History of Nissan
Nissan Motor Company is a Japanese automobile manufacturer which was founded in 1933. As part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, the company is the world's sixth-largest automaker. The history of Nissan dates back to Masujiro Hashimoto, who founded Kwasishinsha Motor Car Works in 1911. By 1914 the company introduced its first car, which was known as the DAT. The company renamed itself DAT Motorcar in 1925.
In 1928, Yoshisuke Aikawa founded the company Nippon Sangyo, which was abbreviated to Nissan on Tokyo's stock market. In 1930, the company would take over DAT Motors, and by 1934, the Nissan Motor Company was founded. During the Second World War, Nissan manufactured trucks, airplanes, and engines for the Japanese war effort. In 1952 it merged with British automaker Austin, and in 1996, it merged with a fellow Japanese automaker, the Prince Motor Company. Successful, well-known models such as Skyline and Gloria were introduced during this partnership.
Between the years 1993 to 2002, the company partnered with the American giant Ford. However, because of financial difficulties near the end of the 1990s, it joined with French automaker Renault. It formed the Renault-Nissan alliance, which would be the first time the two countries had worked together on automobiles. This alliance would be seen by many in the automobile industry as one of the 'most spectacular corporate turnarounds in history.
The CEO of Nissan, Brazilian-born Carlos Ghosn, is credited with this turnaround, considering the company was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1999. To take advantage of its incredible success, German automaker giant Damiler AG acquired a small stake in the company in 2010. Through this partnership with Damiler AG, the two companies are investing in fuel-efficient cars. The company also owns Nissan Marine, which manufactures motors for boats.