Datsun Fairlady
In 1961 the Japanese Company Nissan Motors launched the Fairlady, or Datsun Sports as it was named in the USA. It was aimed directly at competing with the MGB and may be the Fiat 1500, but its success was far less.
A simple chassis was joined with a two-seater roadster body and propulsion was by a 1500 engine, giving 85 BHP, later to be followed by a 90 BHP 1600 and a 150 BHP 2-litre, which has become the most sought after version. The car was a relatively good seller in the USA but very few came to Europe, and those that are now found here are mostly imports from the USA.
When Nissan launched the 240, the Fairlady was phased out and about 42,000 were made.
Here is a 1600 at the 2005 Interclassics in Maastricht.