 5-door hatchback in September 1979, but in the general export the 4-door remained available. The facelift to rectangular headlights occurred in Japan in May 1980, and the switch to the ohc engine in March 1981, while in the export these changes took place in September 1980 and 1981 respectively, but North America had a 1.5 ohv engine for the 1981 model year.

Nissan Pulsar/Cherry (N12) April 1982

To suit Cherry and Nissan (Bluebird) dealers, Nissan added a sedan to the line in Japan. Sunny and Nissan Motor (Laurel/Cedric) dealers offered the Sunny and Laurel Spirit sedan. A Langley sedan for the Prince dealers would only arrive for the next generation.

The nomenclature for this generation is Pulsar in most countries with Liberta Villa (sedan) and Langley (hatchback) clones for the Nissan (Bluebird) and Prince outlets in Japan. The Liberta Villa had separate double rectangular headlights and the Langley double rectangular headlamps in an oblong housing. Not available with the 1.3 engine, both entry-level Langley and Liberta Villa actually were cheaper than their 1.5 Pulsar counterparts.

The car was called Cherry in Europe, and Pulsar (hatchback) or Langley (sedan and coupe) in South Africa. Malaysia sold Langley sedans and hatchbacks. A country like Belgium offered a Pulsar trim series in the Cherry line.

The sedan body style was hardly exported, and mostly confined to Australia and South Africa, where production of the Pulsar was preferred to that of the Sunny. Though the B11 Sunny sedan has a pleasing shape, the longer N12 Pulsar sedan somehow overshadows it with its wedge-shaped straightforward looks. Malaysia has been one of the few countries outside Japan where both N12 (1.5) and B11 (1.3) sedans were sold.

In Australia, Langley’s oblong headlights were used from August 1984 (except for the turbo that used the original trapezoid ones). The Pulsar single headlamps varied from quad for the base models (also used in the USA, and in Japan up to 1984), trapezoid, to oblong by March 1984, with the latter two also used in Europe. The Italian-assembled Cherry Europe as well as the Alfa Romeo Arna had larger rectangular headlamps. The Holden Astra clone used the single oblong ones of the facelifted Pulsar.

Soutth Africa used the trapezoid headlamps in the Pulsar hatchback, and initially in the Langley sedan, in 1984 changed into the single oblong ones, but upper Langleys had the double oblong headlamps.

As the hatchbacks lasted for only one year in North America, the only model sold there became the coupe, which was denied to Europe, probably due to its controversial shape, and lack of a hatch. The coupe had its own sheet metal, and used the same door panel as the 3-door hatchback, but with its own door frame, as the vehicle was 3.5 cm lower and the windscreen was more inclined.

Sales of the Pulsar/Langley/Liberta Villa in Japan in 1983 and 1984 were on a ratio of about 3/2/1 with the Pulsar as hatchback, sedan or coupe, the Langley only as a hatchback, and the Liberta Villa only as a sedan. Pulsar and companions sold at about 2/3 level of Sunny/Laurel Spirit. Both Nissan car lines combined sold on 2/3 level of their Toyota Corolla (II)/Sprinter/Corsa/Tercel competitors (about 300,000 vs 450,000 annually).

In Japan power steering was standard or optionally available on selected models with the non-turbo 1.5 engine, and also basic equipment on the ‘ELLE’ trim variant of the 1.3 Pulsar 3-door hatchback that arrived in March 1984. Elsewhere, power steering was not offered, except in North America, where it was standard on the non-turbo 1.6 Pulsar NX in the USA, the majority of which were bought by women.

Nissan model code disambiguation

Some sources claim that the N11 designation has been skipped as there was a Nissan N11 excavator in the 1970s, but the usage of N11 in the emission stage code for some Pulsar ‘vans’, seems to have been a more appropriate reason.

