Nissan is well-known for making two of the, arguably, finest JDM sports activities vehicles; the Nissan Skyline and Silvia. However even earlier than they merged with Prince Motors in 1966, the manufacturing of their VIP luxurious sedan, the Nissan President, was already underway.
The Nissan President was among the many first vehicles solely produced, marketed, and bought by Nissan, as most had been manufactured and bought underneath the Datsun or Prince title. Manufacturing started in 1965 with President H150, the identical 12 months the Nissan Cedric Particular 50 was produced. In consequence, each vehicles shared the identical platform.
Nonetheless, the principle cause Nissan made the President was to compete towards the Toyota Crown and presumably get picked to be used by the Imperial family of Japan. Tax laws in Japan have at all times been strict on vehicles with giant engines with over 2.0-liters of displacement. Nonetheless, Nissan wouldn’t hear any of this.
Nissan’s efforts to get the Nissan President utilized by the royal home didn’t bear fruits. Nonetheless, the Nissan Royal, made by their sister firm Prince Motors was among the many few vehicles utilized by the Emperor of Japan. However later, in 1970, the H150 Nissan President was appointed to be used by the Japanese Prime Minister.
Base spec fashions include a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine, whereas different trims have both a 4.0-litre V8 or 4.4-litre V8. The third and fourth gen Presidents include a 4.5-litre V8 engine. After the primary era, Nissan discontinued the guide transmission promoting all manufacturing fashions with an computerized transmission.
The Nissan President was the primary JDM VIP sedan, higher than the Toyota Crown. However is it higher than the Toyota Century, which is so good that it’s nicknamed the Japanese Rolls Royce? Aside from being the primary JDM automotive to have ABS and digital door locks, there are some hidden options that it has higher than the Toyota Century. So is the Nissan President higher than the Toyota Century? Stick round to seek out out.
Execs and Cons
Execs
Cheaper than Toyota Century
The Toyota Century tramples all JDM sedans, luxurious and VIP sedans. However what if there was a greater choice with higher worth for cash? Would you purchase it? In contrast to the Toyota Century, you may simply decide up a Nissan President for underneath $10,000. This can be a discount since discovering a Toyota Crown or Nissan Cedric for that worth is troublesome.
Security Options
If somebody acknowledged that the Nissan President was the primary JDM automotive to function ABS, few would consider it. Effectively, you higher consider that as a result of it’s true. Nissan first used ABS in 1971 when producing the President H150 (first era).
Aside from ABS, you additionally get twin entrance airbags and aspect curtain airbags for the entrance seat passenger, driver, and rear seat passengers. Most JDM sedans don’t have the entrance seat passenger airbag. The Nissan President has one, making it one of many most secure JDM sedans, no matter age.
Wonderful Construct High quality
On the outside, the Nissan President is simply an atypical previous JDM sedan. Nevertheless it’s within the inside the place the greatness is. You’re greeted by comfortable multi-layered silk woolen seats that make you need to be pushed round city, home windows down, simply having fun with the breeze. And in case you choose a bit privateness, you may shut the rear window blinds. The one drawback is that the rear windshield blind can solely be managed from the motive force’s management panel.
You may as well get the Nissan President with leather-based seats supplied at no further price at manufacturing time. However you probably have a selection between leather-based or woolen seats, go for the one with woolen seats. You would possibly suppose the Toyota Century is the one JDM sedan with heated and massaging seats. You get heated and massaging seats with dual-memory performance within the Nissan President.
In contrast to the Toyota Century, the place there’s a gap within the entrance passenger seat, you may transfer the entrance passenger seat utilizing the controls on the rear seat middle console. You possibly can both decrease the headrest to extend the highway view or transfer your complete seat ahead to extend legroom. You may as well decrease the entrance passenger seat and use it as a leg relaxation throughout lengthy highway journeys.
Some options, such because the sign TV and cellphone within the rear seat armrest, may appear ineffective, however this was cutting-edge expertise within the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies. You’ll most likely by no means use such options however seeing them there offers the inside a rich mafia vibe felt in such vehicles.
There’s nothing a lot happening on the outside besides the paint job complemented by quite a few chrome bits throughout the physique size. Nonetheless, chrome bits, badges, and grille would possibly want sharpening relying on how effectively the automotive has been saved.
Recognize in Worth
The Nissan President was produced in restricted figures. A complete of 56,000 models had been comprised of 1965 to 2009. Market costs will stagnate or admire relying on how effectively the automotive has been saved and the spec. Uncommon-spec models such because the 1990 Nissan President JS and Nissan President Royal Limousine will admire.
JDM automotive costs are at all times on the rise because of excessive demand, and the Nissan President is without doubt one of the vehicles with excessive demand and low provide within the US. So, if you’re considering of getting one, do it earlier than costs attain Skyline ranges and if you wish to promote yours, maintain on to it a bit bit longer.
Gradual however Clean
Efficiency isn’t that nice on the Nissan President, however the throttle response is so clean which you could put your espresso cup on the dashboard, and received’t spill. If you’re a efficiency fanatic, you’ll get pleasure from driving a Toyota Mark II or Nissan Gloria greater than you’ll get pleasure from driving a Nissan President.
