Datsun 810 and Maxima: the six-cylinder Bluebird

The Datsun 810 was the six-cylinder member of the Bluebird family, sold in North America from February 1977. Its longer nose made room for an inline six, and it became the ancestor of the Maxima: from 1980 the car was sold as the 810 Maxima and from 1981 simply as the Datsun Maxima.

Datsun 810 at a glance

History of the Datsun 810

The Datsun 810 began as the six-cylinder Nissan Bluebird 2000G6 sold in Japan, and North America received it from February 1977 to 1980. It had a longer nose than the regular Bluebird to take the inline six, and it was offered with two versions of the L-series engine: a 2.0-litre unit for Japan and the 2.4-litre L24E for the United States, where it produced 125 hp (93 kW) SAE. The sedan and estate came with a four-speed manual and the coupé with a five-speed, and all were rear-wheel drive with semi-trailing arm rear suspension; the estate, alone, used a live axle to carry heavier loads.

A two-door coupé joined the range in North America in January 1979, at about the same time as an exterior refresh. It never appeared in the second generation. Contrary to what was often assumed, the new 280ZX did not share much of the 810’s chassis, and the 810 was never available with that car’s 2.8-litre engine.

The second generation arrived in 1980 as a 1981 model, built on the Japanese-market Bluebird 910 with the wheelbase stretched by 100 mm, from 2,525 to 2,650 mm, to make room for the six. It came in two trim levels, the lower 810 Deluxe and the upper 810 Maxima, each available as a four-door sedan or a five-door estate. For 1982 all 810s were rebranded as the Datsun Maxima, and the 2.4-litre engine was raised by 2 hp to 120 hp with more torque lower down. From mid-1981 a 2.8-litre LD28 diesel six of 91 PS was also offered in the United States, with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic with overdrive.

The Maxima was the first car sold in the United States with a voice warning system: a miniature phonograph played pre-recorded messages, in a female voice, alongside the usual dashboard lights. The 1981 model offered a single warning, asking the driver to switch off the lights, and later versions added messages for an open door or a key left in the ignition. For the 1984 model year cars carried both Datsun and Nissan badges. In 1985 a new front-wheel-drive Maxima replaced the rear-drive car, and the 810 name disappeared.

Design and features

• Longer nose: the body was stretched to take an inline six, first the L24E and later the LD28 diesel.
• Two trim levels: the 810 Deluxe and the better-equipped 810 Maxima.
• Voice warning: the first talking car marketed in the United States.
• Rear-drive layout: semi-trailing arms in the saloons and coupé, a live axle in the estate.
• Diesel option: the 2.8-litre LD28 from mid-1981 to 1983.

Datsun 810 versions

• Datsun 810 (1977–1980): the six-cylinder Bluebird for North America.
• 810 Deluxe and 810 Maxima (1980–1981): the two trims of the second generation.
• Datsun Maxima (1982–1984): the same car after the rebranding.
• Maxima diesel: the LD28-engined version sold in the United States from mid-1981.

The 810 was the six-cylinder branch of the Datsun Bluebird family and shared parts with the Datsun 280ZX. More models are in the Datsun collection.

Sources

• Nissan Maxima, English Wikipedia: first-generation Maxima, engines, voice warning
• Nissan Bluebird, English Wikipedia: the 810 as the six-cylinder Bluebird
• Nissan Maxima, German Wikipedia: dimensions and Datsun Maxima history