Automakers commonly bring historic models from their own collection to media events in an attempt to create a link between the past and the present. Sometimes the connection between the two cars on display is evident, sometimes it’s a little more heavy-handed. A photographer generally shoots the old car next to the new one but … Continue reading
Category Archives: Nissan
Topical advertising: Badge-engineering
Badge-engineering is one of the best ways to illustrate the microeconomics concept of economies of scale. Simply put, the average cost of each unit goes down as quantity goes up. Selling the rights to a car or even to a component like a chassis or an engine can save automakers a substantial amount money in … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Convertibles
Spring has arrived throughout most of the northern hemisphere, which means it’s time to stash away your winter beater and pull out the nice-weather car you’ve been keeping under a tarp in your garage for months. What better way to enjoy the mild weather than with a convertible? Continue reading
Rust in peace: Datsun 210
We photographed the 1977 Datsun 210 pictured below at the far end of a self-service junkyard in northern Utah. Time has not been kind to the 210, leaving it dented, unspeakably rusty and partially dismantled. Continue reading
Color-coded advertising: Black
In the early days of the auto industry, black was often associated with the Model T and Henry Ford’s attempt to save money by adopting standardized production methods. Several decades later, black was found on official vehicles used by miscellaneous government agencies around the world because it’s a low-key color that doesn’t immediately stand out … Continue reading
Topical advertising: On the inside
Although the first part of a car that meets the eye is the body, the interior is arguably more important as it plays a major part in determining if a car is enjoyable to drive or ride in. Cobbling together an interior is tough because engineers, designers, bean counters, factory workers and even dealers all … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Old vs. new
Automakers commonly bring historic models from their own collection to media events in an attempt to create a link between the past and the present. Sometimes the connection between the two cars on display is evident, sometimes it’s a little more heavy-handed. A photographer generally shoots the old car next to the new one but … Continue reading
Color-coded advertising: Brown
Although brown cars have been around for decades, their heyday was undeniably the 1970s when companies from all over the automotive galaxy offered at least one shade of it. In retrospect, brown went remarkably well with cars that were often laden with emissions equipment such as air pumps and 5-mph bumpers. Brown largely fell out … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Racing
For decades, automakers from all around the world have used racing to prove their cars’ technical superiority and boost their overall brand image. A well-orchestrated victory in a televised race like the Paris – Dakar can draw more customers into showrooms than a clever advertising campaign or financial incentives, especially several decades ago when the … Continue reading
Is the Datsun 510 Hatchback a future classic?
When the name Datsun 510 is brought up, people generally think of the nimble two-door that tore up race tracks alongside Alfa Romeo GTVs and BMW 2002s in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Many forget that the 510 resurfaced a couple of years later as a two- and four-door sedan, a station wagon, a … Continue reading