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History of Nissan | Visalia, CA

Nissan Motor Company was officially founded on December 26, 1933 in Japan. It was formed from the merging of two companies: DAT Automobile Company and Jitsuyo Automobile Company. However, instead of using the Nissan name, they branded their vehicles as Datsun. Here are some of the most historical moments from the company’s history.

1937. The first mass-produced Japanese vehicle is the Datsun Type 15. It has a four-cylinder engine with an estimated displacement of 747 cc. It has a maximum engine power of only 15 horsepower.

1957. The iconic Nissan Skyline made its debut this year. It was a predecessor to the GT-R®. The rear-wheel drive coupe model was never available in the United States, but is a highly collected model today.

1958. Datsun made its American debut with the Datsun 1000 Sedan. It sold 146 units before it was replaced by the 1200 model. This vehicle has a maximum output of 48 horsepower.

1959. This year, the first Datsun pickup is sold in the United States. This compact truck is the foundation for Nissan’s pickup reputation today.

1966. Nissan opens its first North American production facility in North American and manufacturers its first vehicle.

1967. The first Nissan SUV, the Patrol was sold in the U.S. starting this year. Over the next three years, Nissan sold a total of 2,216 units.

1971. Nissan’s sales in the United States cross the 250,000 unit threshold. This was also the year the Datsun 240Z® hit the market.

1977. Nissan introduced the King Cab, which was the first extended cab pickup.

1980. Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation is established in Smyrna, Tennessee.

1990. Nissan North American is established in Torrance, California.

1997. Nissan is praised for its environmentally-conscious production practices by the Environmental Protection Agency.

2003. The Titan® makes its debut.

2010. Nissan produced the world’s first mass-produced 100% electric vehicle in the form of the Nissan LEAF®.

You can add to Nissan’s history when you drive one of its vehicles home. For more information about them, please contact the team at Groppetti Auto.

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