Prince Motor Company
Encyclopedia
Prince Motor Company was a Japan
ese automobile manufacturer from 1952 until its merger with Nissan in 1966. Prince began as the Tachikawa Aircraft Company
, a producer of the famous Japanese Zero fighter planes
used in WWII. After Tachikawa Aircraft Company was dissolved after the war, the company took the name Fuji Precision Industries and diversified into automobile
s, producing an electric car
, the Tama
, in 1946. The company changed its name to Prince in 1952 to honor Prince Akihito's formal investiture as Crown Prince. In 1954 they changed their name back to Fuji Precision Industries, and in 1961 changed the name back again to Prince Motor Company.
Prince had success building premium automobiles. Among its most famous car lines were the Skyline
and Gloria
, both of which were absorbed into the Nissan range after their 1966 merger; however, they also built the 15-passenger Homy
which was eventually shared with the Nissan Caravan
and the Nissan Laurel
, a four-door sedan platform mate with the Skyline, on which Prince had begun development before the merger but was introduced after the merger in 1968. Prince had also begun development on a small car to compete with the Toyota Corolla
and Nissan Sunny
, but after the merger, the car was introduced as the Nissan Cherry
using front wheel drive. The Prince organization
remained in existence inside Nissan, though the marque disappeared. Since the merger, the Prince name survived as a Nissan dealership network
in Japan until Nissan consolidated their dealership network into Nissan Blue Stage and Nissan Red Stage.
The current Nissan Gloria
and the Nissan Skyline
are known in the USA as the Infiniti M
and the Infiniti G
(2003 - current).
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese automobile manufacturer from 1952 until its merger with Nissan in 1966. Prince began as the Tachikawa Aircraft Company
Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd
was an aircraft manufacturer in the Empire of Japan, specializing primarily in aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. It was based at Tachikawa, in Tokyo Prefecture.-Tachikawa Aircraft:...
, a producer of the famous Japanese Zero fighter planes
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
used in WWII. After Tachikawa Aircraft Company was dissolved after the war, the company took the name Fuji Precision Industries and diversified into automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, producing an electric car
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
, the Tama
Tama
-Religion:* Tama , part of the soul in the Japanese Shinto faith, roughly equivalent to ghost, spirit, or soul* Tama , a votive deposit or ex-voto used in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
, in 1946. The company changed its name to Prince in 1952 to honor Prince Akihito's formal investiture as Crown Prince. In 1954 they changed their name back to Fuji Precision Industries, and in 1961 changed the name back again to Prince Motor Company.
Prince had success building premium automobiles. Among its most famous car lines were the Skyline
Nissan Skyline
The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg...
and Gloria
Nissan Gloria
The Gloria is a large luxury car made from 1959 by the Prince Motor Company, and later by Nissan Motors since its merger with the former - hence being originally marketed as Prince Gloria and later as Nissan Gloria...
, both of which were absorbed into the Nissan range after their 1966 merger; however, they also built the 15-passenger Homy
Nissan Homy
The Nissan Homy was built and sold by the Prince Motor Company before the merger of Nissan in 1965 and the Homy was the first vehicle to be acquired by Nissan. After the merger in August 1966, the Prince Homy name was changed to Nissan. The merger was complete by 1970...
which was eventually shared with the Nissan Caravan
Nissan Caravan
The Nissan Caravan is a van designed by Nissan for use as a fleet vehicle or cargo van. Outside Japan the car was sold as either Nissan Urvan, King Van, or Homy...
and the Nissan Laurel
Nissan Laurel
In April 1968 Nissan presented its new Laurel in four-door deLuxe and Super deLuxe versions, both equipped with a 1.8 L inline-four cylinder engine and independent rear suspension. In summer 1970 a hardtop coupé joined the line-up, one year later a 2000 cc engine became available...
, a four-door sedan platform mate with the Skyline, on which Prince had begun development before the merger but was introduced after the merger in 1968. Prince had also begun development on a small car to compete with the Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
and Nissan Sunny
Nissan Sunny
The Nissan Sunny is a small car from Nissan. It was launched in 1966 as the Datsun 1000 and although production in Japan ended in 2004, it remains in production today for the African, American and Sri Lankan markets. In the US, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny...
