Nissan continues Heritage Summer Tour in Long Beach

(September 11, 2015) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In mid-August, a pair of early Datsun sedans crashed the party at the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, cruising the streets of Carmel, Calif., among the multi-million dollar Ferraris, Bugattis, Duesenbergs and the like. This month, the very same 1967 Datsun 411 and 1972 Datsun 510 will be among the honored guests at a slightly more humble, but no less exciting, auto enthusiasts' gathering — the 11th annual Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS).

The event, which will be held Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Queen Mary Event Par in Long Beach, Calif., is "dedicated to Old School Japanese Cars."

The mint condition 1967 Datsun 411 and 1972 Datsun 510 certainly meet that requirement. As in August, the two early Datsuns will be joined by the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima 4-Door Sports Car, demonstrating once again the "evolution of the sports sedan."



But that's not all. Nissan will also be pulling out several other not-rarely seen vehicles: a 1967 Datsun Bluebird 2000GTX (above) and a 1997 Nissan R390 GT1 racer, both out of Nissan's Heritage Garage in Zama, Japan, and a little/big truck combo — a 1960 Datsun 1200 Van (pictured below) towed by a 2016 Nissan TITAN XD pickup. The new TITAN XD, which goes on sale late this year, is making its first major event public showing in Southern California.

More than 7,000 spectators are expected to view the 400-plus classic and near-classic Japanese vehicles at the event.

"The Japanese Classic Car Show is the biggest Japanese heritage event in the country, and Nissan is proud to be both a participant and an event partner," said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. "Our display vehicles perfectly express our brand heritage, as well as spanning nearly our entire 57-year history in the United States."

Nissan vehicles were first sold, under the Datsun nameplate, in 1958. The first company headquarters were located just up the 405 Freeway from where the JCCS is being held this year. Nissan North America, Inc. headquarters are now located in Franklin, Tenn.

"The interest in vintage and classic Japanese branded cars and trucks is growing every year and is moving far beyond its West Coast roots," added Loing. "While the Datsun 510 and Datsun 240Z remain the most well-known for most enthusiasts, events like the JCCS really bring out some great forgotten models like our 411 and Bluebird. And who knows, maybe someday the 2016 Maxima and TITAN XD will achieve classic status, too."