In August 1979, due to new emission regulations for commercial vehicles in Japan, the model identification codes of the Pulsar (window) Van were ‘upgraded’ from VN10 and VHN10 to VN11 and VHN11, with the H referring to the 1397cc engine, as distinct from the 1171cc engine. With the 1171cc engine skipped for the cars of this generation in Japan (contrary to the ‘vans’) when they had arrived in May 1978, these were labeled YN10 for the 1237cc and HN10 for the 1397cc. By March 1981, with the arrival of the OHC 1.3 and 1.5 engines the codes became UN10 and MN10 for the hatchbacks and VUN10 and VMN10 for the vans. There was no need for N11 to be used for the hatchbacks, as their emission update took place at the launch. At the other hand, the people at Nissan probably didn’t opt for retaining the N11 code for the vans or even upgrading it to N12, to keep in line with the new codes used for these engines in the hatchbacks.

As the Violet/Auster A10 already was introduced before the arrival of stronger emission rules for passenger cars in 1978, this series got their cleaner engines in April of that year, changing the model identification code from A10 into A11 for the models with the updated 1397cc engine, and from PA10 into PA11 for those with the 1595cc engine (RA11 for the later 1770cc engine). The 1397cc vans followed in August 1979 (VA10 to VA11), as was the case with the earlier mentioned Pulsar Van. For the next generation car line, the T11 model designation was chosen, probably because A12 was then in use as an engine code (however, at the time of the introduction of the A10 Violet/140J/160J, the A10 engines were still used in the export for a couple of years). A possible T10 was probably rejected as it didn’t suggest to be a new generation. Likewise, the later Bluebird started with U11, replacing the 910.

At the ‘1976’ emission update, the F10 Cherry F-II 1.2 (except for the ‘vans’) saw its model identification code changed into F11 in December 1975 and the 1.4 in February 1976. This meant that for nearly three months the 1.4 was not salable, as there were no Cherrys made that complied with the 1975 emission rules. Anticipating, that the Pulsar also would be subject to an emission update, it was probably decided to start a new 10 series, with an ‘N’ in front (an F110 series was likely not chosen, to tell it apart from the Cherry F-II). The E10 model series of the first generation Cherry, by the way, found their continuation in 2004 in the E11 Note, and later the E12. An E10 engine had arrived in 1981, with E13, E15 and E16 variants.

Also because of an emission update, the model identification code of the S30 Fairlady Z became S31 in July 1976, with the S130 model designation for the next generation, and an appropriate Z31 label for the generation thereafter. Likewise, the S10 Silvia received the S11 emission stage code in May 1976, with the next generation labeled S110 by March 1979, the last year that three-digit codes were started. So, the generation hereafter became the S12.

For such Nissan models that had earlier changed into a three-digit code, this numbering problem was less compelling. A vehicle like the Sunny Truck (pick-up) made it from B120 in 1971, to B121 in 1979 and B122 by 1981, and kept this code, also at the 1988 emission update that brought emission legislation for commercial vehicles in line with those for the 1978 passenger cars. The VB310 Sunny Van ended as VB312 in 1983.

Other consecutively numbered three-digit emission stage codes were used at the President: 250~252, Cedric/Gloria: 330~332, Laurel: C130~131, C230~231, Skyline: C110~111, C210~211, Bluebird: 610~611, 810~811, Violet: 710~711, Sunny: B210~B211.

The earlier update for these cars refers to the 1976 gasoline emission rules, the latter to the 1978 rules. These updates usually occurred somewhere over the year, often in two or even three different months, depending on engine, and partially coinciding with a facelift of the car line at the Bluebird 810, and by 1976 at the Sunny and Violet.

The Nissan President changed its code twice within a year and a month, initially to cope with the 1976 emission regulations in July 1976, and in August 1977, being the first Nissan to adopt the 1978 ruling. The President also had taken the lead with applying the 1975 emission rules in April of that year. The cleaning of the gasoline engines had started in Japan in 1973.

