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Contents |
Datsun 1200 (B110) Body Styles
In Japan, the B110 is called the Datsun Sunny. In most other countries it was marketed as the Datsun 1200.
2-door Sedan and 2-door Coupe
2-dr Coupe (fastback). See main article: KB110
2-dr Wagon (Van). See main article: VB110R
4-dr Wagon (a.k.a. 5-dr Wagon). See main article: VB110
2-dr Sedan. See main article: B110R
4-dr Sedan
2-dr Utility (aka truck, pickup, 'ute', camioneta or bakkie). See main article: B120
Search the Photo Album for more pictures of all these models.
So what's the difference between a 2-dr 'sedan' and a 2-dr 'coupe'?'
A sedan is a car with a back seat, where the back seats passengers have more of less the same room as the front seat passengers. Also, it has a trunk compartment separated from the passenger cabin.
A coupe on the other hand, due to styling, has a smaller cramped passenger area.
coupe [ koop ]car with two doors: a car with two doors and a hard, fixed roof that seats two people or has a small rear seat.
Coupe - Encarta World English Dictionary
So the 1200 coupe is a 2+2 ('has a small rear seat'), while the sedan is more optimized for both front and rear passengers (the 1200 sedan has more headroom in back seat, you'll notice, even though the seats are the same size).
This is another example of the word evolving over time. Originally coupe meant two passengers inside and a driver outside.
Sedan
Sedan - Encarta World English Dictionary
U.S. type of car: a car with a fully enclosed passenger compartment, a permanent roof, two or four doors, front and rear seats, and a separate trunk
In the case of the 1200 Coupe, the trunk area is not separate from the passenger compartment (even though it has a 'trunk lid' rather than a hatchback).
Trim levels
Trim levels and names vary by country, but include basic Standard, better Semi-Deluxe, Deluxe (DX) luxury GL (Grand Luxury) and sporty GX (Grand Luxury Twin-Carb).
See main article: Trim
STD
Standard trim was not available for Coupe. It included painted bumpers (instead of chrome), no roof rain gutters Drip rail.
DX
Deluxe was the base Coupe trim, and one step up for Sedan and Truck.
- all STD features including drum brakes and rubber floor mats
- chrome bumpers
- roof rain-drip moulding
USA Deluxe Sedan included some GL features, including:
See USA Deluxe Sedan * Disc brakes * Round gauge instrument panel
NOTE: the base Coupe was a DX (there were no STD coupes)
GL
Grand Luxe included premium seats and steering wheel. It was available on 4-dr Sedan, Coupe and 1972 2-door sedan (GTR).
GX
Grand Luxe Twin Carb was the top of the line for the B110 model series. It included all the GL appointments, plus twin carburetor engine.
The Japan-only GX 4-dr and GX Coupes had:
- Special A12GX engine with custom intake air box
- special grille with GX emblem
- GX badge on boot
- GX taillights
- wood steering wheel
- special seat cloths
- heated rear window
Datsun-Nissan South Africa also produced GX version, but with different hubcaps and interiors.
GX-5
GX-5 was not a trim level, but a special model for year 1972. It was a GX with 5-speed transmission and a few other changes, including high-back seats.
See main article: GX-5
1972
In Japan, a minor facelift was applied to 1972 B110s, including a "power bulge" hood on Standard and Deluxe models.
See main article: Facelift
Model Availability By Country
Australia got the Coupe, 4-dr Sedan, Ute, 4-dr Wagon and 2-dr Wagon
Germany 1974
United States got only the 2-dr Deluxe Sedan and the standard or Deluxe Coupe in left-hand drive version (LB110). LHD models have hydraulic clutches.
England The 'Sunny 1200s' in the UK were:
* Deluxe 2-Door Saloon * Deluxe 4-Door Saloon (sedan) * Coupe * Estate Car (station wagon)
Japan got everything :-) including the Standard, GL, and Deluxe trims. In late 1971, the GX was added.
That's the 1200 GX (B110) on the left, and the special Excellent 1400 series (PB110) on the right.
Excellent models have a different front bonnet (hood), grill and wings (fenders) and tail lights, and different interior from B110s.
* lights in grille * pointed bonnet * lights at edges of grill
For more info on the PB110, see the article Datsun PB110 Excellent Series
Ecuador built the 1200 pickup during the 1990s
Sunny Truck
2-dr Truck (aka pickup, 'ute' or bakkie). Technically these are B120 (1200cc) and B140 (1400cc) models.
