Past Gas #235: Datsun, Pt 2: Why Datsun Had To Die

In 1967, Yutaka Katayama, or Mr. K, is now President of Nissan North America. He’s just been called to Nissan HQ to select a concept design to replace the aging Fairlady Roadster. But unbeknownst to the other executives on the selection committee, Mr. K has been quietly operating behind the scenes to push his preferred design through. The concept is referred to as codename “Z,” and it isn’t really a new generation roadster at all- it’s a powerful new sports coupe, and something that Mr. K believes will be a huge success in the US market. Today on Past Gas, part two of our series on Datsun and Nissan- how did Mr. K’s leadership of Datsun in the US change the entire company? How did he become known as “the father of the Z car”? And how did Nissan help create an entire generation of car enthusiasts? Thanks to our sponsors: Turn your ordinary water into extraordinary hydration with Liquid I.V. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and use code GAS at checkout. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/ PASTGAS and get on your way to being your best self. More about Show: Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.   Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey. Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!   Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas. If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices