A Brief History of the Nissan Z

A Brief History of the Nissan Z

Have you ever wondered why automakers build sports cars? Companies dump untold sums into these passion projects and equip them with bleeding-edge technology. With this level of investment, they can’t simply be making them for kicks. So what gives? If one asked former Nissan president Katsuji Kawamata this question sometime in the 50s,

He would have said that they weren’t for making money. To him, they were meant to embody the very best a company could bring to the table. Designers see them as creative outlets while engineers use them as experimental hotbeds. If executed properly, a sports car can earn the respect of industry rivals and elevate

A brand in the eyes of the general public. Whatever profits are sacrificed in these endeavors pale in comparison to the prestige a manufacturer stands to gain from them. For a while, the company’s own sports cars reflected this principle. The 1959 S211 wasn’t a very successful venture, financially speaking.

It had a fiberglass body much like the Corvette of the day. While this kept the svelte sportster light on its feet, it also introduced a manufacturing roadblock. Assembly was a slow and laborious process. It’s no wonder why Nissan only managed to build about 20 of them. 

They were in it for the long haul, though. Instead of swearing off sports cars, Nissan collected itself and released the redesigned SPL212 in 1960. This featured conventional steel bodywork as well as a more powerful 43-horsepower engine. It proved to be an important part of their American product portfolio.

288 of them were produced between January and October, and most of them were exported to the American market. This made up a considerable part of their US exports that year, which totaled just 1,640. The Datsun brand fleshed out its lineup in the ensuing years and roadster sales stagnated for a few years.

Its direct successor, the SPL213, found its way into just 297 homes during its time on the market. For comparison’s sake, Datsun exported 3,948 cars to the United States between 1961 and 1962.  The redesigned 300-series roadsters were by far the most successful of the line. From 1962 to 1970, US exports totaled 38,557.

Datsun exports to the country as a whole, meanwhile, came in at just under 413,000 during that same span. While they weren’t huge moneymakers for Nissan, they were vital to establishing its reputation in the early years. At a touch over $3,000, the 2-liter Sports 2000 was one of the stronger options in its segment.

It had a 135 horsepower, 132 lb-ft torque motor as well as a curb weight of 2,100 pounds. These were healthy figures at the time, and they translated to superb real-world performance. A 1968 Car and Driver test revealed a 0-60 time of 9.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 17 seconds flat.

That same review told of an unforgettable driving experience. Heavenly engine noises and a buttery-smooth 5-speed manual transmission made it much more than a paper tiger. This stellar   out-of-the-box performance made it popular with enthusiasts. Backyard racers could wring more power out of its engine with ease.

It also found success in the higher echelons of competition, bringing home multiple SCCA titles in the late 60s and early 70s. Even though it was a very accessible machine, the Datsun Sports proved to be a very effective halo car for the brand. Few others on the market  could match its combination 

Of price, performance, and pedigree. Great as it was, it did have its shortcomings. Nissan had an unusual setup for its operations in the United States. Soichi Kawazoe was in charge of the eastern part of the country while Yutaka Katayama managed the west coast.

Both of them were hearing out negative feedback from Datsun Sports owners. Those near the Atlantic had to contend with atrocious weatherproofing. The canvas top couldn’t keep water out of the interior. One unhappy customer even stated that they could see the sky through the gap between the door sash and the top.

Performance in the snow was as equally abysmal. Inadequate protection from the elements wasn’t as much of a concern out west. Style was at the forefront of their minds, and the folding roof had the potential to spoil an otherwise well-sorted exterior. The Sonoran sunshine drained the color out of them.

This issue was so widespread that the design department kept a pile of bleached tops in the corner of the office. It also didn’t integrate very well with the rest of the design. Some dealers likened the supports to the ribs of a hungry dog while Car and Driver referred

To it as a “giraffe transporter” with the top up. No doubt the biggest mark against it was its mass appeal or lack thereof. It doesn’t matter how much power it has or how sharp the handling is. An open-top car will always be a tough sale for the masses.

They’re machines of compromise and thus seen as a luxury; objects that many lust after but few can justify. A closed-body car might’ve very well been their answer. It could be more practical, provide superior practicality, and be more structurally stiff.

Best of all, both cars could be produced at the same time since they’d likely appeal to different customer bases. The Datsun Sports could remain in the lineup as an enthusiast’s delight. The unnamed coupe would be there for those wanting a sporting character in a more sensible package.

For years, Katayama and Kawagoe begged the product planners in Japan for cars designed with the west in mind. Little did they know, something in that vein was right around the corner. Designer Yoshihiko Matsuo has always been a strong-willed person. Back in his youth, his father discouraged him from pursuing a career in design.

He felt that the outlook was uncertain and pushed Yoshihiko to work in a more conventional field. Instead of donning a suit and tie, he took the entrance exam for the Tokyo University of the Arts in secret. He failed not once, but twice, though he still didn’t doubt himself.

After a slight pivot, he earned a seat at Nihon University. While in school, he was  involved in the development  of the three-wheeled Midget. Companies such as Daihatsu and Matsushita Electric tried courting him after he graduated, but in the end, he joined Nissan in 1961.

His first assignment here was to design the Datsun Baby for Kodomo no Kuni, an amusement park in Yokohama. It was based on the Cony Guppy and intended to teach children about cars and safe motoring. He then worked on an update  for the Pininfarina-designed  410 Bluebird, which was in a sales slump.

Management took note of his efforts when the design department was restructured the following year. It was now comprised of four sections. The first was for mainstream models, the second for large sedans, and the third was for luxury cars. The fourth oversaw sports cars, and the young Matsuo was placed in charge of it.

He didn’t have many resources at his disposal to start. Fellow designer Akio Yoshida was the only other member of the department. There also wasn’t anything in the works at that time. The Datsun Sports was already in the middle of its product cycle and there were no plans to work on any new projects.

In a 2017 interview with Jalopnik, Matsuo referred to the promotion as being named “chief by name only.” He could also use the relative seclusion to his advantage. By being in their own section, the designers would have the ability to quickly get their ideas off the ground without yielding to other voices.

And boy did they have an idea. Work on a new sports car began   in November of 1965. The process early on was more akin to how a studio would approach a concept vehicle. All manner of ideas were explored, and as a result, the development timeline is a bit scattered.

We’ll be primarily focusing on the progression of two threads. Matsuo initially envisioned a lightweight roadster based on a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine. This path is commonly referred to as Type A. If that sounds familiar to the Datsun Sports 2000, that’s because it is.

A 1973 article in Wheels Magazine says that the first proposal was for a roadster that would outright replace it. While the 2000 has its own identity, it does take after the likes of Triumph and MG. This is most evident in the front-end treatment.

It has a prominent grille, pillowy surfacing, and large, upright lamp housings. The blunt nose also ends rather abruptly. This sketch that Matsuo made in 1965 previews the direction that he had in mind. It’s decidedly more Italian in its execution, with headlight covers, a long hood, and sharper detailing on the whole.

The grille also sits lower on the body and is bisected by the bumper guard, which goes from an afterthought to a greater part of the overall design.  This drawing from early 1966 further reinforces the kind of surfacing that they were after.

It introduces the prominent power dome on the hood and emphasizes long horizontal lines.  The prospect of a fixed-head coupe was also explored, as evidenced by this sketch from the same year. It should look pretty familiar at this point.

Many of the major elements from the previous drawings come together in a softer, more sensual package. The Type A proposal was coming together rather quickly, but management wanted Matsuo to explore a solution that was based on the outgoing Silvia. We’ll refer to this one as Type B.

Models in this line are characterized by their  boxier, more conservative styling. A third series emerged in the middle of 1966. Type C cars distinguish themselves from the other lines with their retractable headlamps. While this path was shelved near the end of the year, traces of the greenhouse and pillar

Treatment would make the jump to the production car. The aforementioned Wheels article also detailed the unusual way that designers were churning out some of their full-scale models. Clay studies are effective in showing how a car will look in three dimensions, but they are also costly and time-consuming to put together.

To maintain their steady supply of models, they turned to some other, less conventional materials. Paper bodies were pulled over wood and wire frames. In addition to allowing them to preview ideas more quickly and cheaply, it also allowed them to ‘pursue an ideal harmony of light, color, and form.”

In time, the project gained a bit of focus. The direction previewed in the Type A models became the frontrunner. The A-V model, completed later in 1966, showcases many of the Z hallmarks in one form or another. A low, longitudinal grille is bisected by the bumper guard.

The “sugar scoop” light housings come into form as well. Nissan had a great deal of trouble making this part out of metal, so they went with fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Using this method, they were able to easily make the part at a low cost. Nissan switched over to metal in subsequent model years. 

The side gills didn’t make it much further than this model, as they presented further manufacturing issues. Other details as well as the overall proportions would be altered as well, but the fundamental building blocks were finally in place. Chief engineer Hajime Suitsu met with other department leads in April of 1967 with the

Goal of hashing out a more concrete development timeline. They wanted the project wrapped up by August of 1969. While this is an aggressive deadline, it wasn’t unheard of for a Japanese sports coupe of this vintage. Take the 2000GT for instance. Yamaha inked a deal with Toyota in July of 1965.

In August, they finished work on the first prototype. A show car was ready in October and, after going through its paces on the race track, the production model debuted in May of 1967. Nissan could keep to schedule so long as they  planned effectively. They also had two engines in mind for it.

The base power plant would be the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder L16 engine. The 2-liter L20 inline-six would be positioned above it. At the time, harsh engine displacement taxes discouraged Japanese automakers from exceeding a displacement of 2 liters. The engineering team briefly considered selling one equipped with the Y40 V8 in the United

States, though low demand and assembly line difficulties spelled an end to the idea. Although it was still too early to nail down the retail price, they did want to target a base figure of about $2,500. At that price point, it was almost dead on with the Sports 1600.

They were certainly still envisioning the Z as an outright replacement for that line rather than a companion model. While their plans in this regard would change further along in the process, it does reveal where Nissan wanted to position it in the market.

This was at odds with the wishes of Nissan’s Japanese sales arm, which wanted something that was more on par with the 2000GT. That car was one of the most prestigious machines in Japan at the time. Dealers were probably kicking themselves for relinquishing the spotlight to Toyota.

In hindsight, it was probably a wise move on Nissan’s part to try and penetrate the other end of the market with a more accessible product. Another meeting took place in July. Here, they decided to focus on three body styles.

Priority would be given to the coupe while convertible and 2+2 variants would be developed in the background. Making good on   their strict price projections proved to be a serious challenge. They reused parts from other models whenever possible. Hitoshi Uemura, a member of the development team, recalled an exchange he had with one

Of their suppliers during an earlier project. The front suspension of the Datsun Sports was very similar to that of the 310 Bluebird, save for an added front stabilizer. This single change nearly doubled the cost. For the Z, they’d use whatever Nissan had lying around.

The L16 engine that was being considered had already seen use in the 510. The single-cam L20 came from the Gloria and Skyline while the dual-cam S20 was also used in the Skyline GT-R. Export markets would get the L24 straight six. This was essentially an L16 with an extra set of cylinders attached.

Nissan did have to do a bit of surgery. It did need a longer block, crank, and overhead camshaft, but it was largely made up of existing components. In the book Datsun Fairlady Roadster to 280ZX: The Z-Car Story, Brian Long goes on to say: 

“The L16 was a four-cylinder version of the Mercedes-Benz SOHN six, which Prince had built under license before the Nissan takeover. In effect, this new engine was almost the same as the original Benz unit. The 4-speed manual transmission that would be standard equipment in the American market

Was derived from the unit from the 510. It was strengthened so that it could withstand the extra power. It also borrowed the front suspension from the Laurel along with a strut from the 510. Even though the Z shares a fair bit with its stablemates, it still manages to carve out its own identity.

