In the Western Hemisphere, the Datsun 510 is extremely popular. There, this sedan still attracts the attention of many petrolheads, regardless of wealth or age. Everyone knows someone who had a 500, or knew someone else who had one. And everyone was wondering how this Datsun drives, how it drives, how much it eats and what kind of engine it has. A car designed for Europe soon became a popular family car at a reasonable price.
The Datsun 510 , sold as the Nissan Bluebird in some markets, soon gained a reputation as a very sophisticated car. It was one of the first cars with a SOHC engine and independent all-wheel suspension . Well, at least in the case of the sedan, the station wagon kept the rigid rear axle. The popularity of the car was also due to the power of 96 horsepower, which at the time pushed a number of sports cars into the pocket. At the same time, the car was neither significantly heavy nor expensive, so it earned its nickname " the poor man's BMW ". Project leader Katayama 's love of small European sports cars was also behind its fun. The main inspiration was said to be the BMW 1602 .
Great handling and steering motivated the drivers to race. In 1969, the automaker decided to support unofficial racing teams across the country. The battle with Alfa Romeo and BMW graduated in 1971, when the white-blue-red Datsuns dominated the Trans Am 2.5 Challenge championship. And then they defended their victory in 1972. Datsuns thus gained a reputation as affordable cars with a sporty character. And that helped the Roadster and 240Z to sell well.
Photo: AutoWP
