Nissan Cherry

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Datsun / Nissan Cherry
Production period: 1970-1987
Class : Lower middle class , compact class
Body versions : Sedan , hatchback , station wagon , Combi Coupé
Successor: Nissan Pulsar
Nissan AD
Nissan Sunny N13

The Nissan Cherry (originally Datsun Cherry ) is a lower middle or compact class passenger car built from 1970 to 1987 by the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan . The name "Cherry" is an allusion to the country of origin of the vehicle Japan, which is known for its cherry blossom festival . The development of the model series was originally started by the Prince Motor Company , which was planning a mass-produced vehicle with a front-engine and front-wheel drive. After Nissan took over Prince in 1966, it was decided to develop a vehicle for Datsun from the plans in order to complement Datsun's offer as a mass manufacturer above the Datsun Sunny and below the Datsun Bluebird . In Japan, different dealer networks from one manufacturer were common at that time. At Nissan these were the Sunny Shop and the Bluebird Store at the time . The Sunny Shop stood for the most simply equipped models and the Bluebird Store for more sophisticated models, including the only car that was then sold as Nissan, the upper-class model Nissan Cedric . Since Prince almost exclusively produced luxury cars, a repositioning had to take place. Before the Cherry appeared, the Cherry Branch was created, where buyers could now purchase vehicles with an average level of equipment, while luxury-class models as well as sports cars and coupes were sold through the Nissan Prince Store .

When the Cherry entered the market in the autumn of 1970, however, it was first sold through selected dealers in the so-called Nissan Cherry Shop . A little later there was only the Nissan Satio Shop for the previous Sunny Shop, the Nissan Bluebird Shop and the Nissan Store for the luxury class.

Shortly after its appearance, the Cherry was exported as Datsun 100A or Datsun 120A to some European countries such as the Benelux countries, Scandinavia or Great Britain , depending on the engine size . From 1972 it was also available in Germany as Datsun Cherry. From 1978, the Japanese Cherry on the domestic market and in corresponded to North America offered Nissan Pulsar , which was not available in Europe under the Nissan brand, but continues as a Datsun Cherry.

The Cherry was available as a three- and five-door hatchback sedan. Only the last generation offered in Europe from mid-1982 was then marketed as Nissan Cherry . It was also offered on the domestic market under this name, parallel to the other versions of the Nissan Pulsar. A cooperation between Nissan and Alfa Romeo resulted in the Arna , which was marketed as Nissan Cherry Europe in some European countries such as Austria . With the marketing of the Nissan Pulsar N13 in Europe as the Nissan Sunny N13 , the Cherry was indirectly replaced in 1986 by a lower-equipped version of the Sunny.

Cherry 100A / 120A, 1000 (E 10, 1970-1977)

1st generation
Datsun Cherry Sedan (1970–1973)

Datsun Cherry Sedan (1970–1973)

Production period: 1970-1977
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , station wagon coupe
Engines:
Petrol engines : 1.0–1.2 liters
Length: 3610 mm
Width: 1470 mm
Height: 1380 mm
Wheelbase : 2335 mm
Empty weight : 610-670 kg

The Cherry E10 went on sale in Japan in October 1970. It was Nissan's first front-wheel drive model .

At the beginning, a two- or four-door sedan was available. The drive was taken over by the Datsun A four-cylinder petrol engine with hanging valves as a 100A with 1.0 liter (33 kW / 45 PS) and as a 120A with 1.2 liter displacement (38 kW / 52 PS), each with a four-speed manual transmission. The wheels were suspended individually, at the front on Macpherson struts and wishbones and at the rear on parallel rockers and coil springs.

The shape was also called "eyeliner" due to the characteristic shape of the side windows, which resembled the shape of the eye. The styling of the C-pillar and the shape of the triangular windows were based on the fashion of the 1960s in the USA .

Shortly after the start of production, export began as Datsun 100A or Datsun 120A, depending on the engine size, to some European countries such as Great Britain and as Datsun 1000 to Oceania . In September 1971 the three-door station wagon followed with an optional variant of the 1.2 liter with double carburetor and 59 kW / 80 PS. In March 1972 this engine was also available for the 2-door sedan. Based on this one was the same Van called Wagon Van / introduced, which differed by up to the bumper-reaching rear hatch, others return flaps attributable rear side window of the panel van and another suspension. The van was built in the Fujisawa Isuzu Motors factory . Nissan and Isuzu worked together on commercial vehicles.