It’s truly worth much more than the sum of its parts.  Market research was also a critical part of the process. Instead of designing the car in a relative vacuum, the team surveyed their potential customer base to find out what was important to them. They asked about their  preferred seating arrangement 

And interior appointments as well as if they had any interest in an open-top variant. Researchers even broke down the income brackets and lifestyles of those most likely to buy. This helped them focus on specific aspects of the car. Interior space and ergonomics  were major priorities.

Optimizing both of these areas would be key to maximizing the car’s appeal. To this end, they created four two-dimensional mannequins that represented American and Japanese males and females. The cars for each market were very similar on the inside, though there were a few minor differences.

The steering wheel needed to be moved back a few inches for American-spec Zs. The budget didn’t allow them to make the steering location adjustable. To compromise, they adjusted the steering wheel’s depth by 2.36 inches for cars destined for the United States.

Additionally, the seat rails were installed about 3 1/2’’ further back in American cars. Their work to make the Z more livable would’ve been for naught if it weren’t practical. Nissan wasn’t going after the typical sports car enthusiast. Those people often had other, more practical cars that could be used on a more frequent

Basis. The company figured that the person in the market for a Z couldn’t afford such a luxury, so it would need as much space as possible so that it could be used on a daily basis.  The team set a target of about 10 1/2 cubic feet of cargo room.

Uemura says that this would  be enough to accommodate  a set of the largest commercially available suitcases as well as two Boston Bags. The Porsche 911 was used as a model for this metric. When the front trunk and back seats were taken together, it had a total capacity of 11.65 square feet. 

Conceptual design work traced back to 1965, but the project wouldn’t be formally approved by management until the closing months of 1967. They might’ve been reluctant to add yet another car with sporting pretensions to their lineup. They already had two in the Datsun Sports and Silvia.

The former would’ve been different from the Z for reasons stated earlier. The latter was an expensive, hand-built coupe that was not intended for the American market. Even though Teiichi Hara was confident in the business plan, he did not want to take any chances when dealing with management. His account went something like this. 

The Nissan R380A-mk2 set seven world records while testing at Yatabe Proving Grounds in October of 1967. Management expressed interest in placing its 6-cylinder S20 engine in one of Nissan’s production cars. The Skyline was up for consideration, but they thought it would be more appropriate in a car like the Datsun Sports.

Engineering was given two weeks to come up with a prototype for evaluation. The end result left a bit to be desired. Its wheelbase had to be lengthened to accommodate  the larger engine, throwing  the overall proportions off. The higher-ups cooled off on the idea once they laid eyes on it, but Hara had something

Else to show them. A little ways away was a car under a covering. They removed it to reveal a Z prototype. Hara explained that it could be of interest  of them because it was  designed around a six-cylinder from the outset. The plan worked. Management officially approved the project in November of 1967.

Several adjustments were made to the plan at this point. They decided to build the Z coupe alongside the Datsun Sports. To make this strategy work, there would have to be a greater separation between the two lines. The L16 engine was dropped from the Z line.

The engine hierarchy will be explained in greater detail a bit later. For now, just know that domestic models would primarily use 2L engines while export models would be equipped with the L24. Nissan also went full steam ahead on the coupe and ceased development on the other body styles.

It was a bit of a shame because the convertible had gotten pretty far along in the process. Five prototypes were made for made to test the NVH and top operation. An open-top car would have obviously encroached upon the Datsun Sports, though there were other reasons for the decision.

Increasingly stringent safety regulations in the United States clouded the future outlook of convertibles. There was a fear among automakers that they could be banned outright. Management was also under the impression that a convertible would’ve been too expensive. They even went as far as to cancel a planned sunroof model.

The more usable 2+2 was also put on ice, at least for now. With this step out of the way, the road to production was finally wide open. The origin story of how the car earned its name may as well be an urban legend at this point.

It goes that Nissan president Katsuji Kawamata saw the musical “My Fair Lady” in 1958 while he was in New York City. He became enamored with it, so much so that the SPL 212 took on the name in 1960.

The logic was that people that heard the name would make the connection to the Broadway production. It never caught on with Americans. The name was only used there until they received the SP310. At this point, the car became known as the Sports 1500.

Nissan decided to reserve the Fairlady name for SP310s sold in the Japan. It made a little more sense to use it out here. In Nissan’s home market, it gave the roadster an international flair. In postwar Japan, where the automotive industry was still finding its footing, this went a

Long way in establishing the name within the national psyche. It was the perfect name for an aspirational car like that. The automaker took this even further a bit later in the decade when it set up a gallery at the San’ai Building in Tokyo’s Ginza district.

Ben Tsu from Japanese Nostalgic Car likened this part of the city to Times Square in the Big Apple. The “Miss Fairladies” that staffed the trendy showroom had the knowledge and training to shepherd the country’s growing motoring population. Nissan apparently held an internal naming competition for the upcoming sports coupe.

President Kawamata quashed this plan and insisted on selling it under the Fairlady umbrella. Its internal designation of Z would carry over to separate it from its rag top sibling. They took a far more conventional approach for other markets. Internationally, it would be known as the Datsun 240Z.

The name hints at the 2.4-liter engine under the hood. In the United States, where their cars primarily used numeric designations, it fit right in with the rest of the lineup. But where does “Z” come from? The book  “Nissan 350Z: Behind the Resurrection of  

A Legend” by Jon Lamm quotes Katayama, who  says ““Z can mean so many things—Zenith,   for example—and sounds good  in almost any language.” The Zs most important test had yet to pass. Nissan did what it could to make sure it could endure the wide range of weather conditions found in the American market.

Northeastern states were gripped by brutal winters while the Southwest had to deal with sweltering heat. And that’s to say nothing about the country’s ever-expanding interstate system. There was only so much the company could do without having boots on the ground out there. This changed late in 1969.

A pair of production prototypes were shipped out to Los Angeles. They were to undergo a grueling three-month evaluation to see if the Z could stand up to the challenges. The five-person team also informed the team in Japan of any defects that they came across. Nissan usually kept these kinds of tests under wraps.

For instance, they’d have to conceal the car under a covering and only be able to drive it at night. A special exception was made for the Z. They had permission to test it in broad daylight without any camouflage. Identifying insignias weren’t placed on the cars, so as long as they were tight-lipped

About the car, there was little risk in them getting found out. The team was still a bit paranoid, so they asked Nissan America to rent them out a warehouse for the duration of the trial. Hitoshi Uemura took one of the cars onto Harbor Freeway after one employee reported a rattle during operation.

It could only be detected at around 80 miles an hour. Naturally, Uemura needed to drive like a madman in order to maintain that speed. He weaved in and out of traffic lanes and treated the speed limit as a mere suggestion. An unusual noise did eventually come through.

Imperceptible at first, the rattle soon became unbearable. He wasn’t exactly sure what was causing the issue, though that was the least of his problems. A police officer spotted the car and flagged the speeding Uemura down. When he rolled the window down, he wanted to know why he was going so fast.

He was perhaps a bit too honest, revealing that he was testing a yet-to-be-released car. He also explained that he was only driving in that manner because he needed to uncover an issue. Then the conversation took a strange turn.

Instead of pressing him further on his aggressive driving habits or just writing him a ticket, the cop took a serious interest in the car. He wanted to know who made it, how much it was going to cost, and when it was set to be released.

While the exact starting price never came out, Uemura did say that it would be priced similarly to a standard passenger car. Then the officer looked around the car and said “Really? In that case, I guess I could afford to buy one.”

He told him to be more careful out there before letting him off the hook. Considering he could’ve been arrested or had the car towed away, the situation played out very well. Later on, engineers determined the cause of the vibration.

It stemmed from a combination of a dynamic imbalance of the tires and a force stemming from the driveshaft. They worked on a fix for these issues. In the meantime, the test team carried on with their evaluation. The first route on the itinerary was a jaunt through Southern California.

With the prevalence of imported cars in this region, many 240zs would certainly find themselves in this environment. It was imperative that the cars would withstand the soaring temperatures. The team drove both of the test cars through Death Valley.

Normally, they’d only take one of them out, but this was done as a safety precaution. They were using a rarely-used stretch of road, so if something happened to the car then they could be in grave danger. Fortunately, nothing went wrong, though they find that the air conditioning was less than adequate.

It wasn’t powerful enough to cool the entire cockpit. As a compromise, they devised a system that pointed cold air directly at the occupants. It kept everyone cool, so it was approved. The next test saw them make the trip from LA to LA. That’s Los Angeles to Louisiana.

This 4,300 trek was intended to check its grand touring abilities. It had to be ready to go on a weekend getaway at a moment’s notice. Passes through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas would also serve as additional heat stress tests.

On the way, Katayama wanted the traveling party to show the car to a certain Datsun dealership. The state it was in wasn’t specified, but based on what happened there I think it was somewhere in Texas. The manager was anticipating them and gave everyone cowboy hats when they arrived.

The self-proclaimed “car boys” wrapped up their voyage without encountering any major issues. The final leg of the test was a 6,200-mile round trip to Dawson Creek in British Columbia that was intended to check the Zs’ cold weather endurance.

Originally the crew wanted to drive all the way to Anchorage, but they were running short on time. On the way, they passed through Sacramento, Seattle, Vancouver, Edmonton, Jasper, and Banff. Temperatures got to as low  as 5 degrees Fahrenheit,  which was actually a bit warmer than they were expecting.

About 50 defects were found across their 12,000 miles of testing. Some were addressed, though others, such as the unpleasant highway vibrations, required more drastic countermeasures. These issues notwithstanding, the Z maintained its poise throughout the trial and showed that it could succeed in the market. It was finally ready for action.

The Datsun 240Z made its first public appearance on October 22, 1969, at the Pierre Hotel in New York. Coverage from the New York Times was rather cut and dry, though it did compare the overall form to Jaguar’s machines. It also earned praise from the LA Times.

The Fairlady Z debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show several days later. Nissan actually unveiled three versions of the car: A base model, a high-performance variant, and the export-spec 240Z. Now is as good a time as any to discuss the Z hierarchy.

It was offered in three trim levels when it launched in the Japanese market. The standard model was priced at 930,000JPY and was equipped with the L20 4-cylinder. This engine made 130 horsepower and 126 lb-ft torque. It also came standard with a 4-speed manual transmission.

The more luxurious Z-L started at a touch over 1,000,000JPY and came with a host of features, including a stopwatch clock, reclining seats, and a heated rear screen. It was also the only model in the range equipped with air conditioning to start. Above that was the Z432.

It was the most performance-oriented model out of the bunch. This car was powered by the 2-liter S20 engine that was derived from the unit in the R380. It’s also where its name come from. There are four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and two overhead camshafts.

Horsepower went up to 160 horsepower and torque to 130 lb-ft. This model had a starting price of 1,895,000 and about 420 were built in total. Topping the Z lineup was the Z432-R. This was an even more focused machine that was built for racing.

The radio, clock, glove box, and sound-deadening material were all removed. Acrylic panels took the place of all of the glass, aside from the windshield. Its spare tire was also taken out to make room for a larger 100L fuel tank. All of this resulted in a curb weight of just 1,886 pounds.

Total production figures for this model are a bit of a mystery. A 2021 Road and Track article by Brendan Mcaleer says that there were 19 road cars and fewer than 50 examples in total. These are far and away the most valuable S30s in existence.

One sold for a staggering 88,500,000 JPY in 2020, which translates to about $800,000. The Fairlady Z lineup would see a significant change in October of 1971 when they decided to sell the 2.4-liter model in the Japanese market. This version of the car was referred to as the Fairlady 240Z.

This also signaled the arrival of the 240ZG. According to an article from Sports Car Market, Nissan needed to build at least 500 of them in order to satisfy Group 4  homologation requirements. Its unique front end set it apart from the other cars in the range.

Officially dubbed the Aero Dyno nose, it featured headlamp coverings and an FRP extension than increased the car’s length by 190mm. It also dramatically improved its aerodynamics. The standard Z had a coefficient of drag of .467 while the ZG had a CD of about .39.

