The Nissan Violet is a compact car that was first released in Japan in 1973 and produced until 1992. It was initially exclusive to Nissan's Japanese Nissan Cherry Store dealerships, as a larger companion to the Nissan Cherry.
In 1977, the second generation model arrived. This was split into two additional lines, the Nissan Auster and the Nissan Stanza. All three models bore the A10 series identifier, and were built in Japan at the Hiratsuka and Yokosuka assembly plants. The Stanza was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealerships called Nissan Satio Store as a larger companion to the smaller Nissan Sunny, and the Auster triplet was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store locations as a larger companion to the Nissan Langley.
A new third generation front-wheel drive model was launched in 1981, changing the series name again to T11, and sharing its platform with the Compact MPV Nissan Prairie/Multi/Stanza Wagon. Final versions were Nissan Bluebirds series U12 rebadged for some international markets. In most export markets the car was originally sold as the Datsun 140J or 160J depending on the engine; this name was then gradually changed to Nissan Stanza in most markets in line with Nissan's phasing out of the Datsun brand in its export markets in the early 1980s; in Europe for instance it was sold as the "Datsun-Nissan Stanza" for a short time until the Datsun name was dropped completely in 1984.
The Stanza/Auster/Violet were discontinued in 1992. The Stanza was replaced by the Nissan Altima in North America; the Stanza was replaced by the Nissan Bluebird in Japan, and by the Primera in Europe.
710 series (1973–1977)
Introduced in January 1973, the Nissan Violet was a smaller version of the Datsun Bluebird 610, which was sold outside Japan under Nissan's Datsun brand as the Datsun 140J/160J — except in the United States where it was marketed simply as the Datsun 710. This model was built as a two-door saloon, two-door coupé, four-door fastback, (and later as a regular four-door saloon), estate, and as a van. Introducing the Violet allowed Nissan to moderately increase the dimensions of the existing Datsun Bluebird.
The sporty SSS model has rear independent suspension, others have a leaf sprung rear. Aside from the different name, the North American market 710 received large separate bumpers rather than the curved, fitted pieces used in other markets to comply with United States bumper legislation in 1973. Early export market cars were fitted with tiny chrome cover plates to hide the holes left on top of the front fenders by the Japanese market rear view mirrors. The most powerful version offered in Japan was the fuel injected 1600 SSS-E with JIS at 6200 rpm. In export markets the twin-carb 160J SSS claimed DIN, five more than the regular 160J. In Japan, the 1800 cc engine arrived in October 1975 and was only available running on LPG, for taxi use.
This vehicle was available for sale around the same time as the first generation Toyota Carina. The original four-door bodywork was quite swoopy, with a fastback line. It was one of the first Nissan products to introduce "coke bottle styling", an appearance that had debuted internationally during the 1960s and 1970s. Its controversial appearance led to a certain number of customer complaints, not only about the looks but also at the limited rear vision and dark rear cabin - especially for children. Taxi companies refused to purchase any more Violets, and in a rather drastic facelift gradually introduced beginning in February 1976 Nissan resorted to replacing the entire rear end (including the roof panel and the doors) with more traditional, notchback bodywork. This provided more space and comfort for passengers, while also minimizing blind spots.
This version also received a new chassis code, 711, while the smaller-engined part of the range gradually became replaced by the newly introduced, carburetted version of the 1600. For the home market, the engines were also revised to meet the new, 1976 emissions standards. The coupés and vans/wagons did not undergo any bodywork modification. The two-door sedan was discontinued, while the coupé received the new chassis code and remained on sale alongside the four-door 711 and the 710 Van.
North America
In the United States and Canada, the car was sold simply as the "Datsun 710". Two- or four-door sedans, a two-door coupé, and a five-door station wagon were available. Introduced for the 1974 model year, the 710 switched from the original 1770 cc, engine to the 2-litre L20B engine also used in the 610. The 1975s produce (SAE Net) in 49-state and Canadian trim versus California-spec cars. The federal/Canadian version took leaded fuel and depended on an EGR system for pollution control, while the California cars have a catalytic converter and require unleaded petrol. Gross horsepower ratings are 110 and 107 respectively. Aside from the new engine, the 710 saw some additional modifications for 1975: the steering was adjusted to decrease driver effort, while noise levels were reduced, and gear ratios were adjusted to boost petrol mileage. Externally, the bumper overriders received a slight chrome molding in the middle.Datsun saves again in '75, p. 17
Mysteriously, while wagons usually have a smaller petrol tank of rather than , the California-market 710 wagon has the same size petrol tank as the sedans and hardtops.
Foreign assembly
Taiwan In Taiwan the Violet was introduced in 1973 under the name Yue Loong Violet 707 and replaced the successful Datsun Bluebird there. It remained in production until 1982 The Yue Loong Violet was usually offered with the OHV J16 engine. The VIP Brougham was a luxury version of the Violet with leather seats and wood interior.
