What is Nissan known for?
The Nissan Motor Company is a Japanese automaker that manufactures cars, trucks, and buses. The brand also manufactures communications satellites, pleasure boats, machinery, industrial and commercial vehicles, as well as life care vehicles. It is known for the Nissan Leaf, its first first mass-market electric vehicle which is also one of the best-selling EVs in the world today.
Nissan is also known for its performance vehicle heritage and its motorsports division called Nissan Motorsports (NISMO). The brand is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan.
When and how did Nissan start?
Nissan has a rich history, and we’re not kidding about that. The company went through many name changes, mergers, and alliances so it may be hard to keep track of everything.
According to the official Nissan Global website, the history of the company started in 1910, when Yoshisuke Aikawa established the Tobata Casting Company. Aikawa was born in Yamaguchi prefecture and graduated from the Tokyo Imperial University, now known as Tokyo University. In order to learn more about the metal casting industry, he worked in a factory in the United States until he mastered the skill. He established the Tobata Casting Company when he arrived in Japan.
Meanwhile, in 1911, the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works was established by Japanese industrialist Masujiro Hashimoto. This became one of the forerunners of the domestic automobile production. In 1914, the company released its first car, the DAT car. The company then renamed itself to Kaishinsha Motorcar Company in 1918, and again in 1925 to DAT Jidosha Company.
By 1931, the two companies’ fates would meet when DAT Jidosha Seizo Company affiliated itself with the Tobata Casting Company. The new corporate entity changed its name to the Jidosha-Seizo Company in 1933, with its headquarters in Yokohama. In 1934, the company finally changed its name to Nissan.
During the war years, the company was completely devoted to the production of trucks and other military vehicles. In 1945, Nissan’s plants were seized, except for one. By 1955, most of Nissan’s plants and facilities were restored and in just a few years, the company grew, entered the international market, and established facilities outside Japan. In the 1990s, Nissan worked with French carmaker, Renault, and formed an alliance. In the 2000s, Nissan grew even more thanks to its popular performance vehicles and electric automobiles.
How many Nissan vehicles are manufactured and sold?
As of the fiscal year 2021, Nissan sold around 3.88 million vehicles around the world. Its best-selling models in Japan include the Note/Note AURA, ROOX, and Serena. Meanwhile, in the United States, the best-selling models are the Rogue, Sentra, and Altima. China is the leading producer of Nissan vehicles, producing 1.14 million units in 2020. This is followed by Mexico with 521,730 units and Japan with 509,220 units.
Nissan currently has 23,166 employees on a non-consolidated basis, and 134,111 employees on a consolidated basis. They have dozens of manufacturing plants and facilities in Japan alone, including the Iwaki Plant, the Nissan Education Center, the Research Center in Oppama, and the Nissan Global Information System Center. It also has even more facilities in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and Africa.
Nissan is Japan’s second-largest automotive company. The company is part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi. There are several brands under Nissan, which include Nissan, Infiniti, and Nissan Motorsports & Customizing Company. Infiniti is Nissan’s premium brand which produces modern Japanese luxury vehicles, whileNissan Motorsports & Customizing Company is the performance, motorsports, and customizing arm of the brand. Nissan has a comprehensive lineup of vehicles, with more than 60 models under both the Nissan and Infiniti nameplates.
Why did they choose the name Nissan?
The term Nissan came from the the abbreviated form of Nihon Sangyo, which was used in the Tokyo Stock Exchange to refer to Nissan’s predecessor company in 1933. The company officially changed its name to Nissan Motor Company in 1934 when Nihon Sangyo Company became the leading investor in the company. The person who coined the abbreviation was Yoshisuke Aikawa, who became president of Nihon Sangyo in 1928.
And if you’re still here for more trivia about Nissan and its related brands, how about a bit of info on Datsun? To backtrack a little bit, the first DAT car was manufactured in 1914. The name DAT was a combination of the initials of the three men who invested in the Kwaishinsha car company: Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama, and Aketaro Takeuchi. When Nissan took control of DAT in 1934, they changed the name from ‘Datson’ to ‘Datsun’ because in Japanese, ‘son’ means ‘loss.’
What are the most iconic Nissan vehicles ever made?
