Nissan Violet
A compact Nissan sold globally as Datsun and later Stanza.
The Nissan Violet was a compact car built from 1973 to 1992. It first went on sale in Japan exclusively at Nissan Cherry Store dealerships, positioned as a larger sibling to the Nissan Cherry. The first generation, the 710 series, arrived in January 1973 and was essentially a smaller take on the Datsun Bluebird 610. Outside Japan, it was sold under the Datsun brand as the 140J or 160J, except in the United States, where it was simply called the Datsun 710. Body styles included two- and four-door sedans, a two-door coupé, a four-door fastback, a station wagon, and a van. A sporty SSS trim featured independent rear suspension, while other versions used a leaf-spring rear axle. The most powerful Japanese-market engine was a fuel-injected 1.6-liter producing 110 PS. In 1975, a 1.8-liter LPG engine was added for taxi use. The original four-door body had a fastback roofline and "coke bottle" styling, but its limited rear visibility and dark cabin drew complaints, especially from taxi companies. A major facelift from February 1976 replaced the entire rear section with a more conventional notchback design, improving space and visibility; this revised version received the chassis code 711. The coupés and wagons kept their original bodywork. In North America, the 1974 Datsun 710 initially used a 1.8-liter engine, switching to a 2.0-liter unit for 1975. That year also brought steering and gear ratio changes, plus different emissions equipment for California versus federal/Canadian models. The Violet was also assembled in Taiwan by Yue Loong, where it was called the Yue Loong Violet 707 and sold from 1973 to 1982, typically with a 1.6-liter engine.
The second generation arrived in 1977, spawning two additional lines: the Nissan Auster and the Nissan Stanza. All three shared the A10 series identifier and were built at Nissan’s Hiratsuka and Yokosuka plants. The Stanza was sold at Nissan Satio Store dealerships as a larger companion to the Sunny, while the Auster was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store locations, paired with the smaller Langley. A third generation launched in 1981, switching to front-wheel drive and the T11 series code. It shared its platform with the Nissan Prairie (also sold as the Multi or Stanza Wagon). For some international markets, the final Violet was essentially a rebadged U12-series Nissan Bluebird.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- Datsun Violet · Nissan Auster · Datsun/Nissan Stanza
- Manufacturer
- Nissan (Nissan Shatai)
- Production
- 1973–1992
- Class
- Compact
- Layout
- Front-engine, RWD (1973–1981) / Front-engine, FWD (1982–1992)
- Successor
- Nissan Altima (US) / Nissan Bluebird / Nissan Primera (Europe) / Nissan Tiida
- Assembly
- Oppama Plant and Hiratsuka Plants, Kanagawa, Japan / Rosslyn, Gauteng, South Africa
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Violet was introduced in January 1973 as a smaller version of the Datsun Bluebird 610. Its original four-door bodywork featured a fastback line and 'coke bottle styling', but the design drew customer complaints about limited rear vision and a dark rear cabin. Taxi companies refused to purchase more Violets, prompting a drastic facelift beginning in February 1976 that replaced the entire rear end with a more traditional notchback, improving space and visibility. This revised version received chassis code 711, while coupés and vans/wagons retained their original bodywork.
The second generation arrived in 1977, splitting into the Nissan Auster and Nissan Stanza lines, all bearing the A10 series identifier. A third generation front-wheel-drive model launched in 1981 with the T11 series, sharing its platform with the Compact MPV Nissan Prairie. Final versions were rebadged Nissan Bluebirds for some international markets. In Europe, the car was briefly sold as the 'Datsun-Nissan Stanza' until the Datsun name was dropped in 1984.
In North America, the car was sold as the Datsun 710 from 1974, receiving a 2.0 L engine for 1975. The Mexican market received the Violet as the Datsun 160J, offered only as a four-door saloon and wagon, and later gained the notchback 711 in 1978. In New Zealand, CBU imports of the 140J and 160J arrived in 1973–1974, with varying specifications due to short notice.
Reader's Guide
The Nissan Violet's significance lies in its role as a global platform that bridged Nissan's domestic and export strategies. It was one of the first Nissan products to adopt 'coke bottle styling', though the controversial fastback design led to a rare mid-cycle body replacement—a drastic measure that reflected the importance of taxi fleet sales in Japan. The Violet's evolution into the Stanza and Auster lines demonstrated Nissan's multi-dealership approach in Japan, while its export as the Datsun 140J/160J and later Stanza helped phase out the Datsun brand. The car's production spanned nearly two decades, with assembly in Japan, Mexico, and CKD assembly elsewhere. Its legacy includes replacement by the Altima in North America, the Bluebird in Japan, and the Primera in Europe. The Violet also left a mark in popular culture: in Mexico it was colloquially called 'bolillo' (bread roll) for its rounded shape.
Did You Know?
- The original fastback design was so unpopular with taxi companies that Nissan replaced the entire rear end, including roof and doors, in a 1976 facelift.
- In Mexico, the Violet was nicknamed 'bolillo' (bread roll) due to its rounded shape.
- The North American Datsun 710 received large separate bumpers to comply with U.S. bumper legislation in 1973.
- The Violet's third generation (T11) shared its platform with the Compact MPV Nissan Prairie.
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