Nissan (日産) is a Japanese automobile maker. From 1932 to 1983, they also used the trademark Datsun.
Nissan used to be Japan's second-largest car company, after Toyota, but it has dropped to third in size (IIRC) after Honda. Due to financial problems througout the 1990s (to the point where most believe an American company in a similarly bad financial state would have ceased trading), the French company Renault took a large shareholding in the company and installed Carlos Ghosn[?] as president, the first non-Japanese person to run a Japanese car company (Mazda is now run by an American and Mitsubishi is run by a German).
Originally formed on December 26, 1933, Nissan has produced an extensive range of mainstream cars and trucks, initially for domestic consumption but exported around the world since the 1950s. There was a major strike in 1953. It has also produced several memorable sports cars, including the Z-car, an affordable sports car originally introduced in the 1970s; and the Skyline GT-R, a hugely-powerful four-wheel-drive[?] sports coupe that is regarded by many as Japan's Porsche 911 and that has unfortunately rarely been seen (except as a gray import[?]) outside Japan.
Past and Current Models, partial list (U.S.)
Past and Present Models, partial list (non-U.S.)
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