The FRP wheel wells also extended the width by 60mm. Nissan didn’t offer the 240ZG outside of the Japanese market. It couldn’t be sold in the United States for a few reasons. Firstly, the headlamp covers weren’t allowed under the country’s safety regulations. The nose extension also reduced the radiator opening.

Apparently, it was available as a dealer-installed option in a bid to make the ZG model eligible for SCCA events. The 2.4-liter engine was only on offer in the Japanese market until September of 1973. The Z lineup was simpler in the United States.

All models were powered by the 2.4-liter L24 engine which had 150 horsepower and 146 lb-ft. It had a starting price of $3,526. For comparison’s sake, the Datsun Sports 1600 cost $2,766 while the 2000 came in at $3,096.

It seemed as if there was enough differentiation between the model lines for them to all coexist. Z production began in the latter half of 1969. Production of both model lines was handled by Nissan Shatai, a subsidiary that also helped build specialty vehicles. Demand quickly outstripped their 2,000 unit per month projection.

Interest for the car in the United States was incredibly strong. According to a 1971 Road and Track article, the KBB retail price for a used 1970 model was well over $4,000. If someone wanted a new car, they’d either have to pay above sticker for a model equipped

With lots of options or sit around on a waiting list for months. There were even rumors that a dealer had marked a Z up to $10,000. Nissan couldn’t build them fast enough, even after they raised their production target to 4,000 a month.

In August of 1970, they decided to cease Datsun Sports production and convert those lines to building the Z. It was a no-brainer. By this point, they’d sent about 16,000 240Zs to the United States compared to just 1,285 roadsters. After the change in tooling, they’d have the capacity to build 7,500 240Zs a month.

It was a smash hit with the general public, but would the motoring press come around to it? First impressions were quite favorable. Ron Wakefield called it a bargain in the 1970 edition of Road and Track magazine. He praised the generous level of standard equipment and strong performance figures before

Saying that the thought Datsun had a winner on its hands. Car and Driver actually got behind the wheel and published their findings in June. They were pleasantly surprised at how well thought out everything was. The driving position and instrument placement were excellent.

Its interior appointments also earned high marks, with some testers noting that the cockpit made the car seem more expensive than actually was. Minimal road noise only reinforced these notions. Practicality was also a strong point. The rear hatch revealed a carnivorous luggage compartment that was even fitted with tie-down straps to secure smaller items.

Further on, the magazine declared that “the 240Z sets the new standard for utility in 2-passenger cars of this price.” Actual driving impressions were a mixed bag. It understeered more in right turns than in left turns, though they chalked this up to an isolated incident.

That particular car had expanders in the left front spring to overcome a sag. The atrocious directional stability was more concerning. At high speeds, the car would sway left and right. While it wasn’t anything Car and Driver personnel couldn’t handle, it was still unbefitting for a touring car.

Spongy brakes made slowing down from those speeds problematic. Stopping power was further stymied in the rain because water could splash into the braking system. Outside of these admittedly serious issues, the dynamics were decent enough. The steering was responsive when it didn’t have a mind of its own and the gearbox was excellent.

They thought the 240Z was worth every penny of its $3,601 test price, and potentially more if those shortcomings were ironed out. Wheels Magazine found that it was an unprecedented value despite lacking the refinement and precision of its contemporaries. The 240Z even impressed reviewers in Great Britain, which had historically been a tough

Market to penetrate for Japanese makes. In the March 1972 edition of Motor Sport Magazine, writer Andrew Marriott referred to the car as a “civilized GT carriage.” The no-nonsense IP earned favor with him. It also had little trouble accommodating drivers over 6 feet tall.

The author notes that this was an area that Japanese cars struggled with. Perhaps Nissan was trying to appeal to his British sensibilities by sending out a model finished in Racing Green, but it wasn’t necessary. The magazine thought highly of it and lamented the fact that their own country didn’t build

A car that was on par with it. The 240Z had received high praise from the press, but how did it stack up to the competition? Road and Track would find out in April of 1970. It was part of a five-member shootout that contained a few of its closest competitors.

The Fiat 124 Coupe had the lowest as-tested price of the bunch at $3,292, and it had a lot to offer on paper. The numbers didn’t jump off the page, but it was the only one equipped with a 5-speed manual and 4-wheel disc brakes.

The MGB GT was getting a bit long in the tooth at this point. It had gone on sale in 1966 and the roadster that it was based on was introduced back in 1962. Still, the British thoroughbred was sure to put up a fight.

Its rival from Coventry had a closed-body offering that was a bit newer. Before the 240Z, the Triumph GT6 was the only car among them that had a six-cylinder engine. It was also the smallest, which was sure to make for a raucous combination. Last, but certainly not least, was the Opel GT.

The German import was perhaps the most compromised in terms of practicality. Of course, this also meant that it was the lightest of the bunch. Responsive steering and sharp handling were obvious benefits, but it also achieved an impressive 26 miles per gallon.

Each columnist scored the cars on a scale of 1-10 in terms of their driving dynamics, interior comfort, visibility, and usability. The scores were then totaled from each of them and a winner would be selected. The 240Z came out on top. It absolutely dusted the others in terms of raw numbers.

The 124 had the next highest horsepower figure with 104 while the GT6 trailed the Z with 117 lb-ft. Road and Track also recorded a 0-60 time of 8.7, which was far and away the best of the group. For comparison’s sake, the Opel GT clocked in at just under 12 seconds.

Despite this, it wasn’t a complete blowout. The Europeans made up a bit of ground in some other areas and made things somewhat competitive. It just barely edged out the Fiat when the scorecards were added up. That car provided superior steering and handling, and even came with a full-size backseat.

High-speed performance remained a serious concern. The aero-challenged coupe could lose its composure in the middle of crosswinds. Although the Z still came out of the bout as the winner, its slim margin of victory took Road and Track off-guard.

It was the segment leader by a hair, and this would become even smaller as the other cars were redesigned. Nissan would have to continue to improve upon it to maintain its grasp on the segment. The best way to do this was on the race track.

The Z was one of the most accomplished racing machines of its day, proving its mettle on the circuit as well as in the rally scene. Datsun was already making a name in the SCCA racing scene in both the east and west divisions.

The 510 and Datsun Sports found some success, but the Z would take the brand to heights unseen. Brock Racing Enterprises spearheaded their efforts out west. The club didn’t race for them officially in 1969, they won their division in the SCCA Pacific Coast circuit and earned a spot in the SCCA Nationals in Daytona.

Nissan took notice. Brock met with Katayama and asked if he had an interest in racing under the Datsun USA banner. He believed in the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” philosophy. Finding success on the race track would help them sell cars and reinforce their image as an exciting company.

Bob Sharp, a race car driver and Datsun dealer, also got in on the action after scooping up a decommissioned show car. It was the first Z to arrive in the US and made the rounds at events all over the country.

Its time in the spotlight was cut short after a booth model sat on it during a photo shoot and put a dent in the roof. Sharp planned on giving it a second wind in the SCCA East division. Alas, the car’s time here was rather uneventful. It suffered a complete engine failure.

It could’ve been an isolated incident, but there was also reason to believe that the issue was more widespread. Nissan made a potentially catastrophic oversight. SCCA rules required engines and components that were derived from their production cars. They originally intended to use the Z432 engine in this circuit, but the stipulation drove

A stake in those plans. The L24 was not designed for this level of competition. And there was at least one other reason for them to be concerned. BRE engineer Art Oehril uncovered a harmonic vibration in the engine. The car shook violently under high load, and this was more than a minor annoyance.

Peter Brock said that the vibrations were so brutal that the crank severed itself from the flywheel during a test run at Willow Springs Raceway. The team told Nissan of the issue and was met with radio silence. It seemed as if the Zs racing career was over, but the company sent over redesigned components

At the 11th hour. After this, the Z stepped in for the Roadster and won several key races down the stretch. BRE punched its ticket to the Runoffs at Road Atlanta and went on to win the 1970 National Championships.

It seemed as if they’d continue to dominate SCCA for years to come, but it wasn’t meant to be. Driver John Morton came away with the C-Production championship in 1971 before the club disbanded in ‘ 73. Bob Sharp, meanwhile, won in 1972 and 1973. Nissan also bolstered their credentials on the rally scene.

One of their first major efforts in this realm was their entrance into the 1970 RAC Rally in London. There was no shortage of teething issues for the burgeoning Works team. Only one of the four competing 240Zs managed to cross the finish line. Still, Rauno Aaltonen’s 7th-place position was decent enough considering the circumstances.

If the technical issues were worked out then Nissan could prove to be something to worry about. Several major events were on the docket for 1971. The elements would not be on their side in Monte Carlo. Blankets of snow and roads slicked with ice would test the skill of both man and machine.

While they didn’t win, Nissan did see more than one car complete the race. Aaltonen finished fifth while teammate Fall Tony came in 10th. The East African Safari Rally was a different beast altogether. It was the most demanding race on the calendar. Machines needed to keep their cool under the sweltering Kenyan sun.

The road surface also proved to be a serious obstacle. drivers kicked clouds of dust into the air, obscuring the view ahead for the unfortunate souls trailing them. 91 cars entered the race in 1971 and just 19 managed to finish. While a Nissan did win the event that year, that car was a 1600SSS.

There was no telling how the new Z would fare under these conditions. It would be understandable if they couldn’t finish it the first time around. That is not what happened. Instead, Nissan finished first, second, and seventh. They also made history by becoming the first company to claim the overall victory, team

Victory, and manufacturers championship in back-to-back years. The 240Z was the right car at the right time. It outclassed its contemporaries in many respects, offering strong performance and unprecedented practicality in an affordable package. It was a smash hit, but how long would this be the case?

The 1970s were a period of massive upheaval for the automotive industry. Many 60s sports cars were  altered beyond recognition  once they crossed into the new decade. Would the same be true for the Z? Things remained par for the course, at least to start.

The first major addition came in the form of a three-speed automatic. Buyers that didn’t want to row their own gears would have to make some compromises for the privilege. Road and Track recorded a 0-60 time of 10.4 seconds as well as a fuel economy rating of 19 miles per gallon.

Both of these figures were worse than the standard model. In the real world, they did find that the experience wasn’t that far removed from the stick shift. And at $190, it proved itself as a compelling alternative for those wanting an automatic. It wasn’t a very popular option among the Z faithful.

Brian Long states that fewer than 10 percent of cars were optioned accordingly. Things would soon change for the worse. A strengthening yen rose the cost of many Japanese exports, and the Z was no exception. By 1972, the sticker price rose to $4,106. Safety regulations were also taking a toll on the car.

Reworked impact bumpers were installed in 1973, which added about 100 pounds to the curb weight. New carburetors and the inclusion of an exhaust gas recirculation system negatively affected performance. Horsepower went down to 120 horsepower while torque decreased to 127. This was reflected in its slower 0-60 time.

Road and Track observed a time of 11.9 seconds for late-1973 models. Nissan made up some of these losses by increasing the engine displacement from about 2.4 liters to about 2.6 liters. Of course, this necessitated a name change. The car was now known as the 260Z in export markets.

Again, the larger engine was not on offer in Japan. Figures shot back up to 162 horsepower and 152 lb-ft, though weight gains and emissions equipment essentially canceled out the performance gains. California models were detuned to 139HP and 137 lb-ft. Still, car magazines thought it was a better car than the 240Z.

High-speed stability and overall handling were much improved. Road and Track even declared that the previous model wouldn’t be missed and that the 260Z amended many of the criticisms that they had of that particular car. 1974 also saw the addition of a 2+2 model.

It’s 200 pounds heavier than the 2-seater and the wheelbase is extended by nearly a foot. While the styling doesn’t quite stack up to its sibling, the 2+2 hides the extra weight surprisingly well. Everything looks the part up to the B-pillar.

Instead of gracefully sloping back to the rear deck, the roofline abruptly cuts down in an attempt to maintain its sporting looks. It could be better, but it could’ve also been a lot worse. It also had a softer, more subdued character on the road.

