Modern Japanese cars are associated with quality, precision, and engineering excellence. But almost a century ago, things were different: the industry was just emerging and largely built on the experience of others. In the 1920s-1950s, Japanese engineers carefully studied foreign models, adopted technologies, and adapted them to their conditions. These borrowings became the foundation for future success.
British Influence: Datsun and the Birth of the Japanese Automotive Industry
The history of the Datsun brand, the predecessor of today's Nissan, began in the early 1930s with a copy of the British Austin Seven - a simple and affordable people's car. The first Datsun Type 11 model looked almost the same as the English original, and even the engine was a variation of it, only with a volume of 0.5 liters instead of 0.75.
The reason was the Japanese legislation of that time: it was allowed to drive a car without a license if the engine capacity did not exceed half a liter. Later, when the law changed, versions with 0.75-liter engines appeared, which were produced until 1937.
With the start of the war with China, the production of civilian cars ceased, but it was these first models that laid the foundation for the future automotive industry in Japan.
From England to France: Post-War Renaissance of Nissan
After World War II, Nissan resumed the production of passenger cars, again relying on the experience of the British Austin. The first sedans were assembled literally from imported kits, but soon the production of parts was mastered at home.
Even original models, such as the Datsun 110/112/113, launched in 1955, retained a "British accent" in their design. The larger Datsun 310 Bluebird with engines of 1.0-1.2 liters resembled the Austin A50 Cambridge - both in appearance and in spirit.
Interestingly, it was the Bluebird that became one of the first export hits of the Japanese automotive industry.
French Motifs and American Style: Prince Skyline
In 1957, the first Skyline appeared - then still under the Prince brand, an independent company that later became part of Nissan. The car received a 1.5-liter engine with a capacity of about 60 hp.
The design of the Skyline was clearly inspired by the French Simca Vedette, which, in turn, copied American styling - wide wings, massive bumpers, chrome, and a sleek silhouette. It was a kind of symbol of the era when "American chic" became the global standard of automotive fashion.
Mitsubishi: From Ships to Cars
Mitsubishi did not start as an automaker at all - its history is closely related to shipbuilding. However, as early as 1917, the corporation's engineers presented the first Japanese car - the Model A, created based on the Italian FIAT Tipo 3.
The project was conceived as a luxury car for officials but turned out to be too expensive for post-war Japan and did not develop.
But in 1937, Mitsubishi developed an advanced PX33 model - an all-wheel-drive convertible with a diesel engine and a comfortable body. It was a technique of the level of future SUVs, created for the army. Even the engine with direct injection was ahead of its time - a similar scheme later appeared on the Soviet tank engine V-2. But the famous Pajero was still far away - a whole four decades.
Toyota: From a Copy of Chrysler to Its Own Legend
The history of Toyota began in 1937 with the large Toyota AA sedan, which was a simplified copy of the American Chrysler Airflow. This revolutionary car in design was copied even by the Swedes - the Volvo PV36 Carioca was created according to the same model.
Under the hood of the Toyota AA was an original 6-cylinder engine with a volume of 3.4 liters and a power of about 62 hp, but the economic situation and the war years did not contribute to the development of the passenger car direction.
The real revival of the brand occurred in 1955 when the Toyota Crown, the first truly Japanese business sedan, was put on the assembly line. Its appearance resembled the French Ford Vendome, especially the lines of the front end and the characteristic "swing" doors.
The Crown became one of the first Japanese cars that began to be exported abroad, and its police version received the symbolic name Patrol.
"Uncle Willys" and Japanese SUVs
The American army Willys MB had a huge impact on the global automotive industry. On its base, SUVs Land Rover, UAZ, as well as Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol, which appeared in 1951, were created.
Both models resembled Willys in appearance, but under the hood, they hid powerful six-cylinder engines: Nissan - 3.7 liters and 75 hp, Toyota - 3.4 liters and 85 hp. Initially, these cars were created for the army, but later they opened the way for the Japanese to the civilian SUV market.
Japanese "Zaporozhets": Small Cars for a Poor Country
Post-war Japan was far from wealth, and the market demanded simple, cheap cars. This is how small cars with two-cylinder engines with a volume of 0.36-0.5 liters, often with air cooling, appeared.
These compact models became the starting point for brands such as Mazda, Subaru, and Mitsubishi. They resembled European "people's cars" like the Volkswagen Beetle and even the Soviet ZAZ-965.
Especially interesting is the Mitsubishi 500 (1960): a two-cylinder engine with a power of 25 hp, modest dimensions, and a surprising resemblance to our "Zaporozhets".
First Steps for Export: The Japanese Enter the World
Japanese companies began to conquer foreign markets in the early 1960s - first in Asia and Australia, and then in Europe. The first batches of cars arrived in the USA in 1964, but they were perceived there with distrust - cheap, small, "too strange."
However, the Japanese did not give up. They systematically improved designs, introduced new technologies, and invested in quality. By the end of the 1970s, cars from Japan had become synonymous with reliability, and by the 1990s, they had taken leading positions in the global market.
From Imitation to Innovation
The Japanese automotive history is a path from copies to world-class inventions. It was imitation that allowed engineers to quickly master production and then create their own standards of quality and design.
Today, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Honda, and Subaru are brands that dictate fashion, not follow it. But without the borrowed ideas of the past, this would not have happened.
The Japanese automotive industry began with copies and adaptations, but it was the ability to learn from others that made it great. From the simple Datsun Type 11 to the hybrid Toyota Prius - a journey of almost a century has proven: to become the best, sometimes you need to start with imitation.