The is a large automobile produced by Nissan from 1960 to 2015. It was developed to provide upscale transportation, competing with the Prince Skyline and Gloria which were later merged into the Nissan family. In later years, the Nissan Skyline was positioned as a sports sedan/coupe, whereas the Nissan Gloria was turned into a sporty version of the Cedric (with identical styling but using a different radiator grille and front & rear light clusters).
In Japan, the Cedric/Gloria series was affectionately called CedGlo, and this long-running series finally came to an end in October 2004, replaced by the Nissan Fuga. The Cedric name is still in use, on the Y31 series fleet vehicle traditionally used as a taxi, where it competes with the Toyota Comfort, and is still in production. Throughout the many versions of the Cedric, it was always considered to be the prime competitor to the Toyota Crown. The hood ornament was inspired by the diamond pattern used by Lincoln but was changed to two right angles set next to each other.
The Cedric name was inspired by the main character, Cedric, in Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel Little Lord Fauntleroy by the Nissan CEO at the time Katsuji Kawamata.
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First generation (30/31; 1960)
thumb|left|Nissan Cedric Custom 31 (facelift)
thumb|left|Nissan Cedric Deluxe sedan
thumb|left|Nissan Cedric 30 wagon
The first Cedric was the "30" series, introduced in March 1960 and produced through 1962. It was available only at Japanese Nissan dealerships called Nissan Cedric Store. It was the first product labeled as a Nissan, but shared mechanicals with Datsun products built at the time.
Several models were available, including the Cedric 1500 DeLuxe and Standard (30), Cedric 1900 Deluxe (D30, powered by the 1.9 L Nissan H engine), Cedric 1900 Custom (G30, also powered by the Nissan H engine), Cedric Van (V30, six-seater) and the Cedric Wagon (WP30, eight-seater). Only the Cedric Standard used a 1.5 L (1,488 cc) G-series straight-four engine which produced . The 1.9 L (1,883 cc) H-series with was optional. It did not sell well and only a handful are known to exist in the United States.
Cedric Special H50
thumb|left|1965 Nissan Cedric Special
The Cedric Special was produced between 1963 and 1965 as competition to the Toyota Crown, Isuzu Bellel, Mitsubishi Debonair and Prince Gloria. The Cedric Custom was used as a torch carrier for the 1964 Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo in October 1964.
This was a long-wheelbase version of the H31 series Cedric Custom, lengthened to fit the 2.8-litre K-Series straight-six engine (an H engine with two extra cylinders). The Cedric was exclusive to Japanese Nissan dealership network called Nissan Store as the private ownership luxury sedan to the shorter Nissan Laurel, while the Nissan Gloria, manufactured by the Prince Motor Company, was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store locations after the merger with Nissan, with the Nissan Skyline serving as the junior sedan and coupe to the Gloria.
The 230 series was offered in four-door sedan and wagon, and saw the introduction of a two-door coupé. The coupé "personal luxury car" was introduced as a result of the 1970 Toyota Crown hardtop coupé.
In August 1972, a four-door hardtop sedan, with no B-pillar between the front and rear passenger side windows, was added to the options list. This generation introduced a new appearance, called "coke bottle," which began to appear internationally during the 1960s and 1970s. The four-door hardtop had a standard interior dome light and a secondary fluorescent lamp that extended from the front to rear passenger seats, attached to the ceiling for ambient purposes. The 2.4-litre engine was replaced with a larger 2.6-litre version to conform to emission regulations enacted in April 1973 without losing performance. Vehicles installed with Nissan's new emission control technology, including fuel-injected models, could be identified by a NAPS badge on the trunk lid. In South Africa, the car was sold as the Datsun 260C with a version of the L26 engine; this engine (still of 2.6 liters) was upgraded to produce in late 1975 when the car was somewhat confusingly renamed the Datsun 300C. The four-door sedan and two-door hardtop were available, and the interior was renewed along with the upgrade.
The trim levels offered were the 2600 GL, the 2600 Custom Deluxe, and the Deluxe.
