The Datsun Cherry (チェリー), known later as the Nissan Cherry, was a series of small cars which formed Nissan's first front-wheel-drive supermini model line.
The Cherry featured FF layout, meaning front-engine, front-wheel drive. The Cherry line includes the E10 and F10. Nissan's direct successor FF model line was the Nissan March. The third generation of this platform was renamed the Nissan March, while the "Cherry" name proved popular in Europe, and it was used on the European Nissan Pulsar.
In Japan, it was exclusive to Nissan Cherry store locations.
| Datsun Cherry/Nissan Cherry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Nissan |
| Production | 1970–1986 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | compact car |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Nissan Pulsar (Europe) Nissan March (Japan) |
Background[edit]
Originally, before combining with Nissan Motors, the Prince Motor Company plan of development was to mass produce a front-engine front-wheel-drive car, but after the Prince and Nissan merger of 1966, the Cherry was released in 1970 as Nissan's first front-wheel-drive car. In Asian markets there was also a "Cherry Cab" cabover truck model (C20), which was closely related to the Nissan Sunny - indeed it was also marketed as the Sunny Cab.
History[edit]
1st Generation E10 Series (1970–74)[edit]
| Nissan Cherry E10 | |
|---|---|
Datsun 100A Cherry 2 door 1972 (European contemporary nomenclature)
| |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Datsun 1000 Datsun 100A Datsun 120A |
| Production | 1970-1974 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door sedan 4-door sedan 3-door hatchback 2-door coupé |
| Platform | FF layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 988cc A10 Straight-4 1.2L A12 Straight-4 |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual all-synchromesh |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 92 in (2,337 mm) |
| Length | 142 in (3,607 mm) |
| Width | 58 in (1,473 mm) |
| Height | 54.375 in (1,381 mm) |
The E10 generation featured four-wheel independent suspension.
The E10 was fitted with two types of inline four-cylinder Nissan A-series OHV engines:
- 988 cc A10
- 1171 cc A12
The Japanese domestic market Cherry X-1 model featured twin-carburetted A12T engine with dual-sidedraft Hitachi carburettors.
.JPG)
In Europe, E10 was called Datsun 100A (the Datsun brand being used in place of Nissan in the European market at that time) (with A10 engine) or Datsun 120A (A12, but this engine was only available with the coupé body style, also a semi automatic version of the ordinary car available in 1978). Reportedly, market names of Cherry and Datsun 1000 were also used, however the Datsun 1000 name was associated with the early Nissan Sunny and Nissan Bluebird. The Cherry was introduced in Japan at a specially established dealership sales channel called Nissan Cherry Shop, whereas the Sunny was sold at Nissan Satio Shop, and the Bluebird was sold at the Nissan Bluebird Shop.
With the launch of the Cherry in 1971, Datsun's prominence in the UK market grew. In the early 1970s, as the British auto-industry faltered, Datsun led the charge of Japanese auto-manufacturers rapidly gaining market share in the UK. Britain's Motor magazine polled readers about their cars, including, in February 1973, those who owned E10 Cherrys. The question given greatest prominence was the final one which asked whether or not respondents would buy another car of the same model: 76% of Cherry owning respondents answered “yes”, which was the top score for this question achieved by any model to date, and beat even the 66% “yes” score given by owners of the previous leader, the Volkswagen Beetle, at the time well known in the UK for its owners’ brand loyalty.[1]
Timeline[edit]
- 1970 October: E10 goes on sale in Japan. At the beginning were setting only of four-door sedans and two-door sedans.
- With 1970: 17th Tokyo motor show, exhibiting the concept car "270X" which designates the Cherry as the base.
- 1971 end of September: coupé version added
- 1972 March: three-door van version added
- Cherry coupé debuts in 1972 April race Japan. As a Nissan works entry, it participated also in other domestic Japan races.
- 1972 June: minor model change
- 1973 March: debut of Cherry Coupé 1200X-1 R with "fender flares"
- 1973: Revised model with updated grill, rear lights and hubcaps released
- 1976: Acropolis Rally privateer entry
- 1977: E10 production ceases
2nd Generation F10 Series (1974–78)[edit]
| Nissan Cherry F-II (F10) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Datsun F-II Datsun F10 Datsun 100A F-II Datsun 120A F-II |
| Production | 1974–1978 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door sedan 4-door sedan 3-door station wagon 2-door coupé |
| Platform | FF layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 988 cc A10 Straight-4 1,171 cc A12 Straight-4 1.4L A14 Straight-4 |
The second-generation Cherry was known as F-II in Japan and "Datsun F10" in North America. It was Nissan's first front-wheel-drive model to be sold in North America. Four-wheel independent suspension continued to be used.
The F10 was fitted with three types of inline four-cylinder Nissan A-series OHV engines:
- 988 cc A10
- 1,171 cc A12
- 1,397 cc A14
A two-pedal type semi-automatic transmission was offered called the "Sportmatic", which used a torque converter obviating the need for a clutch.
In Europe, F10 was known as Datsun 100A F-II (with A10 engine) or 120A F-II(with A12 engine). The A12 powered 120A F-II was the most common model.
