Datsun

The Datsun Cherry was introduced to the European market in 1970, where it was sold as the Datsun 100A in standard form and as the 120A in coupé guise. It was Nissan’s first front-wheel-drive car and played a key role in establishing the brand in Europe. With its compact size, low running costs, and reputation for exceptional reliability, the Cherry found particular success in the United Kingdom, where Japanese cars were still a relative novelty at the time. The model helped Datsun build a loyal customer base and laid the groundwork for the brand’s broader European expansion throughout the 1970s.

The second-generation Cherry was launched in Japan in September 1974, but its rollout in Europe was more gradual. The coupé version arrived in 1976, followed by the hatchback a year later. However, this generation had a relatively short lifespan: a third-generation Cherry was introduced in Japan in May 1978 and became available in Europe by March 1979.