Engines:
- 2.0 L (1982 cc) H20 OHV I4 – , 140 km/h
- 2.0 L (1998 cc) L20A OHC I6 – , 165 km/h <br /> twin-SU carb version (GX): , 170 km/h
- 2.4 L (2393 cc) L24 OHC I6 (1971–1972)
- 2.6 L (2565 cc) L26 OHC I6 (1972–1975) –
Diesel:
- 2.0 L (1991 cc) SD20 OHV diesel I4
- 2.2 L (2164 cc) SD22 OHV diesel I4 – , 125 km/h, 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 28 sec In Japan, the wagon bodystyle was sold exclusively as a van, aimed at commercial buyers, and only with the carburetted, two-litre L20S inline-six. Positioned just beneath the Brougham, "F" stood for fashionable. This was expressed by the fitment of rectangular headlamps, body-coloured hubcaps, and a higher quality audio system. The June 1977 was a very minor one, limited to changes to the grilles and taillights, better sound proofing, and some engine and lineup modifications. The new Brougham model received a fuel injected version of the 2.8-litre six, producting rather than the of the carburetted variant. For taxi use in Singapore and Hong Kong, the 2.2-liter diesel engine was still available in what was called the 220C; this model was also sold as a sedan or van in Japan until it was cancelled with the 1981 facelift. This was the first generation Cedric with available four-wheel disc brakes, although drums all around were fitted to the cheapest versions. Styling was achieved with the cooperation of Pininfarina, providing a cleaner image than the previous generation. The new model was a "six-light" design, with a small window in the C-pillar. The rear suspension was upgraded to a rigid link coil system.
The two-door coupé was no longer offered, and was replaced by the Skyline-based Nissan Leopard luxury sports coupé. A four-door convertible version was made available in small numbers for special use. These were mainly bought by government entities for ceremonial use and the bodystyle was not offered on sale to the general public.
The fashionable SGL-F variant appeared in April 1980, continuing from the "F" version which had been available in the previous generation. Priced only just below the less youthful Brougham, it was only available with the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre six and featured two-tone paint in light colors only, a glass sunroof, and a plush interior designed by the American Chatham Manufacturing Company. Production actually began two months earlier.
The diesel engine that had been first introduced with the previous generation was complemented by a 2.8 L inline-six diesel, a first for the Japanese market. It was originally only available with an automatic transmission; a five-speed model arrived in February 1980 (Vans and Wagons only received the manual option three months later).
| Yue Loong 830/Cedric 811 (TW)
| Yunbao YB6470 (China)
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thumb|left|1983 Nissan Cedric Sedan GL
The Y30 was sold from June 1983 through 1987. The diesel engine was popular for taxis in Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. In Taiwan, the Y30 was sold as the Yue Loong Cedric 811 with a 2-litre four, or as the Cedric 830 with the three-litre VG30 six.
This generation saw the introduction of the PLASMA engine family VG series V6, which was inspired by an Alfa Romeo design due to a partnership that Nissan and Alfa Romeo had at the time. The Cedric was offered in three bodystyles; four-door hardtop, four-door sedan and station wagon. The trim level packages were numerous and offered increasing amounts of technology and convenience features on top level platforms. The top level package for the hardtop was called the V30 Turbo Brougham VIP, followed by V30Turbo/V30E Brougham, V20 Turbo Brougham, V20 Turbo F, V20 Turbo/V20E/28D-6 SGL, and V20E/28D-6 GL. The top sedan trim package in the home market was the V30 Turbo Brougham VIP. Below it sat the V30 Turbo/V30E Brougham, the V20 Turbo Brougham, the V20 Turbo/V20E/28D-6 SGL, the V20E Custom Deluxe, the Deluxe/28D-6 Deluxe, and the Standard. The lower grade variants were mainly available for professional use. The installation of a turbocharger was to provide better fuel economy and reduce tailpipe emissions as the Japanese pay a tax on the amount of emissions their car produces.