In April 1972 a racing version of the coupé was presented, and from June 1972 the size of the front and rear bumpers and the tail lights of the sedans were changed. A three-speed automatic transmission was now available for an extra charge .

In the summer of 1973 there was a further revision with a modified grille and headlights. At the same time, sales of the model series, with the exception of the panel van, began in Germany.

In September 1974 the successor was launched on the home market as the "Cherry F-II", but the old model continued to be produced until mid-1977. The sedan and coupe are offered as entry-level models in Nissan's home market. At the beginning of 1976, production ceased except for the sedans.

Cherry F-II, 100A / 120A F-II, 210 (F10, 1974-1978)

2nd generation
Datsun Cherry Sedan (1974–1978)

Datsun Cherry Sedan (1974–1978)

Production period: 1974-1988
Body versions : Sedan , station wagon , station wagon coupe
Engines:
Gasoline engines : 1.0–1.4 liters
Length: 3825 mm
Width: 1500 mm
Height: 1375 mm
Wheelbase : 2395 mm
Empty weight : 700-755 kg

The successor Cherry F-II (F10) started in September 1974 on the home market. Technically, the F-II is based on the E10 and the design was a little “baroque”. The design is only accepted cautiously on the export markets, which is why the export of the predecessor will be continued, partly in parallel with the new model.

Hardly anything had changed in the basic design and the model selection. The vehicles were a bit larger because they were now also available in North America as the Datsun 210 (coupe and station wagon only). That's why a 1.4-liter A-series engine was installed, which developed 59 kW / 80 PS.

In New Zealand , the model was manufactured as a four-door sedan 100A with the 1.0-liter engine from supplied parts sets . At that time it was the model with the smallest engine on the market, even the Morris Mini had more displacement with 998 cm². It was built here until the end of 1980, when production of the Cherry N10 hatchback model began.

At the end of 1975, a facelift brought among other things changed wheel suspensions and new wheel covers.

With the introduction of these measures, the Cherry F-II was also introduced in Germany from February 1976, as a two- and four-door sedan, station wagon and station wagon. The Cherry N10 with the 1.0-liter engine was still imported as a two- or four-door sedan until September 1977.

The Cherry F-II was presented in January 1977 with a redesigned interior and headlights. It will continue to be built until July 1978 and will be offered in Germany until September 1978.

Datsun Cherry, 100A-150A, 310 (N10, 1977-1983)

3rd generation
Datsun Cherry three-door (1977–1980)

Datsun Cherry three-door (1977–1980)

Production period: 1977-1983
Body versions : Hatchback , station wagon , Combi Coupé
Engines:
Petrol engines : 1.0–1.5 liters
(33–59 kW)
Length: 3940 mm
Width: 1620 mm
Height: 1360 mm
Wheelbase : 2395 mm
Empty weight : 840 kg

With the start of the N 10 model series , the signs had changed. At the end of 1977 the new generation made its debut on the home market as the Nissan Pulsar .

A version with a longitudinally installed engine and rear-wheel drive was actually planned for emerging markets, which is noticeable in the long hood of the Pulsar / Cherry N10, which is why the new name was given.

Started as a three- and five-door station wagon, as well as three-door station wagon, three-door box van and five-door station wagon followed in early 1978 in response to the success of the Toyota Sprinter , Honda Civic and Mazda 323 as liftback versions of the Cherry N10 on the domestic market as three and five-door station wagons Hatchback .

Exports began in the summer of 1978, and the model series in Australia and Malaysia was called Datsun Pulsar , as was the case in South Africa, where the hatchback models are now also being produced. In the various markets in Europe and Asia , Datsun Cherry N10 or Datsun 100A-150A depending on the engine. In the USA, on the other hand, the model series was called Datsun 310 , but the station wagon was called Nissan Pulsar. In Canada , where Nissan only then introduced the model range, it is called Nissan Pulsar.

In Germany, Nissan sold the Pulsar station wagon and the hatchback versions as the Datsun Cherry N10 from August 1978, and from October also the five-door station wagon. The Pulsar limousine is not available in Europe because the Datsun Sunny , which is technically largely identical, is on offer.

Initially, A-series engines with 1.0 liter and 33 kW / 45 PS, 1.2 liters with 38 kW / 52 PS, and 1.4 liters with 59 kW / 80 PS are available. The latter is not offered in Germany and the station wagon is only available with the 1.2-liter engine.

