Welcome to the open air section of the Tokyo Natural History Museum, a.k.a one of the little side streets in my new neighbourhood. I recently unearthed this Gloria there and I thought this unfamiliar species from a known genus, though not exactly fossilized as yet, should be shared with the wider world at once. Nature and Science be damned, only one peer-reviewed publication can be trusted to reach one’s esteemed fellow scholars. It’s going to have to be CC.
This was not my first Gloria (see related posts at the end), nor will it be the last, but it’s my first Gloria wagon. It’s quite a peculiar one, too, as it clung to its Y30 platform even as the Cedric/Gloria saloon continued to evolve. Looks-wise, it was certainly a kind of living fossil back in the late ‘90s. Not that it could be compared to truly ancient creatures, such as the Beetle. More of a mammoth than a dinosaur? Let’s forego these dubious animalistic similes and focus on tusk at hand. For a regular production car, the Cedric/Gloria Wagon was definitely frozen in time.
That time was the early ‘80s, obviously. The Y30 Cedric/Gloria was launched in June 1983 with Nissan’s brand new OHC V6, which came in 2-litre (VG20E) and 3-litre (VG30E) form, with or without turbo. Other engines included a 2-litre 4-cyl. and a straight-6 (for LPG cars) and a 2.8 litre straight-6 Diesel.
The Y30 family – top: saloon (“Standard” and high-end SGL); middle: facelift hardtop; bottom: van/wagon
This was the Gloria’s 7th generation and it came, as per usual, in three versions: a saloon, a hardtop sedan and a van/wagon. In 1985, all Y30s except the base/taxi-spec cars got a facelift, as seen on the hardtop sedan pictured above.
In 1987, the four-door cars moved on to the next gen platform, but the van/wagon stayed behind and therefore never got the new IRS premiered on the Y31. In fact, the Y30 van/wagon, also known as WY30, remained in production with very few changes until May 1999. The last units were sold by August, just as the new Y34 Cedric/Gloria was hitting the showrooms: by the end, the wagon was five generations behind the saloon.
So of course, when I happened upon this lavishly-appointed woodgrain-tastic vehicle, swathed in baroque chrome trinkets and styled like a late ‘70s Detroit pimpmobile, I thought it was a lot older than it turned out to be. One small legally-mandated detail that can help date these wagons is the presence of a third brake light, which was added in early 1994.
Our feature car proudly displays its V6 bona fides to the world – not such a feat, really, as the VG20E was the standard engine in this wagon. In fact, it became the only engine available by November 1995, when a few additional changes occurred, such as a driver-side airbag.
I could not manage a photo of our feature car’s interior, sad to say. But I did take a gander inside and this one did not have an airbag, so it has to be a 1994-95 model. It looked something like the above, taken from the 1994 Cedric brochure – the dash was the same brown colour and the automatic transmission shifter was on the floor. It wasn’t just the Gloria’s exterior that was stuck in the past.
Here’s another excerpt from this ’94 Cedric brochure, which proves that these wagons, although 10 years old by then, were still offered in the usual plethoric variety of grades. Although our feature car has door mirrors, one could also order Y30 Wagons with old-fashioned fender-mounted units. Base-spec models were identifiable by their quad headlamps and first-series-style turn signals.
These are the higher-spec Y30 Cedrics, plus a photo of a late-model Gloria-branded car. The woodgrain seen on our feature car is a period option, but it seems some higher-spec wagons had that woodgrain on the rear hatch as standard. That was probably done to encourage customers to tick the options list, just so the whole car could have that classy American style. Judging from Google image photos, quite a few folks went for the formica.
Decals aside, the considerable amount of brightwork on this car is what really catches the eye. The stand-up hood ornament, of course, is a prime example. But the headlamp “dingus” (© Daniel Stern), also called a headlamp monitor, is the one that fascinated me most. It’s a common feature on bigger conservatively-styled JDM cars such as the Toyota Crown or the Mitsubishi Debonair. The light emitted from said dingus is usually green, as it is in this case and was on our Crown Comfort.
