Nissan’s Pulsar line has awakened recently after years of slumber. In 2015, you’ve been able to walk into a Nissan dealership in Europe and get yourself a swanky new Pulsar, which continues the path laid down by the Sunny and the Almera in earlier decades, both originally available as Pulsars in Japan. Of course, in the interim period there was the Tiida, but somehow it never gelled the way the older offerings did.
The N11 coupe in the lede image gave you what was probably one of the smallest vinyl roofs in existence. It looks especially good in Promotional Material Yellow, doesn’t it?
Before the facelift, the N10 Pulsar had round headlights and metal bumpers, but looked about the same otherwise. The gunmetal steelies look like they’re the obvious choice, but some period correct barrels would fit the car even better.
Come the 1980s, the Pulsar line changed to a blockier look. This version was sold in Europe as the Nissan Cherry, and famously also the Alfa Romeo Arna. The “Milano” above was assembled in Italy, next to the Arna.
Weekend Edition: Nissan Pulsar N10/N11/N12
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“This version was sold in Europe as the Nissan Cherry, and famously also the Alfa Romeo Arna. The “Milano” above was assembled in Italy, next to the Arna.
Sigh. Japanese styling with Italian build quality. Not good.
In fact,
“…upon the Arna’s release… it became obvious that the Arna exhibited the worst qualities of each of its parents. The Arna featured tempestuous mechanicals and indifferent build quality courtesy of Alfa Romeo, married to a Nissan body of questionable build and frumpy styling, with insipid handling common to Japanese cars of the time. This mismatch of technical strengths served to kill the sales of the Arna very rapidly. The Arna is listed as number 26 in the Richard Porter book, “Crap Cars”.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Arna
As an Alfisti, this car makes me understand how a true GM fanboi feels. I mean, Okay, we know it was not just a bad car; it was a ROTTEN car. I concede it. Now, can we all just forget the damn thing and go back to talking about Alfa in her glory days? -
The Pulsar’s fake targa bar strikes me more as a fake targa bar than a vinyl top. There have been vinyl covered targa bars.
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The Malaise-era hit Nissan hard, think F-10, B210, this.
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My dada brought a brand new two door example (Nissan Cherry overhere) somewhere in 1980 I think.Silver with bleu interior, color keyed dash and all. Rusted like no other, but what a nice car to drive, we were all over Europe with that car.
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Here’s a pic of our ’84 pilot production Pulsar that was prepared from new to run the Playboy/Escort endurance series. 11,000 original miles, all run in endurance races from coast to coast with full documentation. I don’t think it ever lead a lap.
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Seeing the words Playboy Escort on the side must elicit both questions and chuckles from the unknowing masses.
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And is that a Ford Durango in the background?
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Yes, the ever elusive Ford Durango! An original paint survivor.
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I’m much more interested in the Durango.
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I was a high school junior with my first car, a 67 Pontiac Ventura. a teacher at my school bought a new Datsun 310. Dogleg shift pattern. I was following her out of the school parking lot when she forgot about the dogleg 1st. I knew when her reverse lights came on, and started beeping my horn. She got pissed and nailed it. In REVERSE. Boy was she surprised… She had a ten foot running start before she hit me. She had a new automatic Civic 3 days later. And she was very apologetic. A very nice lady, she paid for the little damage to my car.
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