Datsun 510

The Datsun 510 is a Japanese compact sedan and wagon built by Nissan under its Datsun export brand, produced from 1968 to 1973, developed with chassis and suspension engineering influenced by contemporary European sports sedans, notably the BMW 1600. Built to be affordable while still offering genuinely engaging handling, thanks to its independent rear suspension, an unusual feature for an economy car of its era and price class, the 510 earned a strong reputation in North America and other export markets both as a practical family car and, in modified form, as a capable and popular amateur racing car. The 510's combination of value and driving dynamics is widely credited with helping establish Datsun's, and by extension Japan's, broader reputation for building well-engineered small cars in the North American market during the late 1960s and early 1970s.