Datsun

The 1932 Datsun Type 11 was a small car with a 495 cc, 10 HP side valve engine and a three speed transmission. . It was offered in several body styles, and DAT/Nissan sold 150 of the Type 11 in 1932. [JSAE] The Type 11 was only produced during the year 1932, as changes in the law allowed Nissan to sell a new model with a larger engine in 1933.
The DAT corporation had been producing cars since 1914 [Togo, pg. 11], but through the 1920s, much of their profitability depended on government subsidies of their large trucks [Togo, pg. 8]. A 1930 ministerial ordinance by the Japanese government declared that drivers' licenses would not be required for cars with engines up to 500 cc displacement, and that the purchase of these vehicles would be taxed at a lower rate. [Togo, pg. 12] DAT began to produce a small car for this market. The new car was called "Datson" and later "Datsun" to distinguish it from the full sized trucks and cars the company had produced in the past.
The Datsun had the same engine displacement and external dimensions as an Austin Seven, and information about the British car was widely available within Japan. In October and November 1929, the chief engineer of Austin presented a paper in Tokyo called "The British Light Car". This paper is supposed to have provided detailed explanations and illustrations of many of the mechanical components of the Austin Seven. The exact relationship between the two cars is, however, in dispute.
T he N10 model Pulsar, introduced in late 1977 for the 1978 model year, was known as the Nissan Pulsar in Japan but was called Cherry in Europe and many other export markets. The body styling was more boxy, and influenced by designs coming out of Europe at that time, although in practice, particularly in wagon form, elements of the styling looked remarkably similar to the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic of the time. Engine choices were carried over from the previous model, consisting of Nissan's A-Series motor in 1.0 L, 1.2 L and 1.4 L forms. At some point, the A12 was replaced by the marginally larger A12A.
An unusual styling feature for the car was its long nose - which was due to Nissan envisaging that the car would also be built a with longitudinal rear-wheel-drive layout for developing markets - however only front-wheel-drive models were actually built.
T he N10 Cherry was available in a wide variety of bodystyles, which consisted of three and five-door hatchbacks, two and four-door fastback sedans (which utilized the same body profile as the hatchback models), a hatchback coupé introduced at the end of 1978, a three-door van and five-door wagon variant. The wagons first appeared in early 1979. Most markets outside Japan did not receive all versions: for instance, the three- and five-door hatchbacks and the coupé were the only models to be offered in the US. An interesting anomaly of the French automotive taxation system is that while the A12A-engined Cherry sedans were considered as "6CVs", the coupés with the same engine were markedly cheaper to own as they were classified as "5CV
Later in the car's production life, in 1981, the entire range was upgraded to Nissan's newly developed OHC E-series motors. At the same time, the car also received a facelift involving a new grille and rectangular headlamps.
In 1982 "Nissan" badges began to appear on the cars, due to Nissan phasing out the Datsun name at that time for its international markets. Production of the N10 series ceased in mid-1982, to be replaced by the all-new N12 Cherry/Pulsar.