Reviewers chalked this up to the extra weight and longer wheelbase. American-market cars saw yet another update later in the year. Units built after September 1st, commonly referred to as 1974 1/2 cars, were equipped with even larger bumpers that increased the overall length by about 100mm.

Nissan discontinued it in the US in March of the following year and replaced it with the 280Z. Nissan made it in response to smothering emissions regs in California. The rest of the country was sure to follow its lead. This was a way for the automaker to get in front of the oncoming standards.

As the name implies, engine displacement was increased to 2.8 liters. Performance figures were bumped up to 168 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. It was also the first Z to have fuel injection, which provided several benefits over the previous carbureted models. Cold starts became less of a burden.

The system could detect these conditions and supply more fuel until the engine warmed up. It also improved performance, fuel economy, and overall drivability. In some respects, it was the best the Z had ever been. In others, it was hardly a Z at all.

Tumultuous market conditions heavily affected consumer tastes, which in turn influenced how automakers created their products. This much is seen in the gradual evolution of Nissan’s sports coupe. Its curb weight of 2,875 pounds was 520 pounds heavier than that of the original 240Z. The 2+2 added even more weight.

The extra heft didn’t stop that particular body style from becoming an integral part of the Z lineup. From 1974 to 1977, the 2+2 made up between a quarter to nearly a third of total sales in the United States. It was also pushed outside of its original price bracket.

The 2-seater cost nearly $8,900 in the 1978 model year while the 2+2 started at just over $10,000. It was far removed from the affordable runabout that it was envisioned as. Even still, the car became more popular than ever. They sold roughly 50,000 cars in 1974.

This increased to about 51,000, then 60,000, and then 71,000 in 1977. In addition to showing that consumers still revered the Z nameplate, it also hinted at where the sports car market was headed. With sky-high horsepower numbers seemingly becoming a thing of the past, people became more concerned with efficiency, space, and safety.

The 240Z took these into consideration during the design process. They’d have to lean into those traits even further if they wanted to carry this success into the new decade. Of course, that task would fall to another car. The S30 was discontinued after 1978.

It sold over 523,000 units worldwide during its time on the market and spearheaded Nissan’s emergence in the United States. In 1969 they sold just under 87,000 cars. In 1978, they sold roughly 433,000, and there was no sign of them slowing down. Nothing was guaranteed, though.

Competition would be stiffer than ever in the 1980s. Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Toyota would challenge Nissan for the sports car crown at home. The Detroit Three, eager to win back the American populace, will come out swinging with reimaginings of muscle car mainstays.

The likes of Porsche and Audi shall throw their hats into the ring as well. I’m even getting reports that a former GM executive will enter the market. And that’s to say nothing of new regulations and experimental technologies. How will Nissan respond? We’ll find out in the 80s!

Hi, I’m John Morton and this is the  240Z we’ve won so many races with. Now this one’s been specially modified for racing but many of the features that make  this car a champion on the racetracks also make it an excellent performer on the street

The S30 was always going to be a  tough act for the company to follow. Nissan sold over half a million of  them since its introduction in 1970. It appealed to pretty much everyone. General buyers appreciated its unparalleled  ergonomics and practicality in the segment  

While enthusiasts enjoyed the Zs  class-leading power and low base price. Despite its shortcomings, the motoring press  took to it quite well. No other offering in   the Zs segment could keep up with it, and  this remained the case throughout the decade. While strangling safety and emissions  regulations cast a shadow over the  

Sports car world, the S30 managed  to get by relatively unscathed. It showed an uncanny ability to  adapt to ever-changing conditions. Nissan couldn’t keep the car  on the market forever, though. Fuel crises, environmental regulations,   and safety guidelines negatively  affected performance and styling.

The S30, as resilient as it proved to be, was  not designed with these conditions in mind. Nissan needed a car for the 80s. Steve Wozniak owns two of the  world’s most impressive sports cars. What’s your favorite Steve. I prefer the Z. It isn’t enough for automotive designers to  

Possess artistic mastery and  strong interpersonal skills. They also need to be clairvoyant and know   what people will want before  they even know they want it. Nissan’s product planners were faced with the   issue of figuring out what the  Z of the future would look like. Development work stretches all the way back to  

1974. Surveying existing customers  seemed like the best place to start. Z owners used their cars for everyday  tasks such as commuting and shopping.   They noted that its use cases weren’t  that far removed from that of a sedan. This was hardly surprising to Nissan,  

Seeing as how the S30 was designed  in the vein of a daily driver. People also had a certain expectation of the  qualities that a sports car should possess. They wanted a fast, nimble machine even though   they’d probably rarely push the  machine to its limits, if ever.

The image of a sports car  was a huge factor for them. It also needed to appeal to  American sensibilities since   the company predicted that 70 percent  of production would go to that country. The early ideation phase began in  two phases. In the first phase,  

Designers were encouraged to explore  ideas without adhering to the Z legacy. Even though the drawings were relatively loose,   there were a few elements that were  all but guaranteed to make the cut. A long hood and short overhangs  were expected of a front-engine,  

Rear-wheel-drive coupe. Many of the drawings  also featured a kick in the window that   emphasized the rear wheel. Designers  clashed over the finer details, though. The B-pillar, for instance, saw  a wide variety of executions. Another came up in the second sketching phase,   which was more grounded in  comparison to the first.

One of the most contentious issues was  the execution of the front grille. The   old S30 had a wide opening that was bisected  by the bumper. While it’s undoubtedly iconic,   it also wasn’t the most elegant solution, and this  definitely showed in the late model 260Z and 280Z.

Designers tried to modernize this element  with a more integrated solution. It   wasn’t until they stepped into the wind  tunnel that they settled on a direction. Sealing off the opening above the  bumper and sending the air into   the lower intake proved to be the better solution.

A front-end spoiler channeled  more cooling into this area and   had the added benefit of reducing front-end lift. The headlights were also up in the  air. The sugar scoop headlights were   another defining characteristic of the old car. Retractable headlights were  in vogue during this time,  

But in the end, the company decided to  stick with the traditional housings. To them, it was far more important to reinforce  the Z identity than to conform to styling trends. Engineers also found that they provided  more aerodynamic benefits than pop-up units.

After a lengthy design process, the company found  itself with a pair of proposals. They were similar   in many ways, with the main differences  lying in the front bumper and B-pillar. The first had a front-end signature that wasn’t  too far removed from the old 240ZG. The window  

Support also blended in the with surrounding  glass, creating a sleeker overall look. The second bid featured an angular bumper as  well as a more ornate B-pillar. In the end,   they decided to go with the second proposal. Styling wasn’t the only fact that  they needed to consider. Nissan  

Had to ensure that it could excel as  a daily driver. Safety, usability,   and NVH were all prime considerations. In terms  of crash protection, the IP was designed to   collapse and absorb the impact if the driver were  thrown against it in the event of an accident.

Interior controls were also adjusted to make them  as safe and usable as possible. Hard or protruding   items that could prove hazardous during an impact  were replaced with large and soft touch points. The 2-passenger and 2+2 body styles used different  seats. The high-backed bucket seats from the 280Z  

Were updated and carried over into the former,  as they suited its more sporting character. 2+2 models were equipped with more  comfortable low-backed models that   increased visibility for occupants in the rear. Visibility was also an important  factor in this regard. Smaller   A-pillars resulted in a three percent  improvement in frontal sight lines.

Nissan measured this by using a fish eye lens to  replicate the perspective of the driver. While   visibility out of the rear was more or less  the same, the back window was significantly   larger. This brought more light into the  interior and made the cockpit more inviting  

Overall. The urethane bumpers at the front and  rear of the car are a more unified structure. Additionally, marked for the US and  Canada were equipped with shock absorbers. Overall interior volume increased dramatically.  The S30 had 57 cubic feet of space. The S130,   meanwhile, had about 73 cubic  feet of space. Luggage capacity  

Increased 37 percent from 7.47  cubic feet to 12.61 cubic feet. After three years of work, 200 prototypes,   and tens of thousands of test miles, the  Datsun 280ZX entered production in July of   1978. Exports to the United States began  in October while sales officially kicked  

Off the following month. Its push upmarket  was most evident in its $9,899 base price. The 2.8 liter engine should’ve looked  pretty familiar to Americans. It was   the same engine that was in  the market-exclusive 280Z.   Japanese buyers also had the option of a  2 liter variant that made 130 horsepower.

Journalists got a chance to check out the car  at an event at Portland International Soeedway,   and they were instantly able to discern the  differences between the S130 and its predecessor. The headline in Car and Driver said it all:  1979 Datsun 280ZX Evolves Into a Personal  

Luxury Car. Patrick Bedard remarked that it  resembled something that Buick would put out   if they ever decided to enter this segment.  It was well behaved at lower speeds, with   the magazine stating that it was “more along the  lines of a luxury car than a sporting machine.”

It did not inspire much confidence under hard  driving. The rear end was far too eager to come   out. A bit of this can contribute to a more  engaging driving experience, but the S130   continually spiraled out of their control. It  drew unfavorable comparisons to the Porsche 911.

While skills drivers could rein that car in  those situations, the Datsun seemed to be beyond   help. The 2+2 was a bit more stable, though they  weren’t very fond of that car’s dynamics, either. Whatever ground was lost here was made up in the  interior. The driving position and instrument  

Placement earned high marks. Bedard said that  it was more luxurious than offerings from Mazda,   Triumph, and even Mazda. The seats struck  a balance between comfort and support and   we’re endlessly configurable. Its  host of features also impressed. Cruise control, power steering, and  a central warning system were just  

A few of the extras that came with the  top-of-the-line Grand Luxury trim. The   driver’s side window could also be lowered  completely with a simple press of a button. The article stated that no one, not even the  likes of Cadillac, had a feature like that.

It also had a dual fuel gauge. The main part goes  from full to empty like normal. Right under this   is a secondary display that essentially puts  the last quarter of range under a microscope. It might seem like a silly detail nowadays,  

But it probably appealed to those living in  the fuel-starved 70s. In the end, they found   that the new Z was a compelling offering as long  as it wasn’t pushed outside of its comfort zone. While they lamented the car’s change in scope,  

They could at least appreciate  the car that was in front of them. The S30 led the pack the moment it was released,  but the scene had changed drastically since 1970. Competition was stronger than ever. Would the  S130 see the same dominance? A 1979 Motor Trend  

Comparison illustrated just how leveled the  playing field had become. The magazine matched   it up against its closest rival in the Toyota  Celica Supra. It equaled the Datsun in terms of   smoothness, performance, and fuel economy.  The Supra was also over $4,000 cheaper. While they had reservations  about the exterior styling,  

Motor Trend staff concluded that the  Supra was the superior car in many ways. A 1981 Car and Driver test put the  2-seater model up against the other   premier sports cars of the day. While some of  them weren’t exactly in the same vein as the Z,  

It did show how varied the  sports car market had become. The Alfa Romeo and Fiat were holdovers  from the previous decade and were among   the last of a dying breed. Porsche’s 924 was their  attempt at a relatively affordable sports coupe.

The rotary-powered RX-7 was shaping up  to be the S30 of the 80s. And while the   Corvette was overdue for a replacement,  it still offered plenty of raw thrills. With all of these cars and approaches, the Z  was sure to stand out in its own way, right?

The first leg of their journey saw them  travel from Los Angeles to Santa Maria.   The trip included boundless  freeways and twisty mountain   passes. The roadsters excelled in the  hills with their roofs stowed away. Cars of that sort were a dying breed, and  the Italians left the writers wondering  

Why that was the case. The wind and  noise became a bit much after a while,   but the cars still stood out in their own way. Conversely, the Mazda and Porsche  were sophisticated machines that   handled everything thrown their way  with ease. Even the Corvette managed  

To charm them in its own unique  way. The Z was the odd one out. While it was a decent enough  straight-line cruiser,   the numb driving dynamics were, in their  eyes, totally unbefitting of a sports car. Things remained the same the following day  when they arrived at Willow Springs Raceway.

