The Nissan Cedric was a large car produced from 1960 to 2015. It was developed to offer upscale transport and competed with the Toyota Crown; in Japan the Cedric and Gloria pair were nicknamed CedGlo. The saloon range ended in October 2004, replaced by the Nissan Fuga, but the Y31 Cedric continued as a taxi.
Nissan Cedric at a glance
| Production | 1960–2015 |
|---|---|
| Saloon range ended | October 2004, replaced by the Fuga |
| Taxi model | Y31, still in production |
| Main rival | Toyota Crown |
| Twin model | Nissan Gloria |
| First generation | 30 series, from March 1960 |
| First Cedric engines | 1.5-litre G and 1.9-litre H fours |
| Diesel from | June 1964, 2.0-litre SD20 |
| Automatic from | July 1964, Borg Warner three-speed |
| Name origin | Cedric in Little Lord Fauntleroy |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Nissan Cedric; the collected material describes the first generations in detail, so later ones are summarised.
History of the Nissan Cedric
The 30 series (1960)
The first Cedric was introduced in March 1960 and built until 1962, sold only at Japanese Nissan Cedric Store dealerships. It was the first product labelled as a Nissan, though it shared mechanicals with Datsun cars. The range included the 1500 DeLuxe and Standard, the 1900 Deluxe and Custom with the 1.9-litre H engine, a six-seat van and an eight-seat wagon. Only the Standard used the 1.5-litre G four of 71 PS; the 1.9-litre H made 88 PS. All four-cylinder engines were shared with the redesigned Nissan Junior and Caball. The Cedric replaced the Austin A50 built under licence and introduced Nissan’s first monocoque body and a wrap-around windscreen. Its twin stacked headlights and grille were inspired by a Japanese commuter train, and its tail lights came from the Datsun Bluebird 312.
H31 and the Special
The H31 series ran from 1962 to 1965, adding the 1900 Standard and, in June 1964, a 2.0-litre SD20 diesel from the newly acquired Minsei Diesel company. A Borg Warner three-speed automatic arrived in July 1964, and the new quad-headlight front made the car 18 cm longer. In 1965 the pressed-steel valve cover gave way to an alloy one, and all cars had whitewall tyres. The Cedric Special of 1963–1965 was a long-wheelbase H31 with the 2.8-litre straight-six, made to compete with the Toyota Crown, Isuzu Bellel, Mitsubishi Debonair and Prince Gloria; a Cedric Custom carried the torch at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Design and features
- Nissan’s first monocoque: the 1960 Cedric introduced the technique at Nissan.
- Long-wheelbase Special: a 2.8-litre six for the top of the range.
- CedGlo twin: the Gloria was a sportier-looking Cedric with a different grille and lights.
- Taxi survivor: the Y31 fleet model outlived the saloon range.
Nissan Cedric versions
- Cedric 30 series (1960–1962): the original, with 1.5 and 1.9-litre engines.
- Cedric H31 (1962–1965): quad headlights, diesel and automatic options.
- Cedric Special (1963–1965): long-wheelbase 2.8-litre six.
- Cedric and Gloria saloons (to 2004): the long CedGlo range.
- Cedric Y31 taxi: the fleet model still built after 2004.
The Cedric was the twin of the Gloria and was eventually replaced by the Cima and Fuga line. More cars are in the Nissan collection.
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Video by YouTube on YouTube.
Sources
- Nissan Cedric, English Wikipedia: production years, first generations, Special, taxi model
