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Nissan's 'Mr. K' to Be Inducted Into Automotive Hall of Fame

12 October 1998

Nissan's 'Mr. K' to Be Inducted Into Automotive Hall of Fame

             Yutaka Katayama, 'Father' of Z Car, Earns Honor with
                          Nine Others in Motor City

    DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 12 -- Yutaka Katayama, the former
Nissan executive affectionately known as "Mr. K," will be recognized for his
40 years of dedication to the automotive industry when he is inducted into the
Automotive Hall of Fame tomorrow evening.  The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. (EST)
at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel here.
    Mr. K was assigned to Nissan's U.S. headquarters from 1960 to 1977, during
which time he served a 10-year stint as president.  His career was marked by
several key achievements that have dramatically shaped the automotive
industry's growth.  Among his many accomplishments, Mr. K pioneered the
legendary Z car -- heralded as the first affordable, high-performance sports
car and the fastest-selling sports car of all-time.  The Z car's popularity
was recently reflected in a History Channel cyberpoll, which rated the 1970s
240Z as the fifth greatest "Dream Machine" sports car of all-time.  In
addition, Mr. K guided Nissan's racing efforts that garnered nearly 50
championship victories.
    Mr. K is also credited with introducing the first compact pickup trucks
and "King Cab" to the U.S. while developing a successful dealer network that
enabled other Japanese auto manufacturers to expand into the American market.
    "Both during and following his prolific career, Yutaka Katayama played an
integral role in establishing Nissan as a household name throughout America,"
said Mike Seergy, vice president and general manager of the Nissan division.
"Mr. K's passion and love of cars, people and life still endure at Nissan, and
we're honored to share this special occasion with him."
    Besides his contributions to the automotive industry, the 89-year-old
Mr. K is at known for his outgoing personality and eclectic hobbies.  He is an
accomplished watercolorist with a well-documented penchant for kite-flying and
collecting speeding tickets.  Mr. K's "Love cars, love people, love life"
motto served as the inspiration for Nissan's award winning "Enjoy the Ride"
brand awareness marketing campaign.
    Joining Mr. K at the Hall of Fame ceremony will be Charles Pigott, the
former chairman and CEO of Pacific Car and Foundry Company (PACCAR) -- a
multibillion dollar producer of heavy duty trucks.  Deceased inductees
include:

    -- Andre Citroen, creator of the Citroen car and known as the "Henry Ford
       of France"
    -- Carl, Wilhelm, Heinrich, Friedrich and Ludwig Opel, producers of the
       famed Opel cars
    -- Fred M. Zeder, known for his part in the creation of Chrysler Corp.
    -- Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, producer of automotive components and
       inventor of the dirigible airship.

    The Automotive Hall of Fame Board of Directors selected the inductees
following recommendations by an advisory panel of automotive historians,
editors and the Hall of Fame's Awards Committee.
    In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering,
manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and
textile equipment.  Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in
the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates more than 70,000 jobs
through more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent.
More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan
and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.