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Nissan is an important cornerstone of Japanese car culture due to their exciting JDM cars. Here are the best JDM Nissan cars!Nissan is an important cornerstone of Japanese car culture due to their exciting JDM cars. Here are the best JDM Nissan cars!
Nissan Cars: Innovation That Excites
Nissan originated from Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works started back in 1911. The company used their investors’ surname initials for their first car in 1914, the DAT. This name would go on to inspire the Datsun brand in 1931 before the company would merge into Tobata Casting in 1933. The following year, Nihon Sangyo would expand Tobata Casting into a new automotive subsidiary and name the new car company based off their Tokyo Stock Exchange abbreviation, Ni San.
Nissan Motor Company would go onto be one of the most exciting Japanese automotive brands of its time. They’ve provided car enthusiasts with exciting and widely adored vehicles that are still heavily praised and sought after to this day. However, American audiences didn’t get to enjoy all of Nissan’s greatest hits – at least not until recently. Now that these awesome Nissans are becoming available in the USA, we figured we should point out some key Japanese cars from Nissan to look out for. Here are our picks for the top 10 JDM Nissans ever made!
Nissan Pao
We’ll kick off the list of JDM Nissans with a quirky kei hatchback that aimed to hit ‘60s nostalgia, the Nissan Pao. This car was a part of Nissan’s Pike Factory project and took inspiration from classic European compact cars. The Pao featured exterior door hinges like the Austin Minis, a split rear tailgate like the Austin A40 Farina Countryman, a similar front facia to the Renault 4, folding windows like the Citroën 2CV, a retractable canvas top like a Fiat 500, a retro-tastic interior design that was utilitarian like the Mini, and side strakes that acted as a homage to wood paneled cars. It was truly an all-encompassing avatar of European compact car design made by a Japanese company. Powering this postmodernism take from 1989 is a 1.0L inline-four engine making 51 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque. That may not sound like much power, but the Nissan Pao could at least achieve fuel economy of up to 79 mpg.
Nissan Figaro
Another Pike Factory JDM of note was the Nissan Figaro. This two-seater kei car also took on some inspiration from classic cars like the MGB Roadster and Austin-Healey 3000 for its exterior design and the retractable canvas top from the Citroën 2CV. Inside, the Nissan Figaro continues the retro inspired trend with vintage styled bucket seats and dash design reminiscent of the old Rambler Marlin. Under the hood of the Nissan kei car was a turbocharged 1.0L inline-four engine that made 75 horsepower and 78 lb-ft of torque. The Figaro also helped inspire the design of Daihatsu’s kei car, the Copen, but that’s for another JDM list.
Datsun Bluebird 510
The Datsun Bluebird was better known as the Datsun 510 over here in the USA between 1968 and 1973. This Nissan model may not carry the Japanese exclusivity that other models on this list do, but the Datsun Bluebird 510 is important since it put Nissan on the map internationally. The model’s design was inspired by European sedans of the time and was the company’s first successful foray into a sports vehicle. It utilized a rear-wheel drive setup, an independent suspension at all four corners, and a 1.3L inline-four engine with an overhead-camshaft. The Datsun Bluebird 510 went on to be utilized in motorsports all around the world as it was easy to find cheaper and better parts from other Nissan models as well as easily swap in larger engines. The 510’s accolades include winning the East African Safari Rally, winning the SCCA Trans Am 2.5 Championship, and securing back-to-back wins at the Australian Rally Championship. The Datsun Bluebird 510 still has a strong following in amateur racing events today, so much so that Nissan still provides parts for the model.
Nissan Homy
Bet you didn’t expect to see a van on a JDM list, but the Nissan Homy (also known as the Caravan) is a fun cabover, people hauler that’s worthy of some recognition. The Homy was originally derived from the Homer truck in 1965 as a part of the Prince automotive brand. Nissan and Prince merged in 1966 and brought the passenger van under the Nissan name. Following this first generation, Nissan provided both the Nissan Homy and Nissan Caravan alongside each other in a similar way that GM had done with the Astro and Safari. The Nissan Homy name would continue for four generations before being dropped in favor of Caravan name, but that last generation is possibly the best for van fans. Not only does it look the best, but it’s one of the most customizable of the bunch. Nissan provided the van with gas and diesel engine options as well as available four-wheel drive. Not only that, but there’s a pretty good amount of aftermarket parts to easily make the Homy into a show stopping tuner or an overlanding camper bus.
