Big changes were taking place at the Nissan Motor Corporation in 1984. The company had dropped the Datsun name, a move that certainly puzzled Americans who had associated it with beloved cars like the 510 sports sedan and the game-changing 240Z.

The Nissan Z is a high-performance and sports coupe that has gone toe-to-toe with the Supra and won in sales, here is how it stacks up against it.

The rumors flying last week that Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida had one foot out the door have come true. On Tuesday, the Yokohama, Japan-based automaker announced the resignation of Uchida in the same breath as it appointed a new leader, Ivan Espinosa.

Nissan's recent struggles are no secret. The company teeters on the verge of bankruptcy after a failed merger attempt with fellow Japanese conglomerate Honda. Now, the company has appointed a new CEO in hopes of turning things around.

New Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa takes over a company that continues to face financial troubles and falling sales figures.