Nissan Cedric III (230) photos

Launched in February 1971, the third-generation Nissan Cedric, designated as the 230 series, represented a major milestone in the company's executive car history following the earlier merger with the Prince Motor Company. Starting with this generation, the Cedric and the Nissan Gloria became mechanical twins sharing the same classic rear-wheel-drive platform and core engineering, differentiated mainly by their front grilles, lighting clusters, and hood trim. Compared to the outgoing 130 series, the new model adopted a bolder, contemporary styling influenced by the popular Coke-bottle silhouette, along with concealed windshield wipers and a more refined cabin. The body style range expanded notably: alongside the traditional four-door sedan, five-door station wagon, and commercial van, Nissan introduced a stylish two-door hardtop coupe and, in 1972, Japan's first four-door pillarless hardtop in this class, which quickly became a signature configuration. Powertrain options included durable inline-four engines such as the H20 and smooth OHC inline-six engines from the L family (initially the L20 and L24, with the larger L26 arriving during mid-cycle updates), supplemented by diesel and LPG variants tailored for taxi fleets. Transmissions included three- and four-speed manual gearboxes with column or floor shifters, as well as a three-speed automatic. While primarily aimed at the Japanese domestic market, the 230 series saw broad international export across Europe, Australia, and Asia under Datsun 200C, 220C, 240C, and 260C badging.