Nissan has reached a very significant milestone, which after the past couple of trying months is definitely something to celebrate. At the end of May, their Smyrna, TN plant manufactured the automaker's one-millionth Frontier pickup truck.
To honor this major historical accomplishment, Jim Johnson Nissan would like to take a moment to remember the many evolutions that led to the pickup's success today. It actually all began when Nissan took control of DAT Motor Car Co. in 1933 and branded a new, smaller car model with the Datsun automobile marquee.
Nissan's Datsun 1000 fitted with a four-cylinder engine was imported to the U.S., starting in 1959. Sales, however, did not become anything of interest until the Datsun 520 pickup truck hit dealership floors roughly six years later. Before Nissan knew it, the small pickup was the top-selling imported truck in America. It continued as a market leader well through the '70s.
In 1977, Nissan developed the Datson lineup to include its first-ever half-ton compact pickup. They went on to add their first-ever extended-cab compact truck, later that same year. But, in just two years, last Datsun-badged trucks would roll off the assembly line.
In an effort to better control costs, Nissan then moved production to the States. They produced the first Nissan pickup in 1983...And, in 1997, they made the first Nissan Frontier. That means: Nissan has successfully produced one-million Frontiers in just 14 years! Quite an accomplishment indeed.
Interested in more Nissan news? Come back soon. Jim Johnson Nissan, located at 2200 Scottsville Road Bowling Green, KY 42104, is dedicated to keeping you informed.