Beginning with the June 1985 facelift, Nissan offered a self-levelling suspension for the rear wheels on hardtop and sedan top trim packages. They also introduced "Super Sonic Suspension" system, which featured a sonar module mounted under the front bumper that scanned the road surface and adjusted the suspension accordingly via actuators mounted on all four MacPherson strut towers. There was also a switch next to the steering wheel that allowed the driver to change between "Auto", "Soft", "Medium" and "Hard" settings. The speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion power steering could also be separately reduced for a sporting feeling, and the suspension setting would modify both the steering feel and the shift points on the automatic transmission. The feature was only installed on V30 Turbo Brougham VIP sedans and hardtops.
On the 4-door hardtop, the front driver and passenger seat belt shoulder strap was connected at the top to the ceiling, however, the upper portion could be detached, with the shoulder strap resting on the driver's and front passenger's shoulder without the seat belt hanging from the ceiling. The upper part would then swing up to the ceiling and could be fastened into place. This arrangement provided an additional benefit to the rear seat passenger opposite the driver because the front passenger seat could be pushed forward with the head restraint removed, providing the rear seat passengers an unobstructed view through the front windshield, and both side view windows, adding to the luxurious feel of a hardtop luxury sedan.
Nissan introduced a PIN activated keyless entry feature on the front exterior door handles. The doors could be unlocked, trunk opened and all windows retracted, as well as rolling up the windows and locking the vehicle. At the time of the 1985 facelift, the V20 Turbo Urban and Urban X replaced the earlier Turbo S and Turbo F variants. Less baroque than the earlier F, the Urban models were more dynamic and driver oriented, featuring modern alloy wheels and the new Super Sonic suspension system. The wagon trim packages were the V20E SGL at the top, with an optional DI-NOC woodgrain appearance, the V20E/28D-6 GL, and the V20E Deluxe. Wagons (intended for private buyers) were mainly available with the VG20E petrol unit and the RD28 diesel engine (until March 1994). The rear compartment opposite the driver had a rear quarter window that could be opened or closed from the outside by inserting the ignition key in addition to opening the rear tailgate from the back.
thumb|left|Y30 series Nissan Cedric V20 E Deluxe ([[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force|JGSDF vehicle)]]
Export models
In Asian export markets, where the Cedric was popular as a taxi, it was available with a four-cylinder diesel engine. Initially, these were equipped with the old-fashioned, 2.3-litre SD23 engine, an enlarged variant of an engine first fitted to the Cedric in 1964. The SD23 was replaced by the new, somewhat larger TD25 engine around the time of the mid-1985 facelift.
Nissan 300C (export)
In European and many other export markets, the Y30 Cedric was sold as the Nissan 300C beginning in 1984, continuing the naming system established in the beginning of the 1970s. It was meant to target the German luxury executive cars that dominated the class in the 1980s; the slightly less luxurious station wagon aimed for the Volvo and Mercedes-Benz station wagons.
It used the 3.0 L (2,960 cc) VG30E V6 engine and either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Fitted with the automatic with overdrive gearbox, the saloon had a max speed of , with 0-60 mph (97 km/h) being achieved in about 8.4 seconds. The interior was trimmed in moquette cloth and featured adjustable front seats, adjustable steering wheel, power steering, air conditioning, tinted windows, and a LW/MW/FM stereo/cassette player. The sedan featured the same independent front suspension as the wagon, but had a five-link suspension system at the rear for improved ride quality.
The wagon's primary differences were a five-speed manual gearbox, and no air conditioning (for the UK market). The estate had steel wheels and rear drum brakes instead of the saloon's discs, and had one less exhaust silencer. It was altogether a less luxurious but more rugged car. There is a flip-up rear-facing seat in the cargo area, technically making the 300C wagon a seven-seater.
<gallery widths=200 heights=145>
2014-08-14 Yue Loong (Datsun) Cedric.jpg|Yue Loong Cedric Sedan (Taiwan)
Nissan 300C estate aka Cedric Y30 registered UK August 1984 2960cc.JPG|Nissan 300C Estate (Europe)
Yunbao YB6470 02 China 2017-03-31.jpg|Yunbao YB6470 (China)
</gallery>
China
In 1993, Great Wall started building clones of the Y30 (popular as an import) under the name CC1020. These were sometimes built on the underpinnings of the Beijing BJ212. From 1990 until 1998, Guangzhou-Yunbao also built the Y30 station wagon from Japanese CKD kits as the YB6470. At the same time, the engine received an intercooler and a resulting power increase from .
The wagon and van versions of the previous Y30 Cedric remained in production alongside the Y31 sedan and Y32/Y33 Hardtops. The wagon finally ended its run in August 1999, ceding load-carrying abilities to the Cedric-based Nissan Presage.
- 3.2 L QD32 4-cylinder diesel (Exclusively for Indonesian Silver Bird Taxi fleet)
<gallery widths="200" heights="133">
File:Nissan Cedric Custom NJY31.jpg|1989 Cedric Sedan Custom (NJY31)
File:Nissan Cedric Custom NJY31 rear.jpg|1989 Cedric Sedan Custom (NJY31)
File:Nissan Cedric Original QJY31 interior.jpg|Nissan Cedric standard (QJY31) interior
File:Nissan Cedric Classic MJY31 interior.jpg|Nissan Cedric Classic (MJY31) interior
File:Y31 CEDRIC (rear).jpg|1987 Cedric Hardtop V20 Twincam Brougham rear view
File:NISSAN CEDRICSEDANY31 VG30E Brougham.jpg|Facelift Nissan Cedric V30E Brougham
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 2000 Brougham.jpg|Facelift Nissan Cedric 2000 Brougham
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 2000 Brougham rear.jpg|Facelift Nissan Cedric 2000 Brougham rear view
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 2000 Brougham interior.jpg|Brougham sedan interior
File:Suzume Taxi Cedric Y31.jpg|Facelift model Cedric sedan (YPY31)
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 Sedan Brougham VIP 01 China 2012-04-22.jpg|1992 Nissan Cedric Sedan Brougham VIP (China)
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 Sedan Brougham VIP 02 China 2012-04-22.jpg|1992 Nissan Cedric Sedan Brougham VIP rear view (China)
File:Nissan Cedric Y31 Sedan 01 Thailand 2022-03-09.jpg|Nissan Cedric Sedan (Thailand)
</gallery>
Eighth generation (Y32; 1991)
Most of the information in this article was translated from the Nissan Cedric article on Japanese Wikipedia at :ja:日産・セドリック.
thumb|left|1993 Nissan Cedric Gran Turismo (Y32)
The Y32 Cedric, only ever available in a Hardtop version aimed at private buyers, was a reskin of the Y31 model. The Y31 Sedan continued in production alongside the Y32, intended for commercial and institutional uses. The Cedric had a market reputation appealing to an older demographic, while the sister car Nissan Gloria, which has a more performance oriented reputation, aimed for younger buyers. This model shared much of its mechanicals with the newly released Cedric Cima which was a sales success for Nissan. The introduction of the Cima began to siphon off buyers who normally purchased the Brougham and Brougham VIP, with the Cedric Brougham VIP being the rarest. Worldwide the number of VIP Brougham on Japan's Nissan Motors database is less than 17 to date.
thumb|left|1991 Nissan Cedric Brougham Hardtop (Y32) in New Zealand.
The Y32 was produced from June 1991 through 1994. It has had SOHC and DOHC versions of the VG series V6, alongside the inline six Diesel 2.8 version. A four-cylinder engine was never available as the Y32 was only ever marketed in more upscale versions. The performance oriented Gran Turismo reverted to four round headlights, giving the vehicle a similar appearance to the BMW 7 Series sedan sold at the time. Manual transmissions were no longer available. Power window switches were illuminated for easy location at night. The parking brake was no longer operated by center-mounted hand-operated handle, instead relocated to a pedal next to the brake pedal. Interior lighting operates gradually when any door is opened, a shortwave radio tuner is included with the stereo system, and maintenance reminders are also added.