Next to the President, the Cedric/Gloria 330 was the only other Nissan car line that had its code increased at both emission updates, becoming 331 in mid-1976 and 332 in autumn 1978. The 1978 engine update was not done for the 4-cylinder gasoline engine in the taxi/hire car, resulting in coexisting 330, 331 and 332 codes. The diesel engine was to be upgraded at the launch of the 430. The van kept the 330 code, as commercial vehicles also got their emission update only by 1979, when the 430 generation arrived. The V431 van update came in mid-1982 (sold alongside V430 diesel vans and W430 wagons). The 1982 diesel upgrade didn’t change the number.

The Laurel C131 codes arrived in two stages, but the cleaner 2.8 had to wait for the C230 Laurel in early 1977. The earlier (1975 emission) models were sold next to the 1976 ones. This generation received a complete emission update (C231) at its facelift in autumn 1978, but the diesel that arrived at the same time, curiously held the C230 label. The C31 1982 diesel upgrade didn’t change the number.

When a Skyline diesel arrived in 1980, it logically received the C211 label, as C210s no longer were made at that time, either cars or vans. The R30 1982 diesel upgrade didn’t change the number.

The Bluebird-U 610 didn’t get all its engines clean before the arrival of the Bluebird 810 in mid-1976. The first engine update for the Bluebird from 810 to 811 took already place in October 1977, resulting in a ‘double number’ period of ten months for the gasoline models, while the ‘810’ LPG/taxi even made it to 1979.

The L16/18 to Z16/18 engine change in the 810, becoming 811, didn’t involve new engine identification letters, nor did similar engine changes at the Skyline and Laurel. The 910 1982 diesel upgrade didn’t change the number either.

The Violet 710 1.6 carburettor engine didn’t comply with the 1975 emission ruling, resulting in a non-salable period of over two months.

The Sunny B211 1.2 (next to the Cherry F-II F11) in December 1975 was the first ‘numerically upgraded’ Nissan model. B310 Sunny was made ‘1978 proof’ at its launch in autumn 1977 at a matter of course.

The slow-selling Silvia was interrupted at the end of 1978 without receiving an emission update until the next generation S110 arrived in March 1979.

As for the vans and trucks, the updates of the gasoline emission rules took place in 1979 and 1981/1982. The Bluebird Van engine was upgraded at the launch of the 910 generation in late 1979. Anticipating that the van would get the Z16 engine later on, it was decided to tag the L16 engine with its own letter, and deleting this letter at the arrival of the Z16 engine in January 1982 in line with the sedan, and in this way avoiding a number enhancement for the V910, as the later diesel upgrade didn’t change the number either.

The Skyline Van changed from VC210 into VC211 in 1979, and as the diesel arrived only in 1980, it became a C211. The 1981 update took place at the introduction of the R30.

So, numerical digit increasements no longer stood for model facelifts, as they did in the 1950s and 1960s, and now were limited to the Japanese domestic market. The update from A320 into A321 for the 1970 Cabstar, a Japanese domestic model, seems to have been the final one. The Datsun pickup 521 lasted until 1972.

The Datsun pickup 620 changed of generation in 1979, preventing ascending the number, while the 1982/1983 emission upgrade for the 720 requested new gasoline and diesel engines and letters, in this way avoiding a number increase as well.

The late 1978 C120 Vanette was sold with upgraded C121 codes for the vans/trucks from mid-1979, while the minibus (‘coach’), as a passenger car not subject to this emission update, kept the C120 code, after which a diesel for the vans/trucks and coach arrived in mid-1981, all with the C120 code at the same time that another emission upgrade for the gasoline vans/trucks converted the C121 code into C122. This coincided with the displacement increase of the 1397cc engine into 1485cc, resulting in the fact that the 1.5 coach had the C120 code, while at the same time the 1.5 (window) van had the C122 code.

The 1982 diesel emission upgrade didn’t cause a number increase for the C120. The successor of the C120, the Vanette C22, arrived in 1985.

The C120 predecessor, the C20 Nissan Sunny Cab & Cherry Cab, saw the numerical digit code increased to C21 in January 1977, but only for the minibus (‘coach’), to comply with the 1976 emission rules for passenger cars. This model series was stopped before the 1978 emission legislation (and the later ones for commercial vehicles) became obligatory. So, the C120 coach models didn’t need to be updated (nor did the C20 van/truck models).