In New Zealand the 100A 4-door sedan (1.0L A10 motor) was assembled fromCKD kits as a price leader for the Datsun range - due to the choice of engine, it was the smallest engined car assembled in New Zealand, the engine (988 cc) being smaller than the Mini's 998 cc unit. Production continued well after the N10 model replaced it overseas, eventually being discontinued in late 1980, with the N10 5-door hatchback replacing it in 1981.
In North America, only the coupe and wagon were offered.
Timeline[edit]
- 1974 September: Sale started in Japan. Body styles included 2 and 4 door sedans, a coupe, and a 3-door wagon.
- 1976 Coupe introduced in UK
- 1977 Hatchback introduced in UK
- 1978: Swedish Rally privateer entry
- End of 1977: The 1978 Datsun Pulsar (N10 type) appeared as a successor model to the Cherry in Europe. At the time the Cherry name was discontinued on the Japan home market, while the platform was replaced with the Nissan March.
Nissan Pulsar (N10) generation[edit]
| Nissan Pulsar N10 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Nissan Pulsar Datsun Pulsar Nissan Langley (Japan) Datsun 100A Datsun 120A Datsun 130A Datsun 140A Datsun 150A Datsun 310 |
| Production | 1977–1982 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door fastback sedan 4-door fastback sedan 3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback 3-door coupé 3-door panel van 5-door station wagon |
| Platform | FF layout |
| Related | Nissan Sunny Nissan Vanette |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 988 cc A10 I4 988 cc E10 I4 1,171 cc A12 I4 1,237 cc A12A I4 1.3L E13 I4 1.4 L A14 I4 1.5L E15 I4 |
The N10 model Pulsar, introduced in late 1977 for the 1978 model year, was known as the Nissan Pulsar in Japan but was called Cherry in Europe and many other export markets. The body styling was more boxy, and influenced by designs coming out of Europe at that time, although in practice, particularly in wagon form, elements of the styling looked remarkably similar to the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic of the time.[citation needed] Engine choices were carried over from the previous model, consisting of Nissan's A-Series motor in 1.0 L, 1.2 L and 1.4 L forms. At some point, the A12 was replaced by the marginally larger A12A.
An unusual styling feature for the car was its long nose - which was due to Nissan envisaging that the car would also be built a with longitudinal rear-wheel-drive layout for developing markets - however only front-wheel-drive models were actually built.[citation needed]
The N10 Cherry was available in a wide variety of bodystyles, which consisted of three and five-door hatchbacks, two and four-door fastback sedans (which utilized the same body profile as the hatchback models), a hatchback coupé introduced at the end of 1978, a three-door van and five-door wagon variant. The wagons first appeared in early 1979.[2] Most markets outside Japan did not receive all versions: for instance, the three- and five-door hatchbacks and the coupé were the only models to be offered in the US. An interesting anomaly of the French automotive taxation system is that while the A12A-engined Cherry sedans were considered as "6CVs", the coupés with the same engine were markedly cheaper to own as they were classified as "5CVs".[2]
Later in the car's production life, in 1981, the entire range was upgraded to Nissan's newly developed OHC E-series motors. At the same time, the car also received a facelift involving a new grille and rectangular headlamps.
In 1982 "Nissan" badges began to appear on the cars, due to Nissan phasing out the Datsun name at that time for its international markets. Production of the N10 series ceased in mid-1982, to be replaced by the all-new N12 Cherry/Pulsar.
Cherry (Pulsar N12 generation) and Cherry Europe[edit]
| Nissan Pulsar N12 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1982–1986 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door hatchback |
| Platform | FF layout |
| Related | Nissan Cherry Europe Nissan Pulsar Milano Alfa Romeo Arna |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 988cc I4 1270cc I4 1488cc I4 1186cc Flat-4 1350cc Flat-4 1490cc Flat-4 |
The Cherry name was still used in Europe on the model N12, an angular, three or five door hatchback design. In Europe the Cherry was sold as a with 988cc 50PS, 1270cc 60PS or 1488cc 69PS petrol engines. Later a high performance turbo version of the 1488cc Cherry became available.
A derivative of Cherry N12 was also built by Alfa Romeo at Pratola Serra, near Naples, Italy. The Alfa-built version was badged as either the Nissan Cherry Europe or the Alfa Arna in Europe (depending on the dealer supplying it), and as the Nissan Pulsar Milano in Japan, and is distinguishable by slightly different rear light clusters and other minor changes. Under the skin it used Alfa Romeo Alfasud-based components including the engine,transmission, and front suspension. Rear suspension and body panels came from Japan. Both Italian- and Japanese-built versions were available in European markets, but the Italian version helped to overcome strict import quotas imposed on Japanese cars at the time. Arna was an acronym meaning Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli. The Arna did not sell well and the partnership was not continued.
After the end of Cherry production, the Sunny was Nissan's only offering of this size in Europe. In America only the notchback coupe ("Pulsar NX") was offered for most of the N12's run although the 3- and 5-doors were sold in 1983 only.
Replacement by Nissan Sunny[edit]
In most export markets, the Nissan Sunny name replaced the Cherry starting with the N13 Pulsar model. In certain markets such as Greece, however, the N13 Pulsar retained the "Cherry" nameplate.[3]
In Japan and some Asian markets, the Pulsar name was used until N15 model. See the Pulsar entry for more information.
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