One of the Bluebird series
Datsun has two large series, the Bluebird and the slightly smaller Sunny. The Datsun 610 belongs to the Bluebird family. It was produced as a 1972 model up to and including 1977. It was only in the USA and probably on the domestic market that it was sold as the 610. In Europe and Australia it was sold as the 180B – with the variants 160B and 200B depending on the motorisation. It was available as a 4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon and 2-door hardtop, called the SSS – Super Sports Sedan.
Very durable
Bluebirds are considered very durable cars. The biggest enemy is rust. The mechanics last a long time. A search in regnr.info contains information about 56 cars of type 160B and 180B, but several have been scrapped or deregistered. Like other typical family cars – they were used to the last drop.
Facelift for the 1975 model
A small facelift was made for the 1975 model. The most visible feature is the "wrap-around" turn signals placed on the outside of the headlights. In addition, the grille became slightly larger and the taillights more rectangular. You can see the resemblance to American cars of the time. The typical Coke-bottle profile had come full circle by the early 1970s.
Datsun 180B/160B performances
The coupe version – SSS- had a 1.8 liter engine as standard. It produced 105 HP, a top speed of 171 km/h and 0-100 in 11.2 seconds. It was sporty performance in the 70s. The 4-door versions – 160B – with a 1.6 liter engine delivered 90 HP and could reach a top speed of 153 km/h. Both models weighed not much more than 1000 kg. The exterior dimensions are 422 cm long and 160 cm wide. These were full-fledged mid-range cars in the 70s.
About the images of 180B and 160B
The advertising image originates from a German advertisement. You can see that this is a pre-facelift model because it lacks the large turn signals outside the headlights. Without these indicators, the model is actually more stylish. The other photos were taken of a Norwegian car in daily traffic. It is a facelift model with a 1600 engine – hence the name 160B.
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