Datsun Type 11

The Datsun Type 11 was an early small car sold under the Datsun name, produced by the DAT company that became part of Nissan, and it was on sale only in 1932. It had a 495 cc, 10 HP side valve engine and a three speed transmission and was offered in several body styles, with 150 sold that year. It was designed for the Japanese small car class created by a 1930 ministerial ordinance, which exempted cars with engines up to 500 cc from driver licence requirements and taxed them at a lower rate. Its engine size and outside dimensions matched the Austin Seven, and writers still dispute whether it was a licensed copy, an unlicensed copy or an independent design. A change in the law let Nissan sell a car with a larger engine in 1933.