The E20 Caravan adopted the E21 emission stage code for the gasoline coach (up to 10 seats) in early 1977, to comply with the 1976 ruling for passenger cars. In January 1979, the 1978 regulations made this change to E22, also for the new Homy coach, while in November 1979 the Caravan/Homy van and 15-seater ‘microbus’ (registered as a commercial vehicle) became E21. This also applied to the diesels in 1979, that had arrived in May 1978 with the E20 model identification code, including the coach.

The next generation E23 arrived in August 1980. A further numerical update for the van and microbus was not necessary as the 1981 rules for commercial vehicles compelled installing new gasoline and diesel engines with new identification letters by May 1982, of which the Z20 gasoline engine was already known in the E23 coach.

Such an emission upgrade without an increase of the number was earlier seen at the Bluebird V910 Van and Datsun 720 in January 1982, and apparently not yet applied at the time of the engine replacement in the E21 coach from H20 to Z20 in January 1979, when the H20 engine letter was retained, rather than using the Z20 letter of the later E23, which would have resulted in a next generation E22 as the E20 successor.

The Patrol 60 is unique in that the 1979 number increasement to 61 also happened in the export, but here it was done because of adopting technical amenities of the 160, that were not offered in the Japanese 61, of which the civilian version in those days was used as a leisure vehicle.

A 1979 update for a diesel model never happened at the Nissan cars (or derived vans), mainly as these arrived after the 1979 emission upgrading or then changed of generation (Cedric/Gloria). 1982 diesel emission upgrades didn’t compel number increasements either at the Bluebird, Skyline, Laurel, Cedric/Gloria and Vanette that all didn’t change engines, supposedly because a diesel model was not allowed to get a higher number than the gasoline model.

So, the Safari 160 diesel was apparently the last Nissan that saw the number ascended, in 1983, after its gasoline (fire engine) companion had paved the way the year before.

At later emission upgrades, codes would no longer be enhanced, such as at 910 taxi, B122 Sunny truck, VB11, N15, VY30, Y31, C22, E24 and more.

Explanation of terms used above:

model designation: code to identify the succeeding generations: e.g. E10, N10, N12, A10, 610, 810, 230, 330

model identification code, emission stage code: same as above, but with consecutively numbering at 1976/1978 emission legislation updates for gasoline/LPG engines in passenger cars or those for 1979/1981 in commercial vehicles or for 1979/1982 diesel engines (there are exceptions): e.g. E10, N10, N11, N12, A10, A11, 610, 611, 810, 811, 230, 330, 331, 332, etc. Except at the ‘basic model identification code, basic emission stage code’, these codes have an engine identification letter (sometimes two) in front of the numbering. The letter J is used to tell a rigid rear axle apart from an independent rear suspension, introduced when the Bluebird 510 taxi lost its independent rear suspension in 1971. The letter G usually denotes a long wheelbase, while only at commercial vehicles S is used for short wheelbase, and H for extra long wheelbase. Y means four-wheel-drive and U double cab. A body style identification letter is sometimes optionally shown. The emission stage was usually recognizable by the prefix symbol in front of the emission stage code.

engine identification letter: one or two arbitrary letter(s), identifying engine design and displacement, dependent of model, but often continuously used over the generations. Basic (initial) engines in model lines did without a letter. The letter disregards fuel type and delivery. Violet 710/711, Bluebird 810/811 and 910 always had a letter in front, as their models with basic engine had a rigid rear axle. This was also the case with the Leopard. Skylines and Laurels, with their basic engines replaced by new designs at the 1975 emission legislation application, kept these new engine letters. Likewise, the President’s only clean engine was the ‘H’ V8. The Pulsar N12 and Prairie used a letter for both engines.