In the event you determine to get a Nissan President, make sure you get to benefit from the rear seats each every now and then. The journey consolation makes you are feeling like a child being rocked to sleep, and also you’ll most likely fall asleep. Noise cancellation is superb as you’ll solely hear highway noises when driving at speeds over 60mph, offered the home windows are closed.
In 1990 Nissan launched adaptive suspension within the Nissan President. If the controls are practical, you may change between two consolation modes and one sport mode, which stiffens the suspension to scale back physique roll. When unlocking the automotive, the journey top rises to ease entry into the automobile and lowers when getting out. You’ll not discover this function even in most fashionable luxurious sedans.
Neat Wanting
Most likely the main factor that can make you get a Nissan President over a Cima or Gloria is its nice minimalistic cumbersome look. No one will ignore a lowered President with good wheels and a neat paint job at a automotive present or when parked randomly at a Walmart retailer.
Minimal Points
Most JDM Luxurious and VIP sedans, together with the Nissan President, are effectively saved and maintained by their earlier house owners. Essentially the most you’ll discover on a Nissan President is rust on early manufacturing fashions, particularly beneath and on the wheel wells.
Cons
Exhausting to Discover
As acknowledged earlier, Nissan solely made 56,000 models of the Nissan President from 1965 to 2010, primarily bought in Japan. Few had been exported exterior Japan, so discovering one within the US is demanding. However you’ll have a greater probability of discovering one in case you go to JDM dealerships or listings. Importing one can be an choice, particularly since you may get a low mileage one in Japan that’s nonetheless in glorious manufacturing unit situation.
Excessive Operating Prices
The Nissan President is simply as gas thirsty as some other automotive with a V8 engine. However this isn’t the place you’ll dump your cash. If any mechanical elements begin failing, you solely have three choices. Both lock the automotive in your storage, order components from Japan or make customized components. Neither of which is sweet. That is the principle benefit of shopping for vehicles made for the Japanese market.
Widespread Points
Defective Braking System
Earlier manufacturing fashions include a front-disc rear-drum brake setup, and for a automotive that weighs over 3500 kilos just like the Nissan President, you would possibly have to improve the brakes. There’s additionally an opportunity that the brakes have by no means been modified all through possession.
Whereas upgrading the brakes, you also needs to change the brake fluid strains or examine for cracks. A few of these vehicles are saved away and left to die slowly, leading to fluid strains changing into brittle. Outdated fluids may also completely clog up these strains.
Common Costs
Fortunately, the Nissan President’s shortage doesn’t make it overpriced, at the least for the approaching 3-5 years. You possibly can simply decide one up for lower than $10,000 at public sale instantly in Japan. Examples already imported to the USA will set you again $10-20k on common. There’s no higher choice for that worth if you’re in search of a JDM VIP sedan.
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Comparable Options
Fashions and Specs
1965-1973 Nissan President (H150)
Earlier than 1965, the Nissan Cedric Particular 50 was Nissan’s flagship sedan however couldn’t sustain with the Toyota Crown. The Toyota Crown was the one flagship luxurious sedan then. Earlier than different producers seized the chance to make theirs, Nissan launched the H150 President as their flagship luxurious sedan to interchange the Cedric Particular 50.
To avoid wasting on manufacturing prices, the Nissan President H150 shared the identical platform, mechanical components, and physique panels because the Cedric Particular 50 and Datsun bluebird 510. Nevertheless it has extra refined luxurious touches on the outside. Beneath the hood, you get a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels by way of a 3-speed or 3-speed guide transmission. Nissan additionally developed a 4.0-litre V8 engine first used within the Nissan President H150.
For a automotive to be designated to be used by authorities officers in Japan, vehicles needed to meet particular VIP specs. Two Nissan President models had been appointed to be used by the Japanese Prime Minister on the time, Eisaku Sato.
You will get the H150 Century with both silk woolen seats with heating performance or leather-based seats supplied at no further cost. JDM producers did this as Toyota did the identical with the Century.
In 1971 Nissan launched the primary Anti-lock Braking System in Japan and put in it within the Nissan President H150. Earlier than it was discontinued in 1973, the H150 President additionally obtained AC for the rear seat passengers and an digital locking system.
1973-1990 Nissan President (H250)
By 1973 the Nissan President had already surpassed the Toyota Crown. Nonetheless, a brand new competitor had emerged, the Toyota Century, which was then in its first era. To compete with the Toyota Century, Nissan needed to make adjustments and upgrades, together with a facelift, a brand new 4.4-litre V8 engine, and inside upgrades.
Just like the H150, the H250 President can be rear-wheel-drive, and you may get it with the three.0-litre inline-six or 4,0-liter v8 engine. Nonetheless, the 3-speed computerized transmission was discontinued, and the H250 Nissan President was solely bought with a 3-speed computerized transmission.
The H250 President has a bulkier physique than the H150 however nonetheless makes use of the identical platform adopted from the Cedric Particular 50. On the entrance, you get double round headlights with an oblong encompass however not merged with the grille like within the H150 President. The grille has a protruding angle on the center with the President badge simply above mounted on the hood.