Australia sold the B120 until 1985.
Nissan South Africa made the B140 short-wheelbase ute from 1982-2007:
2003 Bakkie B140 "Nissan LDV 1400"
The Bakkie is also called the 'Botsotso' after the South African Chief's soccer legend 'Botsotso' Dladla.
New Zealand produced the RoadStar and SportStar utes.
In South America, the 1200 'pick up' was sold into the 90s and is called a camioneta (light truck). You can sometimes find a used one for sale in Costa Rica or Ecuador even today. Production in Ecuador started in 1987.
SSS 1200
The Datsun 1200 SSS was a special version of the Datsun B110 created by Datsun New Zealand. It was sold through the 1974 model year, even though 1200 factory production stopped in 1973. Based on the B110 4-dr sedan, it featured twin sidedraught carburettors, special alloy wheels and blacked-out bonnet.
See main article: Datsun 1200 SSS
S1 1200
Entreposto of Portugal created and sold the Datsun 1200 S1, a 2-dr Sedan which included special badges and performance items.
See main article: Datsun 1200 S1
Custom Body Styles
Roadsters & Convertibles
See main article: Convertible
] 
Tudor 4-doors
Tudor 4-doors are 2-door sedans created out of 4-door sedans. These are rarely seen, usually in a country where 2-dr sedans are rare.
Stretch Limousines
Limo made from 4-dr sedan:
Limousine
2-dr Sedan-based Limo:
Limousine is also the german word for sedan:
Extra Cab Trucks
For details on custom extra-cab versions of Datsun 1200 trucks, see: Extra cab.
Extra-cab ute
Comparison of B110 to B210 and B310
Some feel that the B110 was the perfection of the B-class (subcompact) rwd Datsun. Consider some facts:
WEIGHT: lighter means faster accelerating with same engine| B110 | 1640 pounds (700 kg) |
| B210 | 1780 pounds (A12) or 2000 pounds (USA HB210 - overweight) |
| B310 | 1900 pounds (A12) or 2000 pounds (A14/A15) - bigger than B210, yet just as light |
| model | engine | trans | Highway |
| B110 | A12 | 4-speed | 37.9 mpg |
| B210 | A14 | 5-speed | 50 mpg |
| B310 | A14 | 5-speed | 47 mpg |
| model | light load | full load |
| B110 | 195 ft | 190 ft |
| B210 | 196 ft | 211 ft |
| B310 | ? | ? |
| model | engine | 20-35 mph | 50-80 mph |
| B110 | A12 | 9.2 sec | 16.6 sec |
| B210 | A13 (1974) | 9.0 sec | 15.6 sec |
| B310 | A14 | ? | ? |
| sedan | length | wheelbase | width | track | height | turning | clearance |
| B110 | 3830 | 2300 | 1495 | 1240 | 1390 | 4.1 m | 170 mm |
| B210 | 4080 | 2340 | 1545 | 1275 | 1360 | 4.7 m | 170 |
| B310 | 4190 | 2340 | 1580 | 1330 | 1365 | turning | 165 |
Subjective Analysis
The B10, Datsun 1000, introduced in 1966 was a successful car. But really small by modern standards. And small compared to Corolla. The B110, Datsun 1200, introduced in 1970 was larger, almost identical in dimensions to Corolla. This was the right size for the times.
The 1974 B210 had several goals for improvement over B110: Slightly larger, more world-ready, more luxurious. More interior room. Reduce NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). For most countries the A12-powered B210 was nearly identical to B110 except for styling. For North America, because of the emissions controls, competition with more power, and the extra weight mandated by safety regulations, Nissan USA was forced to fit larger engines to keep up the performance.
Instead of the 'rational' styling of B110, B210 would have a 'Young and Dynamic' image based on the 'Streamline and a Cut' styling theme. It would also have a 'Sharp and Soft' atmosphere, 'Long-nosed' proportion, and 'Streamline and Dynamic' style (reference: 1974 B210 Introduction Service Bulleting). Was the B210 styling successful? On the one hand Yes, it definitely sold well, and many people today still like the coke-bottle styling. On the other hand No -- Datsun went back to the 'rational' styling for the B310. And many today see the B210 style as more dated.
The 1979 B310 was longer and wider yet lower. And a return to the utilitarian (more boxy) styling. It handled better than B210, was more roomy, yet didn't weigh any more. It had a significantly smoother ride due to a change from rear leaf spring suspension (as used in trucks...) to coil-spring rear with 4-link design (as used in most large sedans of the times).