The Datsun Vanette was introduced in October 1978 as the Datsun C20, a small van and light truck that replaced the Datsun Cherry Cab of 1969. It was sold in Japan as the Nissan Sunny Vanette or Datsun Cherry Vanette, and it became the basis for Nissan’s van range of the 1980s.
Datsun Vanette at a glance
| Maker | Nissan (Datsun), Japan |
|---|---|
| Introduced | October 1978 (C120) |
| Bodies | coach (minibus), panel van and platform truck |
| First engine | 1.2 L A12 petrol, four-speed column shift |
| Brakes | drums all round until the 1982 facelift |
| From July 1979 | 1.4 L A14 and a five-speed gearbox for the coach |
| From 1980 | A14 in all versions; high-roof option |
| From June 1981 | LD20 diesel with a five-speed gearbox |
| Coach engines | 2.0 L Z20, replacing the 1.2 |
| Renamed | Vanette at the October 1982 facelift |
| Larger version | GC120 Largo, 33 cm longer between the doors |
History of the Datsun Vanette
The C20, code C120, was introduced in October 1978 as the replacement for the Datsun Cherry Cab. Because Nissan ran three separate dealer networks in Japan, the same vehicle was sold as the Nissan Sunny Vanette and the Datsun Cherry Vanette. Buyers could choose a minibus, called the Coach, a panel van or a platform truck; all came with the 1.2-litre A12 petrol engine, a four-speed gearbox with a column-mounted shift and drum brakes at all four wheels.
From July 1979 the Coach could be ordered with the 1.4-litre A14 engine and a five-speed gearbox, and in 1980 the A14 spread to the other versions, with a high roof added to the options list. In June 1981 came the LD20 diesel, always with a five-speed gearbox, while the Coach received the 2.0-litre Z20 petrol engine and lost the 1.2-litre option.
A comprehensive facelift in October 1982 brought a redesigned dashboard and standard front disc brakes on every version, an updated air-conditioning system and a cheaper FL version of the Coach. At the same time the C20 was renamed the Vanette. The facelift also introduced a larger version, the GC120, with 33 cm added between the front and side doors; in Japan it was called the Largo and sold mainly as the Datsun Vanette Largo minibus, although other body styles were available.
In September 1985 production of the minibus version of the C120 ended in Japan, while the KC120 and the truck and delivery-van versions continued until the end of 1987, the last of them only for Asian markets. In Europe the Vanette that appeared from 1983 replaced the earlier Datsun C20 models and carried the name forward into the 1990s, by then as a Nissan.
Design and features
- Three bodies: a minibus, a panel van and a platform truck.
- Column shift: a four-speed gearbox with the lever on the steering column at first.
- Diesel from 1981: the LD20 with a five-speed gearbox.
- Front disc brakes: standard on all versions after the 1982 facelift.
- Largo: a longer GC120 version sold mainly as a minibus.
Datsun Vanette versions
- Datsun C20 (1978–1982): the original with the 1.2-litre A12.
- Coach: the minibus version, later with the A14 and Z20 engines.
- Datsun Vanette (1982–1988): the renamed range with front disc brakes.
- Vanette Largo (GC120): the longer version introduced in 1982.
The Vanette replaced the van version of the Datsun Cherry and sat beside the Datsun Cabstar in Nissan’s commercial range. More models are in the Datsun collection.
Sources
- Datsun Vanette, German Wikipedia: C20 and C120 history, engines, facelift
- Nissan Vanette, English Wikipedia: model line and later versions
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