Nissan · 1959–present

Nissan Gloria

The Gloria (Japanese: 日産・グロリア) is a large luxury car made from 1959 by the Prince Motor Company, and later by Nissan Motors since its merger with the former — hence being originally marketed as Prince Gloria and later as Nissan Gloria. Initially based on the smaller Prince Skyline, the Gloria line was merged with Nissan Cedric starting with 1971 models and both continued until 2004, when they were both replaced by Nissan Fuga. After Nissan assumed Prince's operations, the now Nissan-badged Glorias were sold along with the Nissan Skyline. They were marketed through the Nissan Prince Shop network, composed of dealerships that were formerly affiliated with the Prince company. The Prince G engine was used in the Gloria until 1969. Its name was inspired by the Latin word "Glory".

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Nissan Fuga

All Nissan Gloria data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

First generation (BLSI; 1959)

The Prince Automobile Manufacturers, previously known as Fuji Precision Industry, released a modification of their Prince Skyline with a more luxurious approach, and modified exterior sheet metal, at the All Japan Automobile Show, after the Tokyo Motor Show and the Skyline 1900 exhibition, in October 1958. In February 1959 the BLSIP Gloria was released with the 80 PS (59 kW) 1.9-liter GB-30 OHV four-cylinder engine. The Gloria mimicked popular appearances found in North America, the Gloria used a styling feature on the front bumper, called "Dagmar bumpers". The grille featured "PRINCE" in individual gold letters. The side trim was similar to the Skyline, except the chrome-framed painted strip ends at the rear door instead of the back of the car. The other side of the painted section is painted the same colour as the car and inside this section is a "Prince Gloria" badge. Inside the Gloria used the same dashboard as the Skyline, but a clock and radio were standard. The radio featured two speakers, a new idea for the time. The seats were similar but were trimmed in a plush cloth fabric. The rear seat featured a fold down armrest. In April 1959, Crown Prince Akihito was presented with the first Gloria as a wedding gift. According to the article found in Japanese Wikipedia, the Gloria got its name as a tribute when the first series BLSI sedan was presented to the then Crown Prince Akihito, the future Emperor of Japan, and Princess Michiko as an anniversary gift after one year of marriage. The Prince Automotive Industry was the official vehicle supplier to the Imperial Household Agency at that time, previously known as Fuji Precision Technology. Previously, the Crown Prince was also presented with the first Prince Sedan earlier. In February 1960 the BLSIP-2 was released. The

Second generation (S40; 1962)

Later in 1962, Prince introduced the second generation, "S40" Gloria. It was the first six-cylinder Prince, while also offering an updated straight-four, the 94 hp (70 kW) 1.9 L G-2. In June 1963, the first mass-produced Japanese SOHC six-cylinder engine was introduced, known as the G-7, and was installed in the new Gloria Super 6, model S41. The same engine was used in the Gloria 6 Estate and in a commercial delivery van called "Gloria 6 Wagon". This new engine produces 106 PS SAE (78 kW) at 5,400 rpm, with a new SOHC head. The Gloria has an independent suspension in front and a de Dion tube in the back. A prototype of the second generation Gloria had many design similarities to the Chevrolet Corvair, and Hino Contessa, but the production version was completely redesigned. The production Gloria shows some visual similarities to the 1959 Buick LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra, as evidenced in the strong character/beltline that encompasses the car, the wrap-around windshield and rear window, and the rear roof extension over the rear window. This Gloria also made it into export markets, for instance going on sale in Finland in April 1965. In October 1962, at the 9th All-Japan Auto show, the 2.5-liter G-11 engine was presented – although it was not immediately installed in any car. In May 1964, the Grand Gloria S44P was released, its introduction preceding the 1964 Summer Olympics held later in October. This vehicle included electric power windows and the new 2.5 L engine, producing 130 PS (96 kW). This was the first Gloria that was no longer regarded as a compact sedan under Japanese vehicle classification regulations due to the engine displacement exceeding two litres. The second Japan Grand Prix saw the G7B-R Gloria Super 6 engine win the T-VI class race, albeit installe

Third generation (A30; 1967)

April 1967 saw a restyle of the bodywork, and all Prince vehicles were now known as Nissan (but the A30 Gloria was officially registered as "Prince" to the Government). The former Prince company, now integrated into Nissan operations, was given the task of designing the Nissan Prince Royal, to be used by the Imperial Household, and thus presented a special version of the Gloria which had a similar appearance to the previous Prince Royal. The styling of this generation (namely, the stacked headlights) appears to have been inspired by contemporary Cadillacs and Pontiacs, while the side mimicked Ford Galaxies of the day. The car also adopted some styling cues from the Nissan Prince Royal, built exclusively for the Emperor of Japan. Vehicles designated as the Super Deluxe, the Super 6 and Van Deluxe had the 6-cylinder engine, whereas the Standard and Van Standard used the 4-cylinder engine. Later the Super Deluxe GL became the top trim level. Due to the Gloria and Cedric being combined to save on production costs, the De Dion axle previously used by the Prince Gloria was downgraded to a solid rear axle with leaf springs. The original model was the PA30 sedan and VPA30 wagon, originally fitted with Prince's own G7 six-cylinder engine. The four-cylinder version, with Nissan's H20 engine, was called A30 or VA30. In November 1969 Prince's six-cylinder motor was swapped for Nissan's L20 unit; from now on the chassis code is HA30. Disc brakes for the front wheels were added to the options list. With the introduction of the fourth generation in 1971, the Gloria model was merged with its former competitor, the Nissan Cedric, to become the Nissan Gloria. This name was also used in some export markets instead of the Cedric or 260C moniker. The Prince dealership network that sold the

