The rich and exciting legacy of Nissan sports cars in the U.S. dates back to the early 1960s, with the launch of the Datsun Fairlady 1200 Roadster. This little convertible may not have led the way in sales volume in that market, but it did bring several major firsts for Nissan in the U.S.
The Fairlady 1200 Roadster, was Nissan's first Datsun sports car export to North America. The Fairlady was a strong choice for this particular market by Yutaka Katayama, known as "Mr. K" and "father" of Nissan's Z sports car.
It's worth noting that this car is the first to use the "Fairlady" name, a trademark that has continued to adorn several Nissan sports cars (outside of the U.S. market) for decades. And the origin of the name "hides" a story of lyrical origin: Katsuji Kawamata, then President of Nissan Motors, saw the Broadway musical "My Fair Lady" on a visit to the U.S. and was inspired to name a car after it.
Based mechanically on the modern Datsun 223 truck, the Fairlady has a 1.2-litre 1.2-litre engine with 59 hp and a four-speed manual gearbox. Its attractive, curved body hides a four-seat interior, while mechanical features include a drum, torsion bar front suspension and a leaf-sprung rear suspension.
Of course, this car was just the beginning in a long line of sports cars that drew the attention of sports driving fans to Datsun and Nissan. The more powerful Datsun Fairlady 1500 soon followed, while the arrival of the original Z sports car, known as the "Fairlady Z" in 1969 marked seven generations of sports cars, culminating in the current Nissan Z.