The 924 was right at home on the track  while the RX7 wasn’t very far behind. The   Spiders weren’t the tarmac scalpels  that the aforementioned cars were,   though they were still able to  have a bit of fun with them.

Chevrolet’s offering actually had the fastest  lap time out of the bunch. The Z was simply out   of its element here, as the issues that cropped up  during the road test were only accentuated here. When the scorecards were added up, the Z  finished in fifth place, just ahead of the Fiat.

These sentiments were shared  across the automotive press. Motor praised the smooth and quiet engine  but stated that it “did not arouse great   enthusiasm as a driving machine  from any of out group testers.” Road Test magazine placed it third in a triple  threat with an RX7 and Chevrolet Corvette.

Don Fuller referred to the  Z as a penalty box because   it handled so poorly compared to the other two. They were clearly missing the  old model and bemoaned its   new direction. It was exactly  what Nissan set out to build. No longer was it a homely, affordable  runabout. It was evolving into a  

Touring car that carried the burden  of representing the entire company. The transition wasn’t complete quite yet, but the  changes were already turning people’s idea of a Z   car on its head. Whether or not enthusiasts took  to it didn’t matter much. The market had spoken.

64,459 z cars were sold in its first year on  the market, though both generations were on   sale concurrently. Brian Long notes that  the vast majority of them were S30s. The   S130 more than picked up the slack in 1979,  where nearly 72,000 of them found buyers.

It was also named Motor Trends’ import  car of the year. Viewers of the channel   also selected it as their favorite  between it and a few flavors of the Z31. One commenter pointed to the engine  as the reason for their selection.   The facelifted Z31 wasn’t very far behind.

Take off with the most  exhilarating new car of the year. The Datsun Turbo ZX. Car enthusiasts were in for a treat  at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show. The company unveiled the 280ZX 2+2 TT.  The first T represented its T-bar roof   while the second T hinted at  a turbocharged engine. Let’s  

Start with the new roof. Nissan planned on  equipping the car with a full on Targa top,   but time constraints and rigidity  concerns led them to the present solution. The world would have to wait a bit  longer for a traditional convertible  

Z. The panels could be had on the  2-seater as well as the 2+2. They   struck a middle ground between open-air  motoring and structural stability. Owners could store them in a vinyl  pouch in the boot, but even when   in place they let in sunlight and made the  interior feel more open overall. It became  

Available in the United States in  1980 and in Europe the year after. The more pertinent addition to the lineup  was the turbocharger. It went on sale in   April of 1981 with a few caveats. in the  first model year, buyers could only get  

It in the 2-seater T-top body style and  equipped with an automatic transmission. Nissan didn’t put a manual inside to start partly  because they didn’t think their in-house manual   could take the extra power. The slush box that  was available needed to be reinforced as well.

A stick could be had later in the year while  the 2+2 became available the following year. The 280ZX Turbo hit the scene at a price of   $17,000. This would equate to  $54,731.96 in today’s money. The Garrett AiResearch turbocharger bumped   its already respectable horsepower  figure of 145(?) to a whopping 180.

For comparison’s sake, the L81 Corvette of the  same vintage had 190 horsepower. That was the   most powerful American production car that year. An off-center NACA duct on  the hood and twin exhaust   tips at the rear were not-so-subtle visual cues. On paper, it completely changed  the car’s character from a cruiser  

To an outright rocket (relatively speaking). The turbo made its way to the Japanese  market late in 1982, but only the 2-liter   variant would receive forced induction. The  L20ET engine made 145 BHP and 152 lb-ft. Back in America, Car and Driver recorded a 0-60  

Time of 6.8 seconds. For the early  1980s, this was seriously impressive. It then declared that it was “the quickest  automatic-transmission machine in the country. This drastic increase in power and price placed it   among entirely new competition. In the  December 1981 edition of Car and Driver,  

It squared off against the Porsche 911, Ferrari  308GTS, Delorean DMC-12, and Chevrolet Corvette. The particular ZX used in the comparison was  actually a prototype equipped with a manual   transmission. It had other experimental odds and  ends fitted as well. Fit and finish weren’t quite  

On the level as the others, but it still managed  to keep pace with them. In terms of straight-line   acceleration, only the Porsche was faster. It also  lost out on the top-speed crown to the Ferrari. The magazine placed it third, which was  impressive enough. When the price is considered,  

Then they’re downright shocking. The 280ZX  had the second lowest base price out of them   all. The Corvette started at $16,250,  but the test car cost about $19,000.   The other three cars were priced from  $25,000 to over $56,000. Nissan could  

Take solace in the fact that it was in  the mix with those other cars at all. It went from a bit of a disappointment  to a car that punched well above its   weight. Nissan thought that it bolster  already strong sales of the Z. Instead,  

They fell to about 63,000 in 1981, and  then to about 57,000 in 1982. Thankfully,   Nissan had an update in the works that they hoped  would give the model line a shot in the arm. The S130 Z would only be on the market  for about five years. Nissan was already  

Hard at work on its follow up, internally  dubbed the Z31. It wouldn’t be an entirely   new car. Engineers used a modified version  of the S130s chassis. The ensuing changes   resulted in an improved coefficient of drag,  from .385 to .30. It also featured 80s-ified  

Sugar scoop headlights, which were more  in line with the car’s angular lines.   They also allowed Japanese owners to flash  oncoming traffic in their retracted position. The significant changes came inside the  engine bay. The old power plants were   retired from the Z line and replaced with  a line of V6 engines. Markets outside of  

Japan only had the naturally aspirated VG30E and  turbocharged VG30ET 3 liter engines. The former   made 160 horsepower and 173 lb-ft while the  latter produced 200 horsepower and 227 lb-ft.   In Europe. This engine made something  closer to 230 horsepower and 242 lb-ft.

The situation was a bit different in Japan.  Here, the VG30ET made its full power rating until   October 1986. After this, it was dethroned to 195  horsepower and 227 lb-ft. Buyers out here could   also have their car with a 2-liter motor. The  170-horsepower VG20ET was available until 1986.

This is when the RB20DET in-line six was  introduced. It made 10 more horsepower than   the engine that it replaced. The turbocharger  made use of a turbine rotor made from ceramic.   This reduced its moment of inertia by a  whopping 45 percent, reducing turbo lag  

And increasing engine responsiveness. It  was developed in collaboration with NGK   and earned Nissan a prize from the Japan  Gas Turbine Academic Society in 1986. 1987 saw the introduction of the VG30DE. This  was a naturally-aspirated four-valve DOHC   V6 engine that gave the car a different  character, as Jack Yamaguchi explains:

“The twin-cam engine delivers a rare  combination of a fat torque curve low   in the rev range and a willingness to  wind instantly to the 7,000 RPM limit.” The Z31 went on sale in the United States  in October of 1983. The base 2-seater was  

Priced from $15,800 while the turbo began at  about $18,200. A base model that would’ve been   priced from about $13,000 was not offered  in the US due to voluntary import quotas. It came out just as the Datsun brand was being  phased out worldwide. The S130 was officially  

Badged “Datsun 280ZX by Nissan”, but the new  car had no Datsun badging on it whatsoever. Road and Track said that it was “the  same-only more so” before going on to   state that fans of the 280ZX would be  fond of this car as well. Of course,  

It was also unlikely to win over its critics. It  did have superior handling to its predecessor,   but overall, it was seen as a mild revision. In 1984, Nissan released the 300ZX  Turbo 50th anniversary to commemorate   the company’s half-centenary. There  were a host of exclusive features,  

Including silver over black paintwork,  color-keyed bummers, gold-inlaid wheels,   unique seat emblems, and a set of gold keys.  Mechanical changes included a new front air dam   and stiffer springs. There were no options aside  for the choice of either a manual or automatic. They were priced at $26,000 and  allocations were limited. Nissan  

Shipped just 5,148 examples to  the US and another 300 to Canada. Sales surged upon the Z31s introduction.  About 71,000 were sold in 1983 and just   over 73,000 were sold in 1984. And then  numbers declined to about 67,000 in ‘85.

A mild update in 1986 introduced a redesigned  front end, flared wheel arches, and more   aggressive side skirts. The off-center hood  scoop present on turbo models was also deleted. This previewed a more comprehensive facelift in  1987. Nissan’s North American design studio in  

San Diego developed this revision. Nissan Design  International was established in 1979 and began   doing business in 1983. This was an important  project for the emerging satellite studio. It featured yet another redesigned front  end, thinner tail lights, new wheels,   a tweaked suspension setup, and larger  brake calipers. This did nothing to  

Help with free falling Z sales. 1987 saw  Nissan move just 33,000 of them. In ‘88,   they dipped below the 20,000 mark. The  writing was on the wall for the Z31. It was time for a replacement. 414,628 S130s  and 328,599 Z31s were produced during their  

Respective runs in the market. While they kept the  Z relevant throughout the late 70s and early 80s,   neither car had the cultural impact of  the original. This changed in the 90s. Yutaka Kume wasn’t your average public  relations guru. He earned a degree in  

Aeronautical engineering from the University of  Tokyo and then worked at a navy dockyard during   the war. Kume joined Nissan in 1946, worked  his way through the engineering department,   and eventually became the automaker’s head of  research and development. Nissan appointed him  

As its Executive VP in 1983 and then  its president two years after that. He set about injecting the company with  a shot of adrenaline. Under his guidance,   Nissan initiated the “901 Activity.” That number  encapsulated its refocused priorities. They aimed  

To be the number one automaker in terms of  performance by the year 1990. Design and   technology also became major considerations. The  next crop of Nissans would take this philosophy on   in stride, and the car that would spearhead  this effort would be the next generation Z.

Development began in 1984. The venture  earned the internal designation of   Project UZ. Previous iterations used  the S30s basic design as a foundation,   but for the new Z, designers worked from  a clean sheet. During the ideation phase,   stylists were required to submit sketches  for the UZ as well as the upcoming Silvia.  

Toshio Yamashita disregarded the rules  and placed all of his efforts in the Z. He worked on the car at home while his wife  and newborn child were visiting her parents.   His sketch was the only one on the wall  that didn’t have an accompanying Silvia  

Drawing. The directors were so impressed  with the proposal that they accepted it,   broken rules and all. This echoed Yamashita’s  unusual start in the automotive industry. He entered his adolescent years with dreams of  becoming an architect. That profession was his  

First choice on his high school application.  Design was his second choice if he couldn’t   get into his preferred program. He was  in for a surprise when he got word on   the final result. Architecture wasn’t in the  cards. While this was a disappointing result,  

He was still capable of carving out a long  career in this field. The strange part in   all of this was that design was listed as his  preferred path. Toshio confided in his father,   who he expected to be sour about the course  of events. On the contrary, he was actually  

Pleasantly surprised. It was all his doing. The  elder Yamashita believed that he was too small   to be an architect and therefore wouldn’t  be taken seriously on site by the builders. Visitors came to his institution as his studies  wound down. Nissan representatives arrived  

Looking for designers. A high school seems like a  strange place for a major automaker to scout out,   but the practice wasn’t too uncommon in Japan  around this time. There weren’t very colleges   that specialized in transportation design. Nissan  stopped this practice about a decade later.

Toshio’s instructor asked if anyone was interested  in the opportunity. He and another student were   the only students to raise their hands.  His colleague couldn’t join him at Nissan   because his parents didn’t want him to move to  Tokyo, so he was on his own. Preparing for the  

Interview was a challenge in itself. He didn’t  have a strong interest in cars at the time and   none of his professors were trained in that  particular field. He showed up to the interview   with a portfolio mainly consisting of drawings of  pots and rice cookers and gave it his best shot.  

Nissan must have seen something in him because  they brought him on as a full-time designer.   Designing a car of his own became a dream of  his, but a fellow employee informed him that,   as a designer fresh out of high school, he’d only  be assigned to work on components and the like.