Nissan additionally prolonged the physique size by 235mm, however the width and top remained the identical. In consequence, the H250 seems to have a decrease journey top than the H150 President. The entrance and rear bumper sizes had been additionally elevated, and the elevated physique size gave the H250 President a limo look. Now the Nissan President was catching up with the Toyota Century.
You continue to get the identical inside as within the H150 President, however Nissan added bolstering to the rear seats. A sign cellphone and TV had been added however are solely obtainable within the Sovereign VIP trim (1985) bought with the 4.4-litre V8 engine. Manufacturing of the Nissan President H250 continued till 1990 with facelifts and enhancements. For instance, in 1982, the headlights had been up to date to double rectangular halogen headlights on all sides.
1990-2002 Nissan President (HG50)
The Nissan President HG50 debuted late in 1989 when the manufacturing for the H250 was ending. It was first revealed on the 1989 Tokyo auto present after which went into manufacturing in 1990. You get the HG50 President with a 4.5-litre V8 engine driving the rear wheels by way of a 4-speed computerized transmission.
Nissan tried making gross sales within the US by making the Infiniti Q45 by way of their luxurious and efficiency unit, Infiniti. The Infiniti Q45 was bought in Japan and different Asian international locations because the Nissan Infiniti Q45. Infiniti was established to rival Acura, established in 1986, and Lexus, established in 1989. Within the US, the Infiniti Q45 rivaled the Acura Legend KA9 and Lexus LS400.
A brief wheelbase model of the Nissan HG50 was additionally made badged because the Nissan President JS. There’s not a lot distinction between the Nissan President JS and a typical mannequin. All trims include the identical 4.5-litre V8, and the inside has both leather-based or silk woolen seats.
In 1993 Autech, Nissan’s customization division made the primary Nissan President limo. Badged because the Nissan President Royal Limousine, it was made as a doable substitute for the Nissan Prince Royals utilized by the Imperial Family of Japan however was not accepted.
2003-2010 Nissan President (PGF50)
The last-generation Nissan President was unveiled in 2003, sharing the identical platform because the Nissan Cima Y50. Mainly, the Nissan President PGF50 is a rebadged Nissan Cima because it additionally shares the identical physique panels, tail lights, and headlights. You get it with a 4.5-litre V8 engine additionally used within the Nissan Cima.
Presently, Mitsubishi launched the Mitsubishi Dignity, which additionally has the Nissan Cima Y50 Platform. The Nissan President was slowly dying, going through extra competitors than ever, in contrast to up to now, the place its solely competitors was the Toyota Century.
However Nissan determined to exit with a bang. The President PGF50 comes with silk woolen or leather-based seats like its predecessors, and you may get it as a 4-seater or 5-seater. The 4-seater mannequin is probably the most luxurious with a BOSE stereo system, and controls had been moved to the rear armrest.
In 2010 Nissan introduced the Nissan President and Cima. Since there have been no plans for one more flagship VIP sedan, the Nissan Fuga grew to become Nissan’s flagship sedan. Nonetheless, the Nissan Cima returned in 2012 to battle the Toyota Crown.
FAQ
In 2010 the Nissan President was discontinued together with the Nissan Cima as each vehicles couldn’t adjust to new security laws. Trials to deliver up the Nissan President had been put down as Nissan would incur losses as gross sales had been already declining quickly.
No. Older mannequin years go for about $10,000 or much less, whereas newer fashions promote for round $13,000. That worth is fairly low for a automotive you may get with a V8 engine.
The Nissan President won’t have a V12 engine just like the Toyota Century. Nonetheless, it’s luxurious and neat wanting in equal measure. It’s all about private desire and the provision of evaluating the 2. Nissan fans will decide the Nissan President over the Toyota Century, and Toyota followers will select the Toyota Century. Nonetheless, the Toyota Century is extra frequent within the US. Therefore, patrons have a greater probability of discovering a Nissan President instantly in Japan for export.
The very best probability you get a Nissan President is by shopping for from JDM dealerships or checking on-line for JDM car-specific listings. You may as well import one, offered it’s over 25 years previous.
Some Nissan President mannequin years made after 1997 are unlawful for import to the US. It’s because the Import Automobile Security Compliance Act prevents importing vehicles underneath 25 years previous.
You possibly can simply flip a Nissan President right into a drift automotive. Nonetheless, the Nissan President is extra of a present automotive than a drift automotive; turning it right into a drift automotive wouldn’t do it justice. Until you purchase a totaled one for a drift construct venture.
Import a Nissan President
Learn our Final Information on How to Import a Car from Japan.
- Sources
- wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_President
- www.tc-v.com/specs/nissan/president/
- carbuzz.com/information/weekly-treasure-1994-Nissan-president-js
- hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/vintage-nissan-luxury-machine/
- https://driventowrite.com/tag/1990-2002-nissan-president-hg50/
Christopher joined jdmbuysell.com in 2018 as an automotive Journalist and now oversees all communications with patrons & sellers.
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