Il December 26, 1933, exactly 91 years ago, Nissan was founded in Japan, today one of the global players in the automotive sector. Created by tycoon Yoshisuke Aikawa Headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, the company has become a symbol of Japanese excellence in the four-wheel industry. Its history, however, dates back long before its official founding, characterized by technological innovations, acquisitions and strategic alliances that have transformed it into one of the most influential automakers in the world.
Today, Nissan is present on the market with the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In Italy, it is mainly known for its off-road vehicles, the Micra city car and the Qashqai crossover. It is the second Japanese car manufacturer after Toyota (sixth in the world) and since 1999 it has been part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance (fourth largest group globally). Renault previously held 44,4% of Nissan's voting shares, but its participation has dropped to 15%, while Nissan owns 15% of the non-voting shares in Renault. Since 2016, Nissan has acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Nissan stands out as the leading Japanese brand in key markets such as China, Russia and Mexico.
The Japanese house is also among the world's largest producers of electric vehicles, with over 320.000 fully electric cars sold. The best-selling model in its electric vehicle range is the Nissan Leaf, which is also among the best-selling electric cars globally, after the Tesla Model 3. Since 2021, the high-end brand, Infiniti, has offered exclusively hybrid or electric vehicles.
In 2023, Nissan recorded a total of 3.374.271 vehicles sold globally.
Nissan's Roots: From DAT to the Merger with Tobata Casting
Nissan's history dates back to 1911, when Masujiro Hashimoto founded Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works, producing its first car, the DAT, in 1914, a name derived from the surnames of the three founders: Den, Aoyama and Takeuchi. In the following years, the company went through several transformations: in 1918 it became Kaishinsha Motorcar Co., Ltd., and in 1925 it took the name DAT Jidosha & Co. Ltd. Initial production focused mainly on trucks, due to the lack of demand for cars in Japan and the need for reconstruction after the devastating Kantō earthquake of 1923. The first DAT trucks were also intended for military supplies.
In 1931, DAT Motors introduced the Datson 10, a compact car that marked a turning point for the company. The name, which meant “son of DAT,” was changed to Datsun in 1933, when Nissan took control of the company, to avoid the negative connotation of the term “son” (loss) in Japanese. With the birth of the Datsun brand, Nissan began producing vehicles that became the symbol of its international expansion, such as the Datsun 11.
La the turning point came in 1933, when Yoshisuke Aikawa, founder of the Nihon Sangyo holding company, incorporated DAT Motors into Tobata Casting, another company of the group. This step marked theProduction start automotive under the name Nissan, abbreviation used on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for Nihon Sangyo.
La Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was officially born in 1934 based in Yokohama. The first car produced with the Datsun brand arrived in 1935, but World War II interrupted production, which resumed in 1947.
In the post-war period, Nissan relaunched with innovative models, such as the 1951 Nissan Patrol, a rugged and powerful off-road vehicle designed using the experience gained during the conflict. With a six-cylinder engine producing 85 hp and four-wheel drive superior to the American Willys Jeep, the Patrol represented a further step in the growth of the Nissan brand, consolidating its position in the global market.
Nissan's Global Expansion
Nissan's international expansion was made possible by the collaboration with the American Graham-Paige Company, which provided machinery, technology and licenses for the production of cars, buses and trucks. This partnership, which began in 1937, allowed Nissan to improve production quality and position themselves strategically on foreign markets, especially in the United States. At the same time, since 1934, Nissan began to build the Austin 7 under license, marking Datsun's first international success.
In 1952 a new agreement with Austin Motor Company allowed Nissan to assemble and sell 2.000 Austins in Japan, using components imported from the UK. Nissan later developed versions that were entirely made in Japan, such as the 50 Austin A1955. The collaboration proved crucial in the transfer of technical knowledge, contributing to the development of Datsun engines. In total, Nissan produced 1953 Austins between 1959 and 20.855.
Il Consolidation on foreign markets continued in the 50s and 60s, with the Datsun 210 winning the 1958 “Mobilgas Round Australia Trial”, which marked the brand's international debut. The same year began exporting to the United States, where in 1960 the Nissan Motor Corporation USA. In Europe, Nissan gradually made its appearance, starting with the Austin licenses up to the launch of the Micra model, which became one of the best-selling vehicles on the continent thanks to its practicality and reliability.
