3DLANES #54 - The Datsun 510 "The Giant Killer"
Description
What was a good example of the Japanese manufacturing revolution but in cars? We spoke about watches, cameras and now cars. The Datsun 510 came to kick butt.
Sources:
Datsun 510 model overview, specs, variants, and production years: Wikipedia “Datsun 510”.
Narrative history, development story, positioning vs BMW/VW, and enthusiast impact: Silodrome, “A Brief History of the Datsun 510 – Everything You Need to Know.”
Modern retrospective on the 510’s market impact and classic‑car status: Hagerty, “Datsun’s 510 is a fun Japanese classic on the rise.”
General history, design influences, and global model range: The Gentleman Racer, “Everything You Need To Know About The Datsun 510.”
Nissan corporate heritage view of the 510 and its role in U.S. expansion: Nissan Heritage Collection spotlight: Datsun 510 (Nissan USA).
BRE racing program, John Morton, and Trans‑Am U2.5 championships: Petrolicious, “One-On-One With The BRE Datsun 510 And The Man That Drove It To Trans Am Victory.” and Nissan USA Newsroom photo/info page “1971 Datsun 510 BRE #46.”
Additional BRE racing detail and legacy of the #46 car: Z Car Garage, “The 1971 Datsun BRE 510 #46 at Z Car Garage.”
Short historical overview of the Bluebird/510 coupe and its motorsport significance: Japanese Nostalgic Car, “A Brief History of the Nissan 510 Bluebird Coupe.”
Period‑style and retrospective drive review with U.S. pricing/context: MotorTrend Classic, “Drive: Five & Dime, 1968–1973 Datsun 510.”




