Datsun Go + 2016 | examination of real life
Mr. K, Datsun pioneer and father of the Z car, dies at 105.
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NASHVILLE - Yutaka Katayama, the first President U S Nissan, who seized awareness of American consumers by introducing the affordable sports car Datsun Z in the early 1970s, has died at 105.
publicly known as Mr. K, Katayama has resigned from the United States there are 40 years and retired Nissan altogether in 1977, but his continued presence as a senior voice Spry and sometimes critical of the past we continued to support the interest of the brand in the Z cars of both Nissan and Nissan itself.
Katayama remained active until recently as a business celebrity in fan clubs and events Z Datsun and Nissan heritage.
In the 1990s, the U S Nissan and affiliate marketing sales - where Katayama was president from 1965 to 1975 - began with a look-alike actor portraying the character Mr K in its television advertising.
The news services reported Saturday that Katayama died Thursday night heart failure at a Tokyo hospital.
Katayama is widely associated with the original 240Z Datsun introduced in 1970 in the wake of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro Popularity He remained active until recently as a celebrity tour of Z fan clubs and events Datsun Heritage and Nissan.
It was also in years pioneering Katayama as the young sales network in U S Nissan deployed detail the iconic Datsun 510, a small Japanese sedan that racy Katayama hoped steal BMW Germany buyers.
In 1960, Katayama was sent against his will to the United States for research at the beginning of the market, he considers the detachment exile for speaking against the Japanese unions Nissan Once in place in Southern California, he earned a name for himself as a Japanese executive with little patience for the cautious and conservative outlook for its return makers in Japan.
His career is a living preview of what the Japanese auto industry has gone through to establish in America.
Automakers from Japan in 1950 widely accepted that venturing in the US were foolhardy conservatives managers Nissan and other Japanese automakers were reluctant to offer their products smaller, usually for driving high-speed road underpowered in America .
Katayama repeatedly locked horns with return business management in Japan, insisting that there were viable options for decision in America.
In the 1960s, Katayama balked at the plan to market the new sports car Z U S under its Japanese name Fairlady.
Nissan management 1970s, in turn, refused to forecast production volumes Katayama emphasized its U S organization could sell.
He also fell to Katayama sewing together a hodgepodge Datsun dealership arrangements in America as true for other Japanese companies that dared enter the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, the Datsun distribution plan Nissan was a free mix of independent dealers and distribution areas do not add quite a sales network retail 50 states - or attempt to cooperate.
Los Angeles dealer Morrie Sage, who died in 2011, once recalled with Automotive News that Katayama had inspired him to leave his post as director of a local Ford dealer to become a Datsun dealership Wise recalled that in 1969, Katayama told a room full of potential Datsun dealerships that everyone in this room will become a millionaire one day.
Nissan Division now has about 1,100 dealers U S, which last year sold 1,269,565 cars and light trucks.
Katayama continued to speak his mind beyond 100 years after Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn revives Z in the 2000s with the 350Z and 370Z international recognition, Katayama rejected the 370Z as a so-so car.
In 2009, he told Automotive News that the 370 was too heavy and too expensive compared to the agile and affordable concept behind the 240Z.
Katayama has also made no secret of his disapproval 1983 Nissan movement to remove the name Datsun for Nissan as a brand name.
Nissan now working to reintroduce the Datsun brand in emerging global markets selected.
Nissan produced a video series in three parts called time Mr K of life, Yutaka Katayama, where he reflects on 80 years in the automotive sector.
Note The interview was conducted in Japanese with English subtitles, click the button below the video DC after starting to play.
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