Nissan Vehicle History | Nissan USA
2003: Our first full-size truck, the Titan®, debuted in 2003. Today, the V8-powered pickup is available with a King Cab or a Crew Cab.
1990-1999
ITS AGILITY IN THE '90S
Retaining the Nissan heritage, while moving in new directions.
1999
THE FIRST FOUR-DOOR COMPACT TRUCK
In 1999, we introduced the Frontier® Crew Cab, the first compact truck with four full-sized doors. That same year, Frontier, Xterra®, and Pathfinder® were named the official vehicles of the Los Angeles County lifeguards, which gave the rugged vehicles plenty of screen time on the 90’s television phenomenon “Baywatch”.
1997: Nissan is named Best of the Best by the Environmental Protection Agency, and NMMC is lauded as the most productive plant in North America in "The Harbour Report: for a fourth consecutive year since 1994.
1995
1991
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AWARD
Nissan receives its first environmental award from the EPA, and takes a big leap forward in green technology by lending its Alternative Fuel Vehicle to a California testing program and introducing the Future Electric Vehicle concept car.
1990: Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) is established in Torrance, California.
1980-1989
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN AMERICA
In the '80s, the Nissan brand came into its own. We built our first Nissan truck in the United States, and the Infiniti line of luxury vehicles.
1989
INFINITI LAUNCH
1989 was a year of milestones at Nissan. In that one year alone, we launched Infiniti, produced our one-millionth vehicle on American soil, and started the Summer Institute for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
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1988
Nissan driver Geoff Brabham wins his first of four consecutive IMSA Camel GTP Drivers Championships, a streak that includes breaking the American road record. Brabham’s IMSA GTP car was practically unbeatable that year, clocking a breathtaking top speed of 200 miles per hour.
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1981: Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC), Nissan's financing division, is established in Torrance, California.
1980: Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) is established in Smyrna, Tennessee, to fulfill the growing demand for Nissan Vehicles.
1970-1979
PUSHING THE LIMITS.
BUILDING A REPUTATION
The 70’s were a great decade for us. We sold our one-millionth Datsun and became the top vehicle importer in the United States.
1979
TAKING DESIGN TO A NEW LEVEL
In 1979, Nissan Design International (NDI) was established in La Jolla, California, with a mandate to bring American style and concepts to Nissan vehicles. Over the years, NDI has brought us the original Altima®, the original Pathfinder®, the modular Pulsar NX, today's Xterra®, and the Gobi pickup concept.
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1971
250,000 DATSUNS IN ANNUAL SALES
Annual sales eclipse 250,000 in the United States for the first time. Nissan also establishes itself on the track, as the now-legendary Datsun BRE 510 dominates on two continents, winning the SCAA Trans AM Championship, the American Rally Championship, and the treacherous East African Safari.
1960-1969
PERFORMANCE BECOMES
A ONE-LETTER WORD
Toward the end of this decade of change, Nissan has built a strong reputation in both the American and the Japanese markets. The Datsun 2000 roadster, valued both for its style and performance, becomes synonymous with early Nissan design. Soon after, the Datsun "Z" changes the way people think of sports cars.
1969
1960
DATSUN ENTERS THE SPORTS CAR MARKET
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. (NMC) is established in Gardena, California. That same year, the SPL 201—Datsun’s very first sports car—was introduced. The sleek 4-seat roadster featured a fold-down soft-top, a "4 on the floor" transmission, and a 48-hp engine (that would soon be replaced by a powerful 85-hp version).
1914-1959
COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION SINCE
THE COMPANY'S FOUNDING IN 1933.
Not only are Datsun's the first mass-produced Japanese vehicles, their unique, automotive style makes a major impact on the U.S. market when Datsun sedans and compact pickups are first imported in the late '50s.
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