There were some growing pains early on, but he  improved by applying feedback from his managers   and referencing car magazines. Soon enough, he  found a chance to stand out. Designers often   hung their sketches on the wall for evaluation,  similar to what occurred in the mid-80s with  

The 300ZX. Toshio wasn’t expected to submit any  proposals due to his standing within the company,   but he didn’t let that stop him from giving  it a try. He made a handful of drawings   when he got home from work one night. When he  returned to the office the following morning,  

He hung 10 of them on the board. He then returned  to his work on the Silvia’s radiator grille. One of his supervisors pulled a sketch off of  the wall and asked who made it. Once again,   Toshio rose his hand. This led to an  evaluation meeting where he was asked to  

Create a 5th-scale sketch. From here, he was able  to establish himself as a fully-fledged designer. Returning to the mid-1980s, Yamashita  remained heavily involved in Project UZ   after his proposal was accepted. He spearheaded  a pair of 1:1 configuration mock-ups to get a  

Feel for the overall proportions. The details  hadn’t yet been fully explored at this point,   but the silver front-engine one  resembles an evolution of the Z31. The two-tone mid-engine proposal, meanwhile,  would have changed the very idea of what a Z  

Car was. The fact that it was given serious  consideration at all was an indication of   Nissan’s emphasis on performance. What that car  would look like would have to remain in the minds   of those at R&D. A midship layout had packaging  conflicts with the inevitable 2+2 variant.

Yamashita also traveled to the United  States with a few of his colleagues to   see why the Z had become such a phenomenon in  that market. They also wanted to see if there   was anything they could do to increase its  appeal even more. The traveling party made  

Stops in California, Texas, and Michigan.  It was intended to be for market research,   but Yamashita made one serious  sketch while in the country. A Dino pulled out in front of them while they were  on the road. He became inspired to create a sketch  

When he returned to his hotel room. It looks far  removed from the final design, but some features   exaggerate its width. The wide tail light bar is  one that made the jump over to the real thing. The   details are far removed from the production model,  but the idea of emphasizing its width remained.

Yamashita wanted the design to see  production with as few changes as   possible. His stubbornness earned him the  nickname of Yadashita. “Yada” translates   roughly to “I don’t like” or “I don’t want to”  and was in reference to all of the suggestions  

That he shot down. The headlights were a  prime example of this. The design called   for units that were set at a 60-degree angle.  Engineers either wanted to reposition them to   a 45-degree angle or use retractable  lights. Instead of admitting defeat,  

Yamashita went out on his own and found smaller  projectors for the engineering team to use. The antenna was also a point of contention.  The layout team wanted to place it on the   front of the car near the A-pillar. He  argued that this would have distrusted  

The overall design and wanted to find another  spot for it. They insisted that it couldn’t   be installed anywhere else. Yamashita caved  and that seemed to be the end of it… until   the directors came to check on his progress  the following day. They took one look at the  

Model and pressed him about it. He pointed  to the layout team and said that his hands   were tied. The directors took his side  and assured him that the situation would   be taken care of. Sure enough, the antenna was  moved onto the rear haunch the very next day.

“I don’t care about mechanics.  I care about design.” Designers made extensive use of full-scale models  while that car was in development. For the S130,   they brought the design along via scale  mock-ups. The exterior of Project UZ   evolved mainly through two-dimensional  means. Only 11 quarter-scale models and  

3 full-scale models were produced  throughout the entire process. The first of them was referred to as Type  E. Judging from the available photographs,   it appears to take on more of a traditional  hatchback body style that isn’t that far   removed from the Porsche 968. Its front-end  signature also looks to be inspired by cars  

Such as the S13 Silvia, with a thin grille  that joins two slender lighting units. The   oblong headlights also recall the ones  from the R32 and R33-generation Skylines. The second model. Internally known as Type C,  was submitted by Nissan Design International   in San Diego. It takes a different  approach from its Japanese counterparts,  

With retractable lights, smoked pillars,  and more angular surfacing on the whole. The final one was designated Type F. On the  surface, appears to be a clean break from the Z   lineage, but there are a few elements that link it  to the older models. The tail light arrangement,  

For instance, puts a twist on the traditional  setup. The brake lights are up top, the turn   indicators are at the bottom, and the reverse  lights are closest to the center. This model   also had an S13-inspired panel in between  the headlights that was removed from the  

Production car. De signers also  color-keyed the thin bumper guard   to the rest of the body and broke up the mass  of the thick black divider directly under it. The mechanicals would also be a departure from  previous Z cars. Nissan initially wanted to use  

An entirely new engine. The VH45 V8 caught  their eye for a moment, but they decided to   go in a different direction. After all of their  options, they decided to overhaul the outgoing VG   engine. Make no mistake; the refreshed power  plant would be a different beast entirely.

It featured new camshafts, pistons, and connecting  rods, and would also make use of Nissan’s NVTC   valve timing technology. The naturally aspirated  VG30DE made more horsepower than the turbocharged   Z31. The turbocharged VG30DETT had another  significant difference from its predecessor.   Instead of using one single turbocharger,  the engine made use of two smaller units.  

Nissan took this approach in an effort to reduce  turbo lag and increase responsiveness. A version   of this engine was used in the MID4-II concept  vehicle, where it made 322 horsepower. It was   a bit less potent in this application, though  a figure of 300 horsepower was still plenty  

Impressive for the late 1980s. The automatic  version was detuned further to 280 horsepower. The body and chassis were also improved. Thanks  in no small part to a Cray Supercomputer,   they were able to improve the  bending rigidity by 35 percent and   the 20 percent improvement in torsional rigidity.  To really illustrate the structural improvements,  

Nissan was able to make the t-top variant  stronger than the previous generation coupe. The Z32 also used Nissan’s HICAS  4-wheel steering system. It used   both mechanical and computerized methods  to work out how the rear wheels moved. Previous generations of the Z were benchmarked  against the competition in terms of practicality  

And NVH. For Project UZ, they compared it to  segment leaders in terms of performance. It   was the first Nissan to have an overseas  testing program. They set it against   the Porsche 924 and 968 on the Autobahn  and Nurburgring in Germany. In America,  

It was compared to the Chevrolet Corvette.  The test program required three years,   190 prototypes, and well over a million test  miles, but it was finally ready to ship. The new Nissan 300ZX was unveiled at the  1989 Chicago Auto Show. They were hoping  

To make a splash here, but it probably  would have been in their best interest   to select another event. Japanese  heavyweights in the Acura NSX and   Mazda MX-5 debuted here as well. It still  managed to garner a fair bit of attention.

The naturally aspirated model went on sale in  May of 1989 at a starting price of $27,300. The   2+2 came in July and could be had for $28,500.  The range-topping turbocharged variant began at   $33,000. This would equate to just under $80,000  in today’s money. It was certainly a pretty penny,  

But for one of the best-performing cars in its  segment, the price isn’t completely ridiculous. It also went on sale in the United Kingdom  in April of 1990, but with a catch. Buyers   here would only be able to purchase it in  its turbocharged 2+2 guise. With only 375  

Examples earmarked for the market, they weren’t  expecting it to sell in large quantities here. Road and track had an early look at the car  at the company’s test facility in Tochigi and   published its findings in the March 1989 issue.  They absolutely gushed about it and declared that  

The Z32 was a return to form for the model line.  Its exterior design and technology suite impressed   them, though its performance was arguably its  strongest attribute. The going power of the base   model impressed them, though the turbocharged  model made it seem tame by comparison.

A more thorough test took place in August. They  continued to shower on the praise here as well,   with them calling it one of the most compelling  offerings to appear on the American market   in years. Interior ergonomics and instrument  placement continued to be high marks, though they  

Did have a bone to pick with the automatic climate  control system. Even then, it wasn’t that big of   a deal. Manual controls were standard and they  predicted that those would be more cooperative. In February of 1990, it was placed against the  Chevrolet Corvette. Both cars did well during  

Track testing at Grattan Raceway in Michigan.  The Corvette had a slight edge here. It was quite   neutral while the ZX had a tendency to understeer.  Nissan did what it could to mitigate the turbo   lag, but it simply wasn’t as responsive as its  rival’s naturally aspirated 8-cylinder engine.  

The corvette recorded a lap time of 1:38, which  was about a second faster than the Nissan. It   couldn’t have solely been attributed to the power,  as the import had a 50 horsepower advantage. It made up a bit of ground during the  instrumented tests. Awkward gearing let  

The Corvette down during its 0-60 sprints  and top-speed trials. The ZX also had the   highest slalom speed they’d ever recorded. Its  lead widened even further during day-to-day   driving. Testers took issue with the interior  layout, outward visibility, and entry and exit.  

Road manners on less-than-optimal surfaces also  left something be desired. The Z didn’t get off   scot-free either. Several build quality issues  emerged over the course of their testing. The   first example that they got their hands on  had boost issues. The second one arrived to  

Them with loose brake calipers. And the third was  the worst of them all. First, an 18-inch piece of   interior trim fell off. Then its heater broke.  Lastly, a concerning blue haze spilled out of   the exhaust tips. Even with these quality concerns  in mind, the Z still won in a convincing fashion.

It faced off against another sports car in  August of 1991. The Dodge Stealth had been   recently introduced and had some serious potential  to make some noise in the segment. On paper,   the cars were quite similar to one another.  Both of them had twin-turbocharged 3-liter V6  

Engines that made 300 horsepower. They also  had antilock brakes, four-wheel steering,   and trick suspensions. This bout  would all come down to execution. Driving dynamics in both cars were pleasant  during their two-day excursion in Ohio. Testers   had a few quips with the Stealth’s sight lines  and instrument placement, but aside from that,  

They were neck and neck with each other. On the  Proving Grounds, the stark differences between   the two came to the surface. The Z was precise  and communicative on the track. At times, the   Stealth felt disconnected from its front wheels.  They attributed this to its full-time all-wheel  

Drive setup. Again, the Z did just enough to  add another head-to-head victory to its belt. A golden age in motoring history was upon  us, and a 1993 roundup would show where the   300ZX ranked among its rivals. It already  bested the Corvette in an earlier test,  

And the Stealth’s platform sibling was also  present in the Mitsubishi 3000GT. It wouldn’t   be easy for the Nissan, though, as a pair of  hotly anticipated sports coupes would give it   everything it could handle. Mazda’s latest  rotary-powered wonder was already garnering  

Acclaim from the press and the public alike.  Journalists were also eager to see how the   Toyota Supra stacked up. This particular  test was the first American road test of a   production example. And to spice things up,  they threw in the facelifted Porsche 968.

The Mitsubishi came in fifth place, with the  publication citing its weight and compromised   ergonomics as the main reasons for the result.  Porsche’s front-engine sports coupe shared real   estate with it at the bottom of the standings.  They felt it was a tasteful package overall,  

But its spotty build quality and eye-watering  $47,000 as-tested price undid it in the   end. The Corvette had a strong showing  considering it was overdue for an update. In terms of sheer agility, the bright  yellow RX7 was in a class of its own.   Keeping the boost on proved a  bit of a challenge, however,  

And they were also concerned about the  long-term reliability of its 13B engine. Nearly four years after its introduction, the  300ZX remained one of the strongest offerings   in its class. One rider that stepped into the car  after driving the 3000GT likened it to swapping  

Out a pair of hiking boots for running shoes.  The areas that kept it from the top position   were its grip and visibility. It placed second  to last in the 70-0 emergency braking test and   tied for last in the road holding trial. It was  just one point behind the Supra. That car had  

A dominant showing on Willow Springs Raceway,  but for as exemplary of a performer as it was,   the Toyota was an equally effective daily  driver. With such a slim margin of victory,   Nissan was in a prime position to  take back control of the segment.