A facelift followed in the fall of 1980. The front was revised with a new radiator grille and now square headlights. At the same time, the E-series gasoline engines are moving into the model range. They have overhead camshafts and housings made of light metal, also 1.0 l displacement and the same output of 36 kW / 50 PS, the 1.3-liter engine has 44 kW / 60 PS or 51 kW / 70 PS and especially for the station wagons and delivery vans had a 1.5 liter engine with 51 kW / 70 hp. In Japan the sedan with the more powerful engines is marketed as Nissan Langley .

From the spring of 1981 the revised version was also exported and, parallel to the other models in export, the Cherry now bears the name Nissan-Datsun Cherry in Europe . In Germany there is only the 1.3-liter engine with 44 kW / 60 PS.

In the same year, production of the five-door hatchback model begins in New Zealand, which is exported from there to the USA until 1983 and to Australia, Malaysia and other markets in Asia until 1985.

In Japan, production of the Pulsar sedan ceases in April 1982, that of the station wagon in December 1982, that of the hatchback models in June 1983 and that of the station wagon in December 1983. The coupe and hatchback are sold until September 1982 and the station wagon until Imported to Germany December 1983.

Cherry (N12, 1982-1987)

4th generation
Nissan Cherry three-door

Nissan Cherry three-door

Production period: 1982-1987
Body versions : Hatchback , station wagon , Combi Coupé
Engines:
Otto engines : 1.0–1.6 liters
(50–55 kW)
Diesel engine :
1.7 liters (40 kW)
Length: 3960 mm
Width: 1620 mm
Height: 1390 mm
Wheelbase : 2415 mm
Empty weight : 820 kg

In April 1982 the Cherry (code: N12) was launched on the home market. This is a further developed variant of the Nissan Pulsar (N12) with a hatchback and three or five doors. The Nissan Pulsar is in turn a higher positioned variant of the Nissan Sunny B11 , which is offered in North America as the Nissan Sentra . This brings a closeness between the model series that has not existed so far both externally and technically.

The station wagon and the station wagon coupé similar to its predecessor are now being marketed as the Sunny B11 and have been available in Germany since June 1982. The combination version of the previous Cherry N10 will be offered as a cheaper variant of the Sunny Kombi until the end of 1983. The van is replaced by the Nissan AD . In addition to its home market, the Nissan Pulsar is also available in North America. The Combi Coupé Pulsar EXA is specially developed for this purpose, but it is not imported into Europe.

So the Cherry N12 was basically just the hatchback version of the Sunny B11 or Pulsar N12 and therefore largely had its engine range. In addition to the well-known engines, the Cherry also featured a 1.7-liter four-cylinder diesel engine with an output of 40 kW / 54 hp for the first time in October 1982.

In 1982 Nissan and Alfa Romeo concluded a joint venture , from which Arna was created in the summer of 1983, and in some European markets Nissan Cherry Europe or Nissan Cherry Spezial . In Japan this was marketed as Nissan Pulsar Milano .

From January 1983 there was therefore a Cherry Europa / Spezial with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with turbocharger and 77 kW / 105 PS. This four-cylinder boxer engine came from Alfa Romeo and was also available without turbocharging with 55 kW / 75 PS from November 1983.

In the autumn of 1984 there was a facelift with a new front and rear. The Cherry was now also built for GM and sold in Australia as the Holden Astra .

The joint venture between Nissan and Alfa Romeo ended in 1985. The sale of the Arna and the European Cherry lasted until the end of 1986.

At the end of 1986 sales in the home market and in most export markets were stopped, while the model was produced for Holden and some export markets until October 1987.

Nissan Cherry (N12, Germany)

The import of the three- and five-door hatchback sedans as Nissan Cherry N12 to Germany began in October 1982 with the 1.3 l engine as GL at a new price of 13,795 DM when the import ended. The variant Cherry N12 Special with 75 HP, offered from November 1983 with the 1.5 l, cost 14,895 DM at the end of the import.

The turbo engine was not offered in Germany, the diesel engine only from June 1985 at a price of DM 16195 when imports ended. From the beginning of 1986 an additional gasoline engine with 1.6 liter and catalytic converter with 54 kW / 73 hp was added to the range.

At the end of 1986 the import was stopped and the hatchback model of the Pulsar N13 or Sunny N13 took over. For this, the 1.3-liter engine was integrated into the Sunny series as a basic variant, but initially without a catalytic converter.

Data table

swell

  • Automobil Revue , catalog number 1973, p. 248f. (Dates and prices)
  • Auto catalog , edition 1985/86 (dates and prices)

Web links

Commons : Nissan Cherry  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Nissan Pulsar (N12)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files