Nissan Gloria I (S50) photos

Debuting in 1959, the first-generation Gloria was originally engineered and marketed by the Prince Motor Company as a prestigious flagship saloon before the manufacturer merged with Nissan in the mid-1960s. Developed to meet the growing demand for upscale executive transport, official state vehicles, and Imperial household cars in post-war Japan, the earliest Gloria built upon an upgraded rear-wheel-drive chassis derived from the contemporary Prince Skyline. Compared to smaller domestic passenger cars of the era, it stepped into a higher class by utilizing a larger 1.9-liter inline four-cylinder overhead-valve petrol engine that delivered strong torque and refined cruising performance. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through a column-shifted manual gearbox, while the chassis featured a sophisticated De Dion tube rear suspension layout that provided superior ride comfort and road holding on Japan's developing highway network. The body style was a formal four-door, six-passenger sedan styled with distinct late-1950s American influences, including generous chrome mouldings, wrap-around glass, and plush cloth interior upholstery. During its production run through the early 1960s, the model underwent evolutionary updates that introduced quad headlights and revised grille treatments. The vehicle was sold almost exclusively in the Japanese domestic market, laying the prestige foundation that Nissan later maintained across generations of the Gloria name.