According to the production figures in the book  Nissan 300ZX/350Z: The Z Car Story by Brian Long,   Nissan built 62,360 Z32 300ZXs from  1988 through the end of 1989. Of these,   39,337 of them were exported out of the Japanese  market. Those numbers fell short of what the S130  

Saw through 1978 (85,714) but fell in line with  those of the Z31 (63,897). Considering the Z32’s   upmarket focus, this was rather impressive.  Nissan built 329,900 Z31’s by the time it   was replaced. Approaching that figure would be a  difficult task, though with such a strong start,  

Perhaps it wouldn’t be completely  out of the realm of possibility. Soaring costs made it difficult for the  car to maintain its momentum. The base   price for the 1991 model year in the  United States rose to $28,175 while   the turbo model increased to $34,570. These  numbers went up by approximately $2,000 the  

Following year. Sales in this market totaled  just under 17,000 in ‘91 and 11,000 in 1992. Nissan tried to resurrect that initial spark  by unveiling a convertible variant in Japan in   August of that year. The American Sunroof Company  handled the conversion. The car was based on the  

2-seater and utilized a basket-style roll bar  for rigidity and safety purposes. It also used a   pop-up wind deflector. Key stiffness was naturally  going to take a hit. To shore some of this up,   they used redesigned soils and incorporated  thicker sheet metal wherever possible. ASC used  

37 reinforced panels in total. The inevitable  weight penalty was also softened through   the use of aluminum in the trunk lid, storage  compartment cover, and soft top linkage mechanics. This wasn’t the only open-top proposal that ASC  submitted. A hardtop convertible surfaced in  

1992 in Geneva. The company wanted to show  that it could be viably produced. As such,   it utilized production-spec materials and  tolerances. They also worked some packaging   wizardry by retaining the back seats. ASC and  Nissan spent close to 800,000 on the project,  

But in the end, the automaker shelved the whole  thing. They were able to talk Mitsubishi into   producing a 3000GT with a similar mechanism,  though that remained a niche product at best. The soft top 300ZX made some significant  compromises. For one thing, it was about  

200 pounds heavier than the fixed-head  coupe. It was also only available with   the base 222 horsepower V6. All of  this taken with its steep $37,000   asking price made the 300ZX a tough sell to  most buyers. As for the rest of the lineup,  

The standard model went up to $30,500  while the turbo rose to $37,655. 1992 was not a particularly good year for Nissan.  According to a 1993 New York Times article,   the company lost $480 million. The main culprit  was an unfavorable exchange rate between the  

Dollar and the yen, which made its offerings as a  whole more expensive and less appealing. Cars like   the 300ZX were especially affected by the bursting  bubble. That Times article also speculated that   the next-generation model would move downmarket  and could possibly debut in either 1994 or 1995.

The outlook of the current model was murky at  best. In 1994, Nissan discontinued it in the   United Kingdom because of incoming emissions  regulations. They didn’t believe it was worth   it to amend the issue for a market where it  wasn’t particularly popular to begin with.

The line soldered on in the States, though  at a price of 33,700 for the base model and   $41,000 for the convertible, its potential  customer base was only going to get smaller.   Global production plummeted to 6,790,  and roughly 4,800 of them were set for  

The American market. Sales in its home market  fell to a bit over 1,800 that year as well. 1995 came and went without any  news on a potential successor,   and the only change the Z32 saw here was  in regard to its price. The entry point  

Rose to about $35,000. 1996 turned out to be  its final year on the market. Nissan pointed   to side-impact legislation as the main reason  for its exit, but barring a significant update,   it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Japanese performance cars of this vintage  

Were destined to wither away around the turn  of the millennium. Mazda stopped importing the   RX-7 to the market a year earlier. Toyota and  Mitsubishi ceased sales of their flagship cars   in 1999. The final US-spec 300ZX was added to  the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

After Nissan withdrew the model from down  under, it was offered solely in Japan. 1999   saw its final notable update. This included a  redesigned front end, a reworked rear spoiler,   and modified rear lights. The convertible was also  dropped from the lineup. This redesigned model was  

Also not long for this world. Nissan  discontinued it the following year,   meaning that for the first time since Nixon  was in the Oval Office, the company didn’t   have a Z car in its lineup anywhere. And with  Nissan’s continued financial difficulties,   there was reason to believe that  there wouldn’t be one ever again.

The Datsun 240Z was a revelation,   not just for Nissan, but for Japanese cars  and the automotive industry as a whole. It offered stellar performance and unparalleled  practicality in a stylish and affordable package. Nissan’s two-seat runabout started at $3,526,   which undercut established sports  cars by a considerable margin.

And with 150 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque,   it blew other coupes around its  price range out of the water. The Z was in a class of its own,  but change was on the horizon. Shifting consumer tastes as well  as increasingly stringent safety   and emissions regulations forced the Z to evolve.

In 1974, the 240Z became the 260Z. The update  was all but necessary to maintain the status quo. While it brought performance figures  back to snuff (and then some),   it also added weight and introduced complexity. Engine displacement for American-market  examples increased again to 2.8L in 1975.

For as much of a sensation as the S30 was,   it would be impossible to carry  its philosophy into the 80s. The Z had to adapt or die. Nissan released a car for the  coming decade in the 280ZX. It shook up the Z mantra. Instead  of relying on cheap thrills, the  

S31 leaned on its amenities and creature comforts. Motoring journalists of the day agreed  that something was lost in translation. To amend these concerns, Nissan adopted  the philosophy of addition by addition. The addition of a turbocharger in  1981 turned it into a juggernaut,   relatively speaking, but at the  cost of increased complexity.

1989 saw the release of the 300ZX, the  most technologically advanced Z car yet. A powerful twin-turbocharged engine and  a bleeding-edge 4-wheel-steering system   placed it among the most serious  performance cars on the market. All of this quite literally came at a cost.

Enthusiasts could get their way into  a base model for a bit over $27,000   in 1989 while the turbocharged  variant was priced from $33,000. By 1996, these prices had soared to more  than $37,000 and $44,000, respectively. After this, Nissan pulled the car  from the market. It soldiered on  

For a few more years in Japan, but  by the year 2000, the Z was history. The Z’s discontinuation devastated those at  Nissan Design America in La Jolla, California. Studio president Jerry Hirshberg  believed it was a colossal misstep. Nissan was going through a rough patch, so,  

Financially speaking, putting  the program on ice made sense. To Hirshberg, whatever monetary benefit it gained   from the decision paled in comparison to  what it lost in terms of its reputation. Letting a nameplate like the Z lie  dormant was ill-advised, to say the least.

He wasn’t going to sit idly by  while its legacy faded from memory. The studio president called an  all-hands meeting and gathered   the 20 or so designers and managers together. Hirshberg had just one question for them: If any of you were running the corporation,  what would you do to turn things around?”

Their suggestions, long lost to time, were  likely focused on stopping the bleeding. Trimming Nissan’s model lineup, refreshing its  trio of 4-door stalwarts, and doubling down   on the sport utility market would have at least  put the company in a more advantageous position.

Things finally got back to Hirshberg,  who said, “I’d bring back the Z.” Hirshberg explained that this  went far deeper than the numbers. The automotive industry was at its nature  an irrational and emotional industry. By getting rid of the Z, they’d also gotten  out of the emotional business. Designing a  

New model would, in his own words, “…not  only remind the public of who we are,   it would by our sheer involvement  remind us of who we are.” Naturally, the question that followed  was “What would a new Z car look like?”

NDA launched a design program to find  out. This was not run by the higher-ups. While this approach afforded them complete  control over the car’s design, it also meant that,   outside of the concrete walls of NDA, there  was no official support for their endeavor. Additionally, dedicating valuable  studio time to it would have been  

Costly and pulled their attention away  from other, more pressing matters. Designers squeezed work in whenever they could,   whether it was during lunch breaks  or the rare moments of downtime. They made slow, steady progress. In another timeline, the project  probably stops around here.

Perhaps they get it out of their system and direct  their efforts back toward styling other cars. Fortunately, that’s not what happened. NDA caught a break, as detailed in the book  Nissan 350Z: Behind the Resurrection of a Legend. The company hired Jason Vines as its head  of public relations in April of 1998.

He visited the studio and got  along quite well with Hirshberg. What was intended to be a brief stop turned  into a comprehensive tour of the facility. The pair had a look at a few concept  cars and spoke with studio personnel. They had a grand time, though Vines  noticed that something was missing.

He turned to Hirshberg and  asked, “So where’s the Z?” He pointed to his head and  responded, “It’s right here.” Vines asked, “Well, can you take it out?” Hirshberg explained that he couldn’t, not only  because he’d be breaking the laws of the universe,  

But also because they didn’t have the  resources at their disposal to do so. Vines took the matter into his own hands. He met with Nissan division head Mike  Seergy and made an unusual request. Vines had previously worked at Chrysler. That company was in even worse  shape than Nissan back then.

Optimism was in short supply, so  Chrysler routinely organized road   shows to raise the spirits of both  employees and industry insiders. They showed future production models to show them  that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Vines proposed something similar for Nissan.

The company had several products on the  way in the Sentra, Maxima, and Xterra. A peek even further into the timeline  would surely make it an event to remember. Nissan needed concept cars, and  Vines knew just who to turn to. He called Hirshberg, and together  they came up with a plan of attack.

Nissan Design America would further develop the   Sport Utility Truck concept as  well as its yet-realized Z car. Of course, this all hinged on Vines  securing funding for the undertaking. That proved to be a challenge unto itself. Metalcrafters, a vehicle  fabricator in Fountain Valley,  

California quoted him $1,000,000 for  full-size clay models of both cars. Vines could only come up with $900,000  but went along with it anyway. The financial bottleneck prevented  the firm from completing the project. Nissan used this to its advantage. Modelers   finished 3/4 of the cars and left  the last quarter in rough clay.

Vines took this opportunity to  call them “works in progress.” The roadshow opened in New York City,   and the public got to lay eyes on a new  Z for the first time in three years. It was an homage to the original  240Z, and a pretty brazen one at that.

The front lights were a dead ringer for  the sugar scoop units from the original. It also had chrome bumpers, but they  didn’t span the entirety of the front end. Their inclusion here is questionable. On the 240Z, they helped to break  up the large rectangular intake.

Here, they appear to be nothing  more than a nod to a bygone era. They’re far from the worst  part of the design, though. Take a look at those massive protrusions  at the front and rear of the car. They clash with the flowing bodywork and  quite literally stick out like sore thumbs.

You’d think their inclusion  was for regulatory purposes,   but let me remind you that this  is a CLAY MODEL and is therefore   free from the restrictions that  production cars have to deal with. The roadshow model was a mixed  bag (more bad than good),  

But people were excited by  the mere prospect of a new Z. Some attendees were so moved by it  that they had tears in their eyes. After its showing in the Big Apple, the car  appeared in Smyrna, Tennessee, and Los Angeles.

The event was so successful that a Nissan  executive pulled Hirshberg aside and told him, “You’ve done something very dangerous. You’ve put Nissan in a corner and made it  very awkward for us to not do the car.”  —— Although it   isn’t unheard of for car design studios  to develop their own projects in secret,

It takes a certain level of creativity and  perseverance to bring them to life like this. That philosophy starts at the  very top with Jerry Hirshberg,   a man whose career could  have looked very different. The Ohio native was a musical wunderkind. According to a 2019 San Diego  Union-Tribune article by Peter Rowe,

Hirshberg studied composition and conducting at   the Cleveland Institute of  Music from the age of six. Another passion found a way into his life, though. A Philco radio in their home caught his eye,   and the young Hirshberg asked  his uncle who had designed it. He responded “an industrial designer.”

Something about that term captivated him. Two diametrically opposed fields  in the arts and sciences could   be melded together to create a  beautiful, functional product. Jerry relentlessly pursued design, though  he also kept a strong interest in music. When he was a teenager, he and  a few of his friends formed a  

Band by the name of “Jerry Paul and the Plebs.” The group released a handful of hits, including  I Want My Ring Back and Sparkling Blue. They even opened for the likes of  Fabian Forte and Frankie Avalon. Hirshberg went on to study mechanical  engineering at Ohio State University  

And specialized in industrial design  at the Cleveland Institute of Art. General Motors hired him in 1964 through  a program that was intended to bring those   who didn’t have a background in  automotive design into the studio. He contributed to a number of iconic automobiles, including the Le Sabre, GTO,  Firebird, and Grand Prix.