Another adorable detail is the right D-pillar, where the radio antenna is located. On the other side – i.e. the curb side, in Japan – the rear window can be lowered to provide better access to the cargo area. They really thought of everything.
The very long career of the Y30 wagon is mirrored by that of its Toyota competitors. Yes, that’s plural: the X70 Mark II wagon (top pic), made from 1984 to 1997, was a direct opponent of the plainer Cedric/Gloria vans, whereas the higher-spec Y30s fought with the S130 Crown wagon (1987-99, bottom pic). Just like the Cedric and Crown Comfort taxis, the Cima against the Majesta, or the President versus the Century, this is yet another example of the never-ending tit-for-tat strategy that forced Toyota and Nissan to confront each other in every single niche of the JDM.
When I caught my first glimpse of this Gloria, from the rear, I initially thought it was a Toyota Mark II. To the untrained eye (and my eye is about as untrained as it gets with these cars), they look almost identical from that angle. The only giveaway is the Nissan’s single rear wiper, whereas the Toyotas went double or nothing on that score.
And that might be the Toyota wagons’ only advantage over its Nissan competitor. Face-wise, the more ornate Cedric/Gloria design wins hands down. And it’s a similar story for the interior, not to mention the fact that this is a deluxe V6-engined vehicle, whereas the Toyota was less elaborate and made do with a 4-cyl. (both being in the 2-litre category). The S130 Crown Wagon was the more direct Toyota equivalent, but its more rounded early ‘90s styling is less reptilian.
The only fly in the amber are the non-stock wheels, but other than that minor and easily remedied detail, I’m pretty taken by this little dinosaur. Why any JDM consumer might prefer the contemporary (and equally ancient) Buick “Regal” Estate Wagon or a long-roof Mercedes or Volvo when they could spend less Yen and get a Nissan loaded with toys and gingerbread is beyond me. The exotic appeal of foreign brands and the snobbism of LHD, I suppose. Nowadays, according to Japanese sources, the Y30 wagon has become something of an icon for enthusiasts. You couldn’t expect less from the country that gave us Godzilla.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1981 Nissan Gloria (430) SDL Turbo Hardtop – Madam Gloria Will See You Now, by T87
Curbside Classic: 1990 Nissan Gloria (Y31) Gran Turismo SV – In Excelsis Deo, by T87
the cargo window thing is so cool. Thanks again T87 for the knowledge
Yes it looks like the late 80s Nissans we have or had (as stocks are dwindling,) here most of them ex JDM, they had a habit of building obsolete models forever for certain puposes RWD Corona wagons ended up in Australia where the FWD cars werent sold Nissan did the same with their Bluebirds importing the obsolete RWD car for the Aussie market after they swapped the FWD subframe in for everyone else, I didnt know Nissan did the same with their Gloria wagon
An open minded chap, I will nonetheless confess to mildly confused perturbation as to why it is not Cedric but Gloria who has wood in these fine pictures (and also that her squareness attracts me no more than her surprising wood), but I thank you anyway for the typically excellent history. Of the Y30, of course.
Incidentally and irrelevantly, Gloria could only be Nissannosauras Regina, you know – even with wood.
I love this! I would absolutely drive this. What a delicious throwback.
Yes, that lowering rear side window is the only time I have ever heard of this feature.
The lowering side window is a great feature – first appearing in 1965 on the ‘130’ series Cedric.
I love this wagon! But my eyes are very confused, as they keep toggling back and forth between Ford Crown Victoria and Dodge Diplomat when they gaze at the front and can’t decide which one they are seeing.
Now I want to see one with the back side window down. Did one have to open the back seat to crank it down, or was there a power accessory with external control to do the job?
On the ’70’s 260C wagons before this, I know from kidhood that there was certainly an exterior keyhole arrangement, and if I remember correctly, no internal or dash switch. The idea was for loading your shopping from the curbside into your classic.
The nose also reminds me somewhat of the late 80s Dodge Caravan.