Nissan Laurel
The Nissan Laurel started in 1968 and continued to be Nissan’s premium sedan choice up until its end in 2002. The model started out originally as a Prince Motor Company creation before their merger with Nissan but would later be marketed as a Nissan Laurel separate from the Datsun line. As it continued through its generation, the Laurel would receive more luxurious adornments that helped garner more interest from potential shoppers. The model shared components with the Skyline throughout most of its lifetime, but it only received at best the single turbocharged 2.0L RB20DET inline-6 and 2.5L RB25DET inline-6 engines in the 1990s. While these aren’t the RB26DETT from the GT-R, those engines helped create a devout following of the C33 and C34 Nissan Laurel generations as great options for fun tuners over in Japan.
Nissan Cima
Nissan had its own luxury executive sedan to compete with the Toyota Crown known as the Cima. The Nissan Cima came to market in 1988 and was provided as either the Gloria or Cima depending on which dealership it was purchased from. For the majority of the model’s life, it has carried a 3.0L VQ30DET turbocharged V6 as well as the most advanced technology available to each generation. Being a luxury full-size sedan, the Cima models featured high-end interior materials like real wood trimming throughout the interior and the choice of leather or silk-wool upholstery. If I had to pick one generation of the Cima in particular to look for, it’d be the Y33 model available from ‘96 to 2001. This model took on sportier looks to align with the increasingly popular Skyline of the same time, so you get a performance model look with a lux interior.
Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
I could just go with the Nissan Pulsar in general, but I decided that the version dubbed “Baby Godzilla” separated itself enough from the model that it deserved its own recognition. The Nissan Pulsar GTI-R was a homologation vehicle produced for Group A World Rally Championship (WRC) competition that looked visually similar to a three-door Pulsar hatchback aside from hits added hood vents and rear spoiler. The JDM hot hatch featured the 2.0L SR20DET turbocharged engine making 227 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque sent through Nissan’s ATTESA four-wheel drive system. This powertrain combined with its low weight allowed the Pulsar GTI-R to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.4 seconds. While the car didn’t see great success in Group A competition, it did go on to win first and second place in the 1992 Group N production car class.
Nissan Silvia
While we did receive the Nissan 200SX and the 240SX with pop-up headlights over here in the USA, we didn’t get the Nissan Silvia from which that model was derived from. The Silvia name actually dates back to 1965 when it shared a platform with the Fairlady 1600, but it didn’t see its car enthusiast fandom until the fourth generation S12 and onwards. This is when the Silvia leaned into the motorsports world and was marketed as a performance vehicle option below the Skyline. The S12 Silvia was entered into the WRC, the Japan Supersport Series, and even had a Super Silhouette version made with eccentric aerodynamics. The S13 became a popular model in Japan and help in making the Silvia synonymous with drifting; even being featured in the hit Initial D anime series. The S14 continued the popularity of the Silvia nameplate, added on available aero packages, improved performance, and continued to be utilized in motorsport competition. Then the model ended with the S15 Silvia, a short-lived performance coupe that’s still a major competitor in the Formula Drift series today.
Nissan Skyline GT-R
The Nissan Skyline is one of Nissan’s most sought-after and beloved models. The model dates all the way back to 1957 when it was originally sold under Prince Motor Company, but the most popularized versions of the model came about once it received the twin-turbocharged 2.6L RB26DETT inline-six engine alongside the GT-R badge. This powerful engine coupled with the four-wheel-drive system helped the Skyline GT-R excel in motorsports and led to it being nicknamed “Godzilla”. The R32 and R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R models fetch a high price and are very desirable for car enthusiasts all around the world, but the R34 takes the cake. This model not only was the epitome of the JDM Nissan Skyline GT-R in terms of performance, but it was heavily popularized globally through its continued use throughout the Fast & Furious franchise.
Nissan Fairlady Z
We know the Fairlady Z as several different names here in the USA: 240Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX, 350Z, 370Z, and even just Nissan Z. All these Z-cars hold an important part to Nissan’s automotive history in terms of international sales success and motorsports credibility. If the Fairlady Z didn’t take off like it did, we may not remember the Nissan brand like we do now. Be sure to check out our Retro Review on the Datsun 240Z as well as a breakdown of all the Nissan Z Car Generations!