model type code (actually the first part of the chassis number, and not dealt with on this page): same as model identification code, but with possible identification letter(s) usually added before the number for a different body design (e.g. Stanza) or another body style or engine displacement, and behind the number for another type of fuel delivery, transmission, front seat arrangement, trim level or alternative model series name: e.g. A11, KPA11XFE (K: hatchback, P: 1.6 engine, X: SGX, F: 5-speed, E: injection engine).

engine code: code to identify engine series and displacement: e.g. A10, A12, A13, E10, E13, Z16, Z18

model identification and emission stage codes:

Cherry F-II/Pulsar

Sunny

Violet/Auster

Bluebird

Skyline

cars

vans

cars

vans

truck

cars

vans

cars

vans

diesel

cars

vans

diesel

1975

F10

H-

VF10

A-

B210

H-

VB210

H-

B120

A-*

710

H-

V710

A-

610

H-

V610

A-

C110

H-

VC110

1976

B-

F11

H-

VF10

B-

B211

H-

VB210

H-

B120

B,C

711

H-

V710

C-

611*

H-

V610

C-

C111

H-

VC110

1977

B-

F11

H-

VF10

B-

B211

H-

VB210

H-

B120

B-

A10

H-

VA10

B,C

810 1976

H-

V810

C-

C210

H-

VC210

1978

E-

N10

H-

VN10

E-

B310

H-

VB310

H-

B120

E-

A11

H-

VA10

E-

811

H-

V810

E-

C211

H-

VC210

1979

E-

N10

J-

VN11

E-

B310*

J-

VB311

J-

B121

E-

A11

J-

VA11

E-

910

J-

V910

E-

C211*

J-

VC211

1980

E-

N10

J-

VN11

E-

B310*

J-

VB311

J-

B121

E-

A11

J-

VA11

E-

910

J-

V910

K-

(V)910

E-

C211*

J-

VC211

K-

(V)C211

1981

E-

N10

L-

VN10

L-

VB312

L-

B122

E-

T11

E-

910

J-

V910

K-

(V)910

E-

R30

L-

VR30

K-

(V)R30

1982

L-

VB312

L-

B122

E-

T11

E-

910

L-

V910

N-

(V)910

E-

R30

L-

VR30

N-

(V)R30

* F10 never got A- prefix

* incl. wagon 'California'

R-B122 by 8911

* not 1.6, 2.0 carb

Q-910 by 8802

* incl. wagon

VR30: 'Estate'

B310 intro November 1977

* not 1.6 carb

910 incl. wagon

C-810 taxi till 1979

Laurel

Cedric/Gloria

Silvia

Fairlady

President

Patrol

Safari

Datsun

cars

diesel

cars

vans

diesel

cars

fire truck

diesel

truck

diesel

1975

A-

C130

A-

330

H-

V330

330

A-

S10

A-

S30

A-

250

H-

620

1976

C-

C131*

C-

331

H-

V330

330

C-

S11

C-

S31

C-

251

H-

620

1977

C-

C230

C-

331*

H-

V330

(V)330

C-

S11

C-

S31

C-

251

H-

620

1978

E-

C231

K-

C230

E-

332

H-

V330

(V)330

C-

S11

E-

S130

E-

252

H-

620

1979

E-

C231

K-

C230

E-

430

J-

V430

K-

(V)430

E-

S110

E-

S130

E-

252

J-

720

K-

720

1980

E-

C31

K-

C31

E-

430

J-

V430

K-

(V)430

E-

S110

E-

S130

E-

252

J-

160

K-

160

J-

720

K-

720

1981

E-

C31

K-

C31

E-

430

J-

V430

K-

(V)430

E-

S110

E-

S130

E-

252

J-

160

K-

160

J-

720

K-

720

1982

E-

C31

N-

C31

E-

430

L-

V431

N-

(V)430

E-

S110

E-

S130

E-

252

M-

161

K-

160

L-

720

K-

720

1983

E-

C31

N-

C31

E-

252

M-

161

N-

161

L-

720

N-

720

* not 2.8

430 incl. wagon

+ G (lwb)

+ FG (fire truck, lwb)

* LPG till 7903

or FH (fire truck, extra long wheelbase)