The corner lights remind me of the Foxbody Lincoln Continentals
Simply Gloria-ous! Nissan was always the Japanese maker most likely to add wood to the bodysides of their wagons over here as well, it was a trend they certainly embraced at the time. And I could certainly get comfortable in that velour interior, in the red please.
To eyes used to American market cars, models from these years from anywhere abroad always look so different and slightly “off” at first glance with their small, tucked in bumpers (as designed to be that way, I hasten to add), as opposed to the large protruding affairs on the same or similar models over here.
Terrific find. It’s the automotive equivalent of those Japanese WW2 soldiers that were stuck on remote islands and didn’t know the war had ended until 20 or more years later.
G-L-O-R-I-A, Van Morrison, 1965:
youtube: v=AhYTb5J2rNc
Well look at that, a Ford Fairmont wagon!
Excellent find from Nissan’s greatest decades, the 1980s and ’90s!
Looks like the guys at nissan were big fans of the fwd a body buick century wagon.
Wow. It’s fun that the Japanese did full on, American style Brougham in their domestic market cars but rarely did we see them here. The first FWD Maxima had button tufted velour, electric gadgets galore, talk back to you glory and the Cressida did too but most of their American exports went for a much blander style. Look at the speedometer! Straight out of the Dart/Valiant, and it has fender mounted headlamp monitors! That grille is a nice imitation of the Volare/Aspen based LeBaron Wagon. It’s really hard to believe that just a few years before they were producing warped, mutant horrors like the F10 and B210, and then this has 1978 Chrysler LeBaron Wagon styling and wears it well.
Their cars had much better names domestically too. Gloria, bluebird, sunny, are better than the bland names these things got here.
Apparently, based on previous articles about the Gloria this is RWD.
Made my day, seeing this! At my last job I supplied a tail-lamp on an early one for an exorbitant price. We used the parts-trader system, and a custard yellow one with the “wood” trim came up escalated from the south island. It looked like it had just been ignored by everyone else, so I checked it out, and it was still available ex-Japan. No doubt because they were still using the same lamp on the late ones. Out of curiosity I checked out the wood trim, and that too was still available!
When this car was introduced, GM was still selling its popular rear drive B body and starting to sell its front drive A body. By mid 90s, GM mostly produced front drive sedan, and Nissan had given us excellent front drive Maxima. So I don’t understand why Nissan still produced this vehicle. Actually its basic form under several names was produced until few years ago.
I often wonder how this car and Toyota Comfort drive like., they behave like Mercedes W123. GM B body or A body. They are rear drive vehicle, probably more entertaining than some more morden front drive like Altima and Camry.
A 1995 – mindblowing! Splendid write-up. When I first caught a glimpse of the first photo, I surely thought this vinyl wood-sided Gloria was some sort of parody of an American car. The more I look at the pictures, though, the more I like it!
Very cool! Is it comparabal to a Maxima wagon in the US? How about a Ford wagon with a Rolls Royce makeover? For your viewing pleasure from Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin.
Great article…I never get tired of looking at JDM Glorias and Cedrics. This wagon is really nice, with or without the woodgrain. Had they been imported to North America, they probably would have been prohibitively expensive, with fully optioned examples priced in the same territory as the E-class wagons. Still, I wish Nissan had given us at least one version of this wagon, perhaps under the Infiniti nameplate, just so there would be a few examples around for us to see on the street on that rare occasion.
Thanks for clarifying the reasoning behind the openable rear side window! I had the use of a Cedric wagon in Saudi in the late 80’s, and thought that aspect was really cool – although I thought it was for ventilation. Cargo makes much more sense.
Nice, big wagon, perfect for covering lots of distance.
The front of the feature car looks like a Plymouth Reliant-K from an alternate timeline’s 1981 whenin
aerocomposite headlamps were a thing and side turn signal repeaters were required in the US. I don’t know if those chrome fendertop turn signal indicators Chrysler put on everything in the ’70s were available on the K-cars, but if so, they’d’ve been close stand-ins for the corner finder/headlamp monitor dinguses™ on this car.I wonder how these would’ve done in the North American market, had Nissan brought them here.
(A roll-down quarter glass? SORCERY!)