Bluebird fans are all a-flutter
CAR ENTHUSIASTS ENJOY SPECIAL VISIT TO CELEBRATE 30 YEARS SINCE FIRST NISSAN VEHICLES MADE IN UK
Sunderland’s Nissan plant has had a blast from the past with the return of some of the first cars it ever built.
Thirty enthusiasts, members of the UK’s Bluebird Car Club, enjoyed a VIP visit to the Sunderland plant, meeting the employees who built their cars and viewing the firm’s modern manufacturing operations first-hand.
As part of this year’s celebrations marking Nissan’s 30th anniversary in the UK, the club invited members from across the country to go Back to the Future and see how car production has changed since their Bluebirds were made.
Bluebirds of all shapes and colours arrived from as far as Cardiff, 310 miles away, to take part in a special tour of Nissan’s record-breaking manufacturing facilities, joined by long-serving staff, who shared stories from the vehicle’s years in production in Sunderland.
Matt Welch, who drove his 1988 Bluebird 1.8 GS hatchback from Newark, Nottinghamshire, said: “When I was a kid, everybody’s dad had a Bluebird. I’ve always loved these cars because of their retro shape, and growing up, my dream was to own one.
“A year ago, when I saw this perfectly preserved model on eBay, I went cold. Then I knew, this was the car I’d always wanted. I get such a kick out of owning it.”
Ian Marshall, who travelled from Cardiff in his 1989 Bluebird 2.0 Executive, said: “Nissan really went to town on the quality of these cars and really proved how well their cars are built.”
Nissan’s Vice-President for Manufacturing in the UK Kevin Fitzpatrick said: “Visits like this are a great reminder of how far technology has moved on in the 30 years we have been making cars in the UK.”