Honestly, it’s quite difficult to narrow down a list of the most iconic Nissan vehicles. Like, iconic how? Iconic for speed or for their appearances in Hollywood films? Iconic because of their technology and innovation?
For starters, the most iconic Nissan vehicle for greener tech is the Nissan Leaf. First introduced in 2010, this model became Nissan’s first all-electric vehicle in its lineup. With the Leaf, Nissan gave all of us a glimpse into the future of its automotive technology.
If you want to know which Nissan model made the most iconic appearance in a Hollywood film, it’s definitely the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R. This model appeared in the 2 Fast 2 Furious film and was driven by late actor Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner. Aside from its Hollywood fame, this coupe has its own merits, delivering 276hp from its turbocharged straight-six engine.
As for the fastest Nissan car ever made,iIt’s the Nissan R390 GT1, with a max speed of up to 354 kph. This model was equipped with a 3.5-liter V8 with dual overhead camshafts. The road-going version of the R390 can produce up to 340hp, delivered to its rear wheels. With these specs, it’s almost a Formula 1 car.
Since when has Nissan been in the Philippines?
It depends on how you choose to look at it. If we’re talking about when Nissan first entered the Philippine market, the answer would be 1969. That’s when the Universal Motors Corporation (UMC) was appointed as the authorized assembler and distributor of Datsun vehicles. The UMC assembled vehicles in their Pasong Tamo, Makati City facility. Some of the models that were made and sold during this time were the Datsun 620 pickup, Datsun 720 Double Cab pickup, as well as the Nissan Laurel, Cedric, and Bluebird.
However, if we’re talking about when the actual Nissan Philippines (NPI) was established, that would be on September 23, 2013. The Nissan Motor Company had reorganized its business in the Philippines and established NPI as the only national sales company in the Philippines. Nissan Philippines is a joint venture between Nissan Motor Company. Universal Motors Corporation, and Yulon Philippines Investment Company.
Which Nissan models are available in the PH?
There’s a wide range of Nissan vehicles available in the Philippines—from cars and SUVs to vans and trucks. The Almera is Nissan’s subcompact car. This sleek and sporty ride comes with an advanced 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine.
Also available for the Philippine market is the Nissan Leaf, which was first introduced in 2010. This car is built with a 100% electric motor and comes with a suite of Nissan Intelligent Mobility features. The Leaf is just one step in Nissan’s plan to develop and enhance its production of electric vehicles.
If you’re geared toward speed, the 370Z and the GT-R are the best options for you. The 370Z is armed with a 3.7-liter VQ V6 engine and is equipped with a world-class performance clutch. This model comes with 327hp as standard, with the Nismo version getting 339hp. The GT-R, on the other hand, is a sports car that has famously achieved supercar performance. The standard GT-R has 565hp and 633Nm of torque, while the GT-R Nismo can have up to 600 hp and 652Nm of torque. You heard that right.
The Nissan Navara pickup has beefy exteriors, a powerful but economical 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine, and is equipped with state-of-the-art Nissan Intelligent Mobility. When it comes to heavy-duty jobs, the Nissan Urvan is an iconic ride. The Urvan comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Diesel engine. The Urvan has 15-and 18-seater options and comes in a variety of styles.
As for SUVs, Nissan has four models in its lineup: the newly-launched Livina, the Kicks E-Power, the Terra, and the Patrol. The Livina is a seven-seater subcompact MPV, which is based on the same platform as the Xpander—a result of the two brands’ alliance. The Kicks E-Power is a unique hybrid-like car in that it has an electric motor that powers the wheels, similar to an electric vehicle. However, it also has a gasoline engine that generates power to charge the electric motor’s battery when needed.
Meanwhile, the Terra is Nissan’s midsize SUV. It’s a seven-seater with lots of power under the hood. Lastly, the Patrol is Nissan’s luxury SUV. It comes with a powerful 5.6-liter V8 engine, user-friendly technology, and handsome interiors and exteriors.
Where Can I Buy a Nissan in the Philippines?
A quick trip to Nissan Philippines’ Find a Dealer tool on its official website can help you connect with over 50 Nissan dealers across the country, from Luzon to Visayas to Mindanao. You can also check out its virtual showroom, download brochures, schedule test drives, ask for a quote, and use the finance calculator.