Cherry, Sunny Cab/Vanette

Caravan/Homy (Homy since 1976, coach since 1979)

Cabstar/Homer

Junior

Caball/Clipper/Bison

coach

van/truck

diesel

coach

microbus

van

hi-roof van

diesel

truck

diesel

truck

diesel

1975

A-

KC20

H-

(V)C20

A-

KE20

H-

GKE20

H-

VE20

140

C240

1976

A-

KC20

H-

(V)C20

A-

KE20

H-

GKE20

H-

VE20

H-

F20

(..)F20

140

C340

1977

B-

KC21

H-

(V)C20

C-

KE21

H-

GKE20

H-

VE20

H-

F20

(..)F20

140

C340

1978

E-

KC120

H-

(V)C120

E-

KE22*

H-

GKE20

H-

VE20

HE20

(….)E20

H-

F20

(..)F20

140

C340

1979

E-

KC120

J-

(V)C121

E-

KE22

J-

GKE21

J-

VE21

J-

HE21

K-

(….)E21

J-

F21

K-

(..)F21

J-

141

J-

C341

K-

C341

1980

E-

KC120

J-

(V)C121

E-

KE23

J-

DE23

J-

VE23

J-

CE23

K-

(….)E23

J-

F21

K-

(..)F21

J-

141

J-

C341

K-

C341

1981

E-

KC120

L-

(V)C122

K-

(..)C120

E-

KE23

J-

DE23

J-

VE23

J-

CE23

K-

(….)E23

J-

F21

K-

(..)F21

J-

141

J-

C341

K-

C341

1982

E-

KC120

L-

(V)C122

N-

(..)C120

E-

KE23

L-

DE23

L,M

VE23

M-

CE23

N-

(….)E23

hi-roof models have suffix symbol M

* intro 7901

H- only under 2,500 kg GVW

Clipper since 1976

≠E23 +S (swb)

E23 +G (lwb)

F22 Atlas export: 'Cabstar'

Bison (diesel) since 1979

E23 hi-roof

Civilian bus + G

passenger cars:

gasoline/LPG

A-

1975

B-

1976

(curb weight up to 1,000 kg)

C-

1976

(curb weight over 1,000 kg)

E-

1978

to be updated in 1998 (GF-)

commercial vehicles:

gasoline/LPG

H-

1975

not at vehicles over 2,500 kg GVW

J-

1979

L-

1981

vehicles up to 2,500 kg GVW, to be updated in 1988 (R-)

M-

1982

vehicles over 2,500 kg GVW, to be updated in 1989 (T-)

diesel

K-

1979

N-

1982

to be updated in 1987 (Q-)

timeline (gasoline models):

