Nissan's first sports car got its name from a Broadway musical — the Fairlady badge nods to My Fair Lady, and it debuted right here on the 1960 SPL212.
Median 66 hp across 22 similar cars
Lead trim: SPL212 1.2 E-series · up to 59 hp
Nissan Fairlady 1200SPL212/SPL213 · 1960–1962
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Nissan Fairlady 1200 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactNissan's first sports car got its name from a Broadway musical — the Fairlady badge nods to My Fair Lady, and it debuted right here on the 1960 SPL212.
The first vehicle to bear the Fairlady name, in reference to the Broadway musical My Fair Lady, and the first Datsun sports car imported to the US. Now with steel bodywork and based on the Datsun 223 truck, the SPL212 (288 built) was joined by the dual-carburettor SPL213 (217 built). Both were sold only on the export market, and production moved to the Nissan Shatai plant in Hiratsuka in 1960.
Collectors Spotted in the Nissan Fairlady 1200 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Nissan Fairlady 1200 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPL212 1.2 E-series | 1960–1961 | 1.2 L Inline-4 | 47 hp | 61 lb-ft | — | RWD | manual | — |
| SPL213 1.2 E-1 dual-carburettor | 1961–1962 | 1.2 L Inline-4 | 59 hp | 67 lb-ft | — | RWD | manual | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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The Frogeye had no boot lid at all — owners reached the spare wheel by tilting the seats forward into the dark cavity behind, a ritual they likened to potholing.
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