In September 1994 and January of the following year, Granturismo and Brougham versions of the lesser two-litre six-cylinder version were added. Production ended in May 1995 before in June introduction of the succeeding Y33 Cedric Hardtop. The Y31 Sedan remained in production for commercial use.
Engines:
- 2.0 L VG20E, at 6,000 rpm
- 3.0 L VG30E, at 5,200 rpm
- 3.0 L VG30DE, at 6,000 rpm
- 3.0 L VG30DET, at 6,000 rpm
- 2.8 L RD28, at 4,800 rpm
Ninth generation (Y33; 1995)
Most of the information in this article was translated from the Nissan Cedric article on Japanese Wikipedia at :ja:日産・セドリック.
The Y33 was sold from June 1995 through June 1999. The VG series engine was replaced with the newly developed VQ series (except for the initial lower level versions). AWD ATTESA E-TS, also found on the Skyline, Laurel and Stagea, was added to the options list. One of the major advantages of the VQ series over the VG series was the aluminum alloy block and heads, helping to reduce weight. This generation of the Cedric was also built in LHD for export to Middle East markets. Export versions generally received the VG30E engine, with outputs from depending on the octane rating.
Engines:
- 2.0 L VG20E
- 2.5 L VQ25DE
- 2.5 L RB25DET
- 3.0 L VG30E
- 3.0 L VQ30DE
- 3.0 L VQ30DET
- 2.8 L RD28 (series 2)
The line-up consisted of the 250 L and LV (naturally aspirated 2.5-litre V6), 300LV (naturally aspirated 3-litre V6) and 300LX/300VIP (3-litre turbo V6), all with rear-wheel drive; additionally there was the 250 L/LV Four featuring all-wheel drive and a turbocharged version of Nissan's 2.5-litre inline six also seen in the Skyline. Prices (in 1999) ranged from ¥3,110,000 for a base 250 L to ¥4,940,000 for the ultra-luxurious 300VIP.
For model year 2000, it won the Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference award in Japan in two categories: "Car of the Year" and "Technology of the Year" (for the Nissan Extroid CVT transmission).
Direct injection was added to all V6 engines for improved performance and reduced emissions, signified by the "DD" designation in the engine model number. AWD is only available on vehicles equipped with the RB25DET engine. A CVT (a rare case for an RWD-based vehicle) was available on the 300 VIP-Z and 300 LX-ZS trim levels. Top level Cedrics are comparable to the parallel line Nissan Cima, which occupies a market slot just beneath the Nissan President. Autech released a special 40th anniversary version of the Cedric, with the VQ30DET engine. Satellite guided navigation is added to this generation.
A one-off Y34 roadster built by Nissan for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows for use as a bullpen car remained in use as of 2017.
thumb|left|Nissan Cedric (Y34) Daiwa Taxi with fender mirrors.
In October 2004, the last Cedric hardtop was built, after which it was replaced by the Nissan Fuga. The Cedric nameplate did remain available on the Y31-series sedans for commercial users until 2015.
Nissan Cedric in fiction
Older models of the Cedric appeared in many various Asian movies and TV dramas on different roles, most prominently as taxis (especially in Hong Kong) as well as police cars. In Japanese movies and TV shows they were used as civilian vehicles, taxis as well as police cars; notably appearing in the crime dramas Daitokai (大都会 in Japanese) and Seibu Keisatsu (西部警察) (1979–1984). The Cedric was used as a police vehicle, alongside the Laurel and the Gloria, with most of them being wrecked in Seibu Keisatsu, with the exception of the 430 model Cedrics that were used as marked police cars. A 1963 model appears in the film The Big Steal, as the car given to the protagonist by his parents.
References
External links
- Planet Cedric
- Nissan Sedan history (japanese site)
- RatDat.com – paint colors, sales brochures, and model names
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