In 1966 the merger with the prince motor company enriched the Nissan range with iconic models such as the Skyline and the Gloria. These high-end vehicles consolidated the prestige of the brand, while the “Prince” name was retained in Japan until 1999 at Nissan Prince Shop dealerships.
In the 70s, Nissan further strengthened its international presence with the launch of the sports car Datsun 240Z, a powerful and attractively designed car. During the 80s, the company invested in Europe, acquiring interests in Motor Iberica in Spain and collaborating with Alfa Romeo in the production of the Arna. The creation of the Nissan European Technical Centre in 1988 marked the beginning of a new era of expansion in the United Kingdom and Italy, consolidating Nissan as one of the world's leading car manufacturers. In 1989 it also launched the luxury brand, Infiniti, aimed at the North American market.
The financial crisis of the nineties and the alliance with Renault
In the 90s, Nissan introduced a new version of the Micra, awarded in 1993 as car of the year, and the 4×4 Terrano II, produced in Barcelona. The decade was, however, marked by a serious financial crisis that in 1999 led Renault to intervene, acquiring a significant stake in Nissan (almost 45%) and launching the Renault-Nissan alliance Mitsubishi. The Brazilian manager Carlos Ghosn led the recovery through the “Nissan Revival Plan”, which, although it involved 21.000 layoffs, managed to bring the company back into profit. This plan was considered one of the more extraordinary corporate recoveries in the history of the automobile, leading Nissan to record profits and a profound renewal of its model ranges.
Nissan's recovery, however, was followed by a new profit crisis and above all by internal scandals. Ghosn, after leaving the role of CEO in 2017, retained the presidency, but was arrested in November 2018 for alleged financial wrongdoing, including mismanagement and concealment of income. A second arrest in 2019 sparked a internal crisis which led to the resignation of Hiroto Saikawa, also accused of similar practices, and to theRise of Makoto Uchida as the new CEO at the end of 2019. The legal issues severely damaged the company's reputation.
The company again faced a sales drop, which led to a decrease in profits. In 2019, this situation caused the dismissal of 12.500 employees , closure of factories in Indonesia and Spain. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the difficulties, forcing Nissan to reduce production capacity by 20% and withdraw from the South Korean market. In November 2020, the losses reached $421 million, a result made even more serious by the failure of the “volume at all costs” strategy.
Despite the benefits of the alliance with Renault, such as access to innovative technologies and a greater global presence, in recent years the collaboration has undergone a reorganization. In January 2023, Renault decided to rreduce its stake in Nissan to 15%, transferring part of the shares to a French trust and equalizing the decision-making weight between the two partners. At the same time, Nissan to own 15% of Ampere, the new French division dedicated to electric mobility. Renovation was completed in November 2023, marking the beginning of a new phase in the alliance.
Nissan Today: The Crisis and the Possible Merger with Honda
In recent years, Nissan has met serious difficulties in recovering, a victim of unstable leadership and difficulty adapting to changes in consumer preferences. Growing competition, particularly from Chinese automakers and new players like Tesla, has put Japan's third-largest carmaker under pressure. Recently, Nissan announced a reduction in production capacity and the cutting of 9.000 jobs globally. In addition, CEO Uchida chose to halve his salary, a testament to the gravity of the situation. Despite the drastic measures taken, Nissan acknowledged that it had reached a point of no return, and thus emerged theidea of a merger with Honda, Japan's second largest automaker, with the possibility of including Mitsubishi, of which Nissan owns 24%.
The merger is considered the Japanese automakers' response to growing and unsustainable Chinese competition, with the aim of strengthening investments in the electricity sector. And just a few days ago, Honda and Nissan have officially confirmed the start of negotiations, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the creation of a joint holding company. If realized, the merger, which will give birth to the third largest automotive group in the world, could be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2026, with Honda having a majority on the holding company's board of directors. Brand management will remain separateThe holding company's goal is to generate annual revenues of more than 30 trillion yen (about 200 billion euros) and operating profits of more than 3 trillion yen.