Mexico For the Mexican domestic car market, the 710-series Violet was produced from 1973 to 1978 at Nissan's CIVAC assembly plant, near Cuernavaca, Mexico. At the time, Nissan Mexico offered a unique passenger-vehicles lineup, the Datsun Bluebird range (the 510-series and the 410, previously), integrated only by the 4-door saloon and Wagon versions of the Bluebird, respectively commercialized as the Datsun Sedan and Datsun Guayín (Guayín is a moniker in Mexican spanish for "Station Wagon"). In 1974, going on with the same business strategy, the 710-series Violet was introduced to the Mexican car market badged as the new Datsun 160J, the replacement for the single-offered Bluebird lineup.
The Mexican 710 Violet range was integrated only by the 4-door Saloon alongside the Wagon, lacking the sporty 2-door/coupe bodies offered in some other countries. The fastback-styled 710 4-door saloon design was marketed from 1974 to 1977, being replaced in 1978 with the notchback-styled 711 Violet (which intended to improve the fastback's bad rear visibility complained by some customers). All Mexican 710 Violets featured the 1.6-litre carbureted engine (160J), coupled to a 4-speed manual gearbox, and an optional 3-speed automatic gearbox starting in 1978.
From a time in the Mexican popular slang, sometimes this car is referred to as "bolillo", the spanish word for a bread roll, due to its similar rounded shape. For 1979, the 710 range was superseded by the correspondent next generation A10-series Violet in the Nissan Mexico lineup.
New Zealand New Zealand, as a result of the government's temporary lift of import licensing restrictions (the result of high consumer demand for cars, which local CKD assemblers and built-up importers could not meet with the usual licensing restrictions and high import duties of up to 55%, plus sales tax up to 60%) saw considerable CBU imports of the Datsun 140J four-door sedan and 160J two-door during 1973 and 1974.
Due to the short notice and short timeframe of the licence requirement relaxation, the cars imported differed slightly in specification from shipment to shipment - some had Japanese market amber front park lights, front guard-mounted exterior rear view mirrors and 'Violet' badges; later units had clear lenses and 140J/160J badging.
Several hundred 140J sedans entered New Zealand through the Port of Timaru for the South Island market and all were presold before they arrived. They were in demand as they were better specified as standard (tinted glass, AM pushbutton radio, etc.) than the NZ-assembled CKD kit imported models, which consisted of the 1200 sedan and wagon, and 180B (Bluebird) and 260C (Cedric) sedans.
Almost-new 140Js were often resold soon after first registration for hundreds of dollars more than their retail prices, such was the model line's initial popularity. The Japanese assembly quality of the 140J was better than the NZ-built Datsuns of the time which were assembled by outside assembly contractors - Nissan themselves did not open its own 'temporary' plant in Mt Roskill, Auckland, until the mid-1970s and a dedicated, purpose-built factory in Wiri in 1978.
South Africa In South Africa, the 1976 "711" facelift arrived in October 1976 and continued in production for a while longer than in Japan. It was sold as the Datsun 160U or 180U, depending on engine fitment. Deluxe and SSS sedans as well as an SSS Hardtop were available. A batch of 100 SSS models (some of which were Bluebirds) with special "Mexican" upholstery was also built in 1978.
A10 series (1977–1981)
When the first generation Violet was replaced in May 1977, it grew more rational and somewhat larger than the over-designed original model. Nissan increased the glass area by ten percent vis-à-vis its predecessor. It was also joined by two badge engineered versions: the slightly more expensive Nissan Auster went on sale alongside the Violet and was aiming for an air of "quality and youthfulness." This was accomplished by having a different grille treatment, a somewhat altered dashboard with more round gauges, and offering the option of a dog-leg, five-speed manual transmission. The Auster lineup also received a rear stabilizer bar, for improved handling.Kumakura, Road impressions: Nissan Violet Auster Multi-Coupé 1600CS-E・L, p. 56.
The more luxurious, more "European" Stanza followed in August 1977; it was only offered in the higher equipment levels and was also differentiated by having a different bonnet and single rectangular lights rather than the twin round units seen on the Violet and Auster. Stanza, which is Italian for "room" or "apartment", was sold via Nissan Japan dealerships Nissan Saito Store. The more basic Violet, positioned as an affordable family car one level above the Nissan Sunny, was sold at dealership locations called Nissan Cherry Store. The Nissan Auster, which is named for the Latin equivalent of the Greek god Notus for the south wind, was available at Nissan Prince Stores. In Australia, the A10 was called the Datsun Stanza, while in Canada and the United States it was sold as the Datsun 510, a name which recalled the successes of the previous Datsun 510.
The 1.6-litre L16 had been updated in February 1976 and continued as a carry-over from the previous generation, but the 1.4-litre L14 engine was replaced with the new A-series engine (not available in the Stanza), producing at 6,000 rpm. North American market cars received a two-litre version of the L engine, to compensate for power loss to emissions control system and the added weight for federally mandated safety equipment. In May 1978 the car underwent a facelift, becoming the A11 in the process. At the same time, the L16 engines were replaced by the cross-flow Z16, to meet newer stricter emissions rules. Nissan introduced their emissions control technology with this generation, called NAPS, and the cars received a new chassis code of A11. The more luxurious Stanza was never available with the 1.4-litre engine in Japan, only with a 1.6 until larger engines joined the lineup.