, but after the merger, the car was introduced as the Nissan Cherry
Nissan Cherry
The E10 generation featured four-wheel independent suspension.The E10 was fitted with two types of inline four-cylinder Nissan A-series OHV engines:* 988 cc A10* 1171 cc A12...
using front wheel drive. The Prince organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
remained in existence inside Nissan, though the marque disappeared. Since the merger, the Prince name survived as a Nissan dealership network
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
in Japan until Nissan consolidated their dealership network into Nissan Blue Stage and Nissan Red Stage.
The current Nissan Gloria
Nissan Gloria
The Gloria is a large luxury car made from 1959 by the Prince Motor Company, and later by Nissan Motors since its merger with the former - hence being originally marketed as Prince Gloria and later as Nissan Gloria...
and the Nissan Skyline
Nissan Skyline
The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg...
are known in the USA as the Infiniti M
Infiniti M
The "M" nameplate has been used on various mid-luxury cars from the Infiniti luxury division of Nissan.The first iteration was the M30 Coupe/Convertible, which were rebadged JDM Nissan Leopard....
and the Infiniti G
Infiniti G
The Infiniti G is a compact executive/entry-level luxury car produced by Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti. The first two generations of the Infiniti G were sedans based on the Nissan Primera. Beginning with its third generation , the Infiniti G have been rebadged versions of the Nissan Skyline line...
(2003 - current).
List of vehicles
- Nissan CherryNissan CherryThe E10 generation featured four-wheel independent suspension.The E10 was fitted with two types of inline four-cylinder Nissan A-series OHV engines:* 988 cc A10* 1171 cc A12...
(a small front-wheel-drive coupe and sedan) - Prince Clipper (a cabover truck)
- Prince Gloria (a luxury sedan)
- Prince HomerPrince HomerThe Prince Homer was a small commercial vehicle manufactured by the now defunct Prince Motor Company. It was available as a van, double cab, or regular cab truck. The first model was known as the T64, and was sold as the Prince Homer or PMC T64. The T640 was introduced in 1966 and was sold as a...
(a pickup truck based on the Homy) - Prince Homy (a cargo van/minibus)
- Nissan LaurelNissan LaurelIn April 1968 Nissan presented its new Laurel in four-door deLuxe and Super deLuxe versions, both equipped with a 1.8 L inline-four cylinder engine and independent rear suspension. In summer 1970 a hardtop coupé joined the line-up, one year later a 2000 cc engine became available...
(a semi-luxury sedan/coupe) - Prince MilerPrince MilerThe Prince Miler is a medium sized pickup truck built by the Prince Motor Company. It remained on the market for four years after the 1966 merger of Nissan Motor Manufacturing Industry and Prince Automotive...
(a pickup truck based on the Skyline) - Prince R380Prince R380The Prince R380 was a racing car built in 1965 by Prince Motor Company to compete in the Japanese Grand Prix. Following the merger of Prince Motor Company and Nissan Motors in 1966, the R380 was modified into the Nissan R380-II .-Development:In 1964, Prince had entered their new S54 Skyline GTs in...
(a race car) - Nissan Prince RoyalNissan Prince RoyalThe Nissan Prince Royal is a limousine made for the Imperial Household of Japan.-History:The Japanese auto industry was expanding rapidly in the early 1960s, and the Imperial Household Agency sought a Japanese auto manufacturer to produce a suitable car for the Emperor of Japan...
(a limousine made for the Imperial Household of Japan) - Prince Skyline (a performance coupe/sedan)
- Prince SkywayPrince SkywayThe Prince Skyway was a commercial delivery van based on the 1957 Prince Skyline type ALSI and later the S50 Skyline, identified with the chassis code ALVG for the first generation, then V51A-I. The Skyway was produced from April 1957 - September 1968...
(a delivery van based on the Skyline)