	cars	vans/trucks
blue:	1976	1979
green:	1978	1981/82

	7305:	7711:
Sunny	B210~B211	B310

	7305:	7711:
Sunny Van	VB210	VB310~VB311~VB312

	7102:
Sunny Truck	B120~B121~B122

	7409:	7805:
Cherry/Pulsar	F10~F11	N10

	7409:	7811:
Van	VF10	VN10~VN11~VN10

	7301:	7705:
Violet/Auster	710~711	A10~A11

	7401:	7705:
Van	V710	VA10~VA11

	7108:	7607:	7911:
Bluebird	610~611	810~811	910

	7108:	7607:	7912:
Van	V610	V810	V910

	7209:	7708:	8108:
Skyline	C110~C111	C210~C211	R30

	7209:	7708:	8108:
Van	VC110~VC111	VC210~VC211	VR30

	7204:	7701:
Laurel	C130~C131	C230~C231

	7506:	7906:
Cedric/Gloria	330~331~332	430

	7506:	7906:
Van	V330	V430~V431

	7510:	7903:
Silvia	S10~S11	S110

	6910:	7808:
Fairlady	S30~S31	S130

	7308:
President	250~251~252

	6010:
Patrol	60~61

	8006:
Safari	160~161

	6908:	7811:
Cab/Vanette	C20~C21	C120

	6908:	7811:
Van/truck	C20	C120~C121~C122

	7302:	8008:
Caravan	E20~E21~E22	E23

	7302:	8008:
Van/truck	E20~E21	E23~E23

	7202:	7910:
Datsun	620	720~720

	7010:
Junior	140~141

Nissan Violet/ Datsun 140J/160J (710) January 1973

In 1973 the Violet squeezed in, after the Bluebird-U had outgrown the 510, and also to compete with the Toyota Carina from late 1970. A rigid rear axle with leaf springs was common, except for the SSS model with the semi-trailing coil suspension, which was not available in North America. South Africa used this independent treatment for all its models. In some European sales brochures, the leaves at the rear axle of the sedans were simply disregarded (the wagon wasn’t sold here).

The sloping roof line of the sedan had to be altered because of poor visibility, diminishing the counterbalancing effect of the upward running crease, but in the USA and Canada this continued in the 2-door sedan. Ten years before, Nissan had to shake up the downward running double crease in the (Pininfarina-designed) 410 Bluebird sedan, also the year before its successor came. The 710 Violet taxi continued until 1978 to benefit some more customers who praised the better rear compartment visibility, though by 1976 the larger Bluebird 810 had arrived to fulfill Nissan’s Japanese taxi duties. In the last sales months of the 710 series in spring 1977, one out of every six was a taxi.

Nissan Violet/Auster/Stanza/ Datsun 140J/160J (A10) May 1977

Nissan finally had developed a 4-link rear axle with coil springs, so gone were both the semi-trailing arm independent as well as the rigid axle with leaf springs, though retained for the wagon. Curiously, the wheelbase and length were reduced with 5 cm, but safety bumpers would add 18 cm to the length of the domestic sedan after a year. The 2-door sedan kept being offered only in North America (incl. Mexico). A 5-door hatchback that arrived for the 1980 model year had a lowered roof, and would replace both the 4-door sedan and the 3-door coupe in USA/Canada, suggesting that 4-door sedan buyers would opt for the roomier (6-cylinder) 810.

In typical Japanese manner the sister car Auster, sold by the ‘Cherry’ dealer outlet to replace the Violet (deleting the base model), officially bore the name ‘Nissan Violet Auster’ at its introduction, to show its roots, though it was marketed as ‘Nissan Auster’. The ‘V’ emblem in the grille center (different from that of the Violet) became an ‘A’ in 1978. The up-market Stanza arrived in August 1977 (with the top versions called Maxima) and sold next to the Sunny in the latter’s store, while the Violet was sold next to the Bluebird, as before. The Stanza had the upper body crease extended to the end, and received a lower placed side strip, adopted by the Violet and Auster in 1979. Violet sold twice as much as Auster, while Stanzas took about a third of the total three models. By early 1978, one Violet/Auster coupe sold for every two sedans, two times better as the hardtop did at the previous generation.

Nissan Violet Liberta/Auster JX/Stanza FX/ Datsun/Nissan Stanza (T11) June 1981

This generation received front-wheel-drive. The Violet part at the Violet Liberta name was written in a smaller font size than Liberta. The 5-door hatchback now had the same roof height as the sedan. The Stanza now had an identical body, but added a hood ornament (also in Taiwan). The Violet Liberta, sold at the Nissan (Bluebird) stores, was deleted in mid-1982, to be replaced by the smaller Pulsar based Liberta Villa 4-door sedan, which in 1983 sold better than Stanza and Auster combined.

Next to the sedan, the (Cherry store) Auster was sold as a 3-door coupe, which body style would replace the 5-door sedan in the Japanese Stanza line at the facelift of June 1983, when the Japanese models received an upright nose.

Each of the sedans of the three car lines was now equally priced in Japan with the Stanza being the most popular, followed by Liberta and then Auster. This might have been the reason why the Stanza would outlive the Auster for eight months, till June 1986. In 1982, total sales of the three car lines in Japan was at about one sixth level of that of the Bluebird.

selected specifications

Far East Auto Literature

15 April, 2023