In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Japanese cars were tiny, spartan, and economical, with a reputation for being reliable but disposable--tinny and underpowered, unable to summon enough consistent speed to easily keep up with American freeway traffic.
The Datsun 510 began to open Americans' eyes to the possibilities of Japanese carmakers cranking out interesting and capable small cars. With its clean, attractive lines and tidy proportions, reminiscent of the BMW 1600 and 2002, the 510 combined strong horsepower with eye-popping agility. The complete package made the 510 one of those rare cars in which a unity of purpose results in a package that is both popular and influential. In this case, the 510, along with the aforementioned BMWs, was one of the hugely influential import compact sports sedans that helped shape American tastes and appetites in the decades to come.
Today the 510 has achieved true cult status, thanks in part to a sterling racing record--the red, white, and blue BRE Datsun 510 was driven by such racing icons as Bob Sharp, John Morton, and Paul Newman (yes, the actor) to countless race wins and championships in amateur and Trans-Am racing. These days 510s are hard to find in good condition but are treasured when they are--and the clean, angular lines have aged very well.
Datsun 510s are now popular among the sport compact crowd as an interesting vintage option; personally, I tend to favor the original, stock versions. It's difficult to find much in the way of good original photography, but as usual Flickr comes through--the first photo is by mr_nismo and the second by dhrodrig.
--Chris H.
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