2003 Nissan 350Z

In 1914, Masujiro Hashimoto started the Kwaishinsha Company with backing from three men whose last names-–Den, Aoyama, and Takeuchi--would give the DAT car its name. By 1926 Kwaishinsha had merged with Jitsuyo Jidosha, and later joined forces with Tobata Casting. It transferred manufacturing operations for Datsun automobiles to Jidosha-Seizo Kabushiki-Kaisha, which almost immediately changed its name to Nissan Motor Company. Ltd. Company President Yoshisuke Aikawa wanted to mass-produce and export Datsuns, an activity that began soon after cars began rolling off the Yokohama assembly line in 1935. Eager to expand, Aikawa bought vehicle designs from Graham-Paige, but the clouds of war soon shifted Nissan’s attention from cars to military vehicles and equipment.

In order to get up-to-date engine and vehicle technology in the post-World War II market, Nissan partnered with Britain’s Austin Motors and began producing Austin cars in 1953. By 1960, it had become the first Japanese automaker to win the Deming Prize for engineering excellence and began introducing cars like the Cedric, Bluebird, and Sunny with its own technology under the Datsun name. Nissan expanded rapidly as Japan’s capital market liberalized; it built new plants and merged with the Prince Motor Company, adding the Skyline and Gloria to Nissan’s lineup. By the end of the 1960s, Nissan began producing cars like the 510 sport sedan, which was known for its clean styling, excellent handling, and an overhead cam engine similar to that found in contemporary Mercedes vehicles.

The combination of the twin energy crises of the 1970s and the introduction of the 240Z sports car thrust Datsun into the North American limelight, and high-profile forays into road racing attracted buyers who were looking for more than just an inexpensive-to-operate car. Increasingly high-performance and upscale cars like the Maxima and 300ZX helped reinforce Nissan’s appeal. Nissan’s first American assembly plant, located in Smyrna, Tenn., built the Hardbody and Pathfinder light trucks, and was later modified to add passenger cars. It was joined by an engine plant in Decherd, Tenn., and an assembly plant in Canton, Miss. At the end of the 1980s, Nissan entered the luxury car market with its Infiniti division.

However, Nissan faltered in the 1990s, leading to an alliance with Renault in 1999. The partnership has eliminated redundant platforms, powertrains, and suppliers while allowing the two brands to build a greater number of vehicles and vehicle types, including cars like the twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Nissan GT-R supercar. And while both Nissan and Renault each have plans to introduce an electric car in 2011, Nissan has turned to Chrysler to supply the next–generation Titan pickup because of slow sales of its current in-house design.