Fourth generation (230; 1971)

Most of the information in this article was translated from the Nissan Gloria article on Japanese Wikipedia at ja:日産・グロリア. Starting with this generation in February 1971, the Cedric and Gloria were essentially the same vehicle, with the Gloria being more upscale than the Cedric. The hood ornament is a stylized version of the Japanese Paper Crane (Orizuru). The primary differences are the hood, radiator grille, taillights and wheel covers. This generation saw Nissan use the "coke bottle styling" appearance, shared with other 1970s Nissan products. The front of the vehicle shares some visual appearances with the 1967–1968 Mercury Marquis. The four-cylinder engine is the H20-series OHV engine, with the 6-cylinder L20 engine using twin carburetors sourced from manufacturer SU carburetor. The H20P uses LPG for fuel, and the SD20 OHV is a diesel engine. The SD20 was the first time a diesel engine was offered in a Gloria. October 1971 saw the 2.6-litre L26 six-cylinder engine added to the options list. In August 1972, both a two-door hardtop coupé "personal luxury car" and a four-door hardtop was added, to compete with the Toyota Crown coupé.

Fifth generation (330; 1975)

Most of the information in this article was translated from the Nissan Gloria article on Japanese Wikipedia at ja:日産・グロリア. This generation of the Gloria has been completely shared with the Cedric, essentially being the same vehicle, aside from changes in appearance. Halogen headlights are introduced to the Gloria, along with both a 2-door and 4-door hardtop body style, in addition to a 4-door sedan. The twin carburetors were removed from the small L20 six-cylinder, due to emission regulations. The 2.6 L engine is replaced with the larger 2.8 L version of the same. The overhead valve H20 four-cylinder engine remained in use for the 4-door sedan for taxi usage, usually running on LPG fuel. October 1975 saw the introduction of the 2000GL-E and the 2000SGL-E, with the "E" designation signifying fuel injection, which was included in the Nissan NAPS emission control technology package.. June 1976 saw cosmetic changes, with halogen headlights being used on all versions except the sedan used for taxi service. Wheel covers are now painted to match the exterior body colour. June 1977 saw the introduction of the 2800 E Brougham at the top of the options list. The SD22 2.2 L diesel on the basic sedan and wagon, which was a first for the Gloria. Column shift is replaced with a floor-mounted system on the 4-door hardtop. November 1978 saw another emissions adjustment. Items found on the 2800 Brougham were introduced on the 2000 SGL-E sedan and hardtop. Radial tires are introduced.

Sixth generation (430; 1979)

Most of the information in this article was translated from the Nissan Gloria article on Japanese Wikipedia at ja:日産・グロリア. June 1979 saw a completely redesigned Nissan Gloria with assistance with Pininfarina, with a more simple and straightforward appearance over the previous generation, and exchanging the single unit halogen headlights with 4 sealed beam headlight units. Computer-controlled fuel injection was added to more engines offered, with the "E" designation signifying fuel injection. The 2-door hardtop coupe was discontinued and replaced with the luxury sports coupé Nissan Leopard. Trim levels were expanded, and were designated the Brougham, SGL Extra, SGL, GL and the Jack Nicklaus edition which was very similar to the Brougham, which offered the turbo. Other trim levels were the Turbo S, Custom S, Custom Deluxe, Deluxe and the Standard at the bottom. The SD22 diesel engine was offered from 1979 on the sedan GL and DX. The Standard Sedan and Van were discontinued April 1981. In October 1979, the 6-cylinder LD28 diesel was added with the automatic transmission selector moved from column shift to a floor-mounted system. December 1979 was when the first turbo L20ET was introduced. February 1980 saw the LD28 6-cylinder offered with a 5-speed manual transmission installed with a floor-mounted shifter, but leaving the column shift for the 4-speed manual transmission. Later in April of that same year the Turbo Brougham appeared. A glass moonroof was also offered on SGL-F models. In April 1981 both models were facelifted, with redesigned front grille, headlamp cluster, tail lamp, and "C Pillar" trim. In order to avoid confusion between the sixth-generation Gloria and Cedric (both these cars had identical body design and headlights for the 1979 model) Nissan gave them

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.