Jidosha-Seido Ltd. was born from the union of Nikon Sangyo Company and Tobata Imnono Company. The new company, led by Yoshisuke Aikawa, takes over the manufacture of Datsun vehicles. Shortly thereafter, Nikon becomes the sole owner and changes its name to Nissan Motor Company Ldt. In 1935, the first Datsun passenger car leaves the Yokohama factory. At the same time, large-scale production of Nissan vehicles, trucks and buses begins.
The 1950s are marked by the birth of an iconic car, the Patrol. Nissan used its experience in the manufacture of military vehicles during World War II to design this 6-cylinder 4×4 model with 85 hp. At the end of this decade, Datsun takes centre stage for two reasons: it wins the “Mobilgas Round Australia Trial” (1958) and launches in Japan the Bluebird (1959), a vehicle that will become one of the most recognized of the brand. The jump to the international market is a fact: in 1960, and after two years since the first exports to North America, is founded in California the Nissan Motor Corporation USA (NMC).
In 1962, Nissan begins exporting to Europe. Four years later, Nissan merged with the automotive company Prince. This meant the addition to the group of an exceptional team of engineers, as well as the famous Skyline and Gloria models. Just before the end of this decade, the legendary 240Z sees the light: its 2.4 in-line 6-cylinder engine delivers 150CV and performance similar to a Porsche for less than half the money.