Soon enough, the company appointed him as   the chief designer for the  Buick and Pontiac divisions. He was a made man and it seemed like he’d  spend the rest of his career in Detroit. There was a bit of discontent  brewing under the surface, though. The design-by-committee environment diluted  the creative process while the cutthroat,  

Competitive atmosphere that it had developed  over the years had a way of stifling creativity. In 1980, Hirshberg reached a crossroads. Nissan wanted to open a design  studio in the United States and   came into contact with him  through a headhunting firm.

Leaving General Motors was a difficult  decision even with his issues with their ways,   but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to  get in on the ground floor of a new studio. Hirshberg wouldn’t just be  involved in design operations. As per the agreement, he’d help select a site for  

The new facility as well as have  input on its architectural design. Most importantly, he and his staff would have  the freedom to initiate their own projects. This might not seem like a big deal on  the surface, but the fact that this was  

Even part of the deal at all indicates that it  was unusual at the time, at least for Nissan. Shun Ishihara, Nissan’s president  at the time and one of the main   figures who spearheaded NDA’s establishment,  encouraged the studio to drum to its own beat. The team scouted locations  in Los Angeles, New Jersey,  

And Detroit before settling down in San Diego. Nissan set up a temporary  studio in July 1980 before   moving into its permanent offices in early 1982. It originally went by Nissan Design International  but adopted its current name at a later date. The studio diverges from typical  studio culture in a few key ways.

Facilities such as BMW’s FIZ operation are  highly secured and shrouded in secrecy. NDA is comparatively looser, with  its lack of fencing and gatekeepers. The working environment was also  more relaxed and even a bit strange. Car Styling Magazine ran a story on the  facility in 1989, and while they were there,  

They spotted chief engineer Joseph  Mrozowski being thrown into a pond. Now what could he have possibly  done to receive such treatment? If you guessed earn two industry  awards then you’d be correct. The staff employed a practice known as “pond  ducking” to commemorate such occasions.

Although it wasn’t as ruthless  as the studios in the Motor City,   NDA still fostered a competitive spirit. Automotive design is naturally a  profession where iron sharpens iron,   but this even spilled outside of the office. A tennis court lies north of the facility while a   sand volleyball pit sits just  above the viewing platform.

Employees didn’t pull any punches,   even against their managers, and  trash talk was in no short supply. Hirshberg also had a unique leadership style. He pushed his designers hard but  also knew when to ease up on them. The San Diego Union-Tribune piece stated  that he’d occasionally take his team out to  

Catch matinee movies such as Blade Runner,  Total Recall, and Silence of the Lambs. He said that this was the  management of the creative process. The success of the roadshow model  paved the way for another concept. Instead of being limited to Nissan  employees and industry insiders,  

This one would be shown to the public at one  of the largest auto shows on the circuit. At the 1999 North American International Auto  Show, the company unveiled the Z concept. It looked very different from  what was shown the year prior. It still looked very different  from the final production model.

Hirshberg explained that they were focused  on selling the idea rather than the car. It still bears a resemblance to the 240Z,   but it is more contemporary in  execution than the road show car. The sugar scoop headlights, for instance,   aren’t just sealed beam units  positioned inside of a cavity.

The power dome on the hood is also present,   but like the aforementioned  feature, it is deemphasized. The rear also takes notes from that car,   though this area of the car isn’t  nearly as successful as the front. Whereas the original model was lean  and muscular from the rear 3/4 view,  

The 1999 appears bulbous and unstructured. The rear haunches were vital to establishing  the stance on the original mode. Here, they’re static and don’t  add very much depth to the car. They’re closer to creases than hips. Further missteps lie in the rear lights. The arrangement appears similar to the S30.

The brake lights are up top and the  turn indicators are at the bottom. The execution is where it falls flat,   with a strange combination of  harsh edges and oblong shapes. While there was a lot of  excitement for a new Z car,   the reception for this concept was a bit mixed.

Yoshihiko Matsuo, the  designer of the original 240Z,   did not mince words with his initial reaction. He called it bland and found that it didn’t  have the crispness that the Z needed. Reactions from viewers of the  channel were divisive as well. Some thought it was a decent  effort overall and could have  

Been something special with a few adjustments. Others took issue with the ride  height and pronounced wheel arches. A few of them were stunned that  it ever saw the light of day. The car’s fate was put in jeopardy  just a few months after the show. Nissan neared closer to  bankruptcy with each passing day.

The company engaged in discussions  about a potential merger with other   automakers in a bid to salvage their operations. Renault and DaimlerChrysler were frontrunners,   but the German-American enterprise dropped out of  the running, leaving Renault as the lone suitor. A merger was announced on March 17  and made official 10 days later.

The French automaker paid $6.5 billion  for a 36.8 percent state in Nissan. It also appointed Carlos Ghosn as COO. There was no telling how he would  take to the idea of a new Z car. He took some time out to visit Nissan’s  facilities, and NDA was on the list.

Hirshberg took this opportunity to air out his   concerns with the company as  well as potential solutions. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, his number  one priority was bringing back the Z. Ghosn just said “Done.” He’d previously owned a 300ZX  and became a huge fan of the Z.

As much as he wanted to see it come  back, it had to make sense financially. That meant a starting price of under $30,000. To achieve this, they’d have to cut out the   technology that helped make the  300ZX such a strong performer. The next Z would have to be  a simple, honest sports car.

It would also have to share its underpinnings   and mechanicals with other products in  order to keep development costs down. And with that, the Z project went from a   Skunkworks styling exercise  to a company-backed effort. Now Nissan had to decide on what direction  it wanted to steer the project in.

The question was whether it would go  retro or take on a more modern look. Judging from what they’d already shown the public,   it seemed as if they were  all in on a throwback look. They soured on this approach for a few reasons,  as told in Nissan 350Z, Resurrection of a Legend.

Sales for retro designs start strong out of the  gates but nosedive once the luster wears off. There was also a desire to create  a machine designed for the 2000s,   much like how the 240Z was designed for  the 70s and the 300ZX was made for the 90s.

Hirshberg was outspoken in  his opposition to going retro. So it was decided that the new Z would embody   the 240Z in spirit but stand on  its own legs in terms of design. Nissan launched an international design  competition after the Detroit Auto Show concluded.

NDA would be pitted against the  company’s studios in Europe and Japan. These early sketches reveal the direction  that designers were leaning in early on. The long hood/short deck layout was a given, but  there’s also a mix of convex and concave surfaces. The bodywork up top is scooped out while the  

Portion under the bone line  flares out as a contrast. This is often accompanied by a  side skirt that either catches   additional light or creates a dynamic shadow. Some sketches also featured  wide, prominent wheel arches. Instead of being pinched out  like on the 1999 concept,  

They stretch out on all corners,  suggesting power and stability. These ideas were further developed  in the early modeling phase. NDA’s proposals varied  considerably in terms of surfacing. Model A pushes the relationship between  convex and concave surfaces to the limit. Many of these interactions are  driven through the front forks.

They cause a bit of drama in this area of the car. An attempt at continuity is made  with the rest of the body as well. They initiate the main crease in the body,  sliding underneath the thin headlights and   slithering just below the greenhouse before  exploding into powerful rear haunches.

The shoulders are further emphasized  by the abbreviated window shape. Model B looks downright tame in comparison. There aren’t nearly as many surface transitions   and it also appears to have  more conventional proportions. For as different as they are, the two cars  do share one element: a secondary grille. While this idea didn’t last long,  

It’s interesting to see how they were  willing to experiment with the Z ethos. Model C lands somewhere in the middle,   with pronounced rear haunches  and understated surfacing. Designer Diane Allen led the charge  on this full-size clay model. Some of the pieces up front are already in place.

Namely, the vertical headlights, thin  intake, and vertical flanking elements. The wheel arches are also pulled out quite a bit   and the blinkers are being  used as a styling element. The Japanese studio tended to favor simpler,   softer designs early on,  with more frontward cabins. Various glass and pillar  treatments were also explored.

A few of them had floating roofs with  darkened A-pillars and acute window angles. The rear screens also curve onto the profile at  times, helping to create a more open greenhouse. The home studio also produced  this full-size model in 1999. It appears to sit very low to the ground.

This effect is amplified thanks in no  small part to the angled belt line. It cuts into the body, reducing  the mass of the sheet metal and   increasing the amount of glass on the car. Its steeply raked front screen, floating roof,  and arched back also lower its visual height.

The European site no doubt  submitted the most unusual design. Its glass treatment is the  most distinguishing feature. The front screen curves heavily onto the profile. The front of the side glass also flows  directly against it, creating an odd A-pillar. Some of the more defined edges  clash with these organic shapes.

Both the front and rear appear to come to a point. And that’s to say nothing about the lighting  units, exhaust tips, and acute window edge. Soon after this model was presented,   the European studio was taken off the  project and assigned to other endeavors.

On January 5th, 2000, the  proposals were trimmed down to 6. Two of them came from NDI while the other  four were from Nissan’s Japanese studio. The latter quartet were executed  quite differently from each other,   though they still had a few similarities. Three of them had some version of a floating roof.

They all also had vertical headlights and  three of them had vertical tail lights. Their rear screens also just barely  curve onto the profile, if at all. Some attempts were made to  obscure the door handles. Model C is the only one that doesn’t, and  even then it’s going with the character line.

The two American proposals are distinguished  through their orange auxiliary lighting units,   full-length light bars, and a  strange lack of side mirrors. A bit of attention is also  called to their door handles. This model features a cutout  just under the body roll that   adds another concave surface to the sheet metal.

It was definitely a strong effort, but  many at NDA took a liking to this one. It is defined by stark geometric  forms in the lighting units,   greenhouse, and lower front intake. Ajay Panchal, the main creative  force behind this proposal,  

Was asked what inspired the tail lights  in Lust then Love: The Story of the New Z. He said “That’s a tough one.  Sometimes you just do stuff.” He then stated that he wanted them to be “locked   in” the design so they didn’t  seem like an afterthought. He wanted to make them look intentional.

A large concave form spans the length of the car. This is contrasted by a large, ornate  door handle that projects outward. Panchal said that it was also intended to serve as   an invitation of sorts and  impart a sense of occasion.

Its wheel arches are pronounced like some of  the other proposals that we’ve had a look at,   but surprisingly they’re not as emphasized  as on some of the Japanese models. Panchal felt like he belonged here. He earned his degree in automotive  design from Coventry University and  

Was set to continue his studies at the Royal  College of Art under the stewardship of Ford. That would have to wait. He won the Transportation Design category  in a Royal Society of Arts contest,   and the prize was a trip  to a place of his choosing.

Panchal traveled to Southern  California so that he could   visit the design studios that dotted the region. Nissan Design America was  the second stop on his tour. Once he got there, he didn’t want to leave. The fair weather, great people, and  relaxed environment appealed to him.

He could also move up quickly,  provided that he put in the work. Panchal may have had prior arrangements in London,   but now he was going to do whatever  it took to stay in La Jolla. He secured an interview and  landed the job that very same day. That was in 1996.

Just four years later at the age of 30,  he was helping spearhead a new Z car. The Nissan executives trimmed  the six proposals down to two. Panchal’s design was chosen along  with one from the Japanese studio. Both sites were now charged with finalizing   their cars and sending full-size  models in for final evaluation.

NDA’s car was an evolution  of the previous proposal. The lighting arrangements have been tidied up and  the full-length bar at the rear has been removed. Also, take note of the glass angle at the rear. It   cuts straight down after getting  to the start of the wheel well.

This creates a unique pillar treatment  that we have yet to see this far. Lastly, the lower front  clip has also been restyled. The thin, long opening has been replaced  with a set of intakes on either side. The Japanese proposal is a bit curvier in the  wheel arches as well as the general surfacing.

It appears to take most of its  inspiration from Proposal D,   eschewing the darkened front pillars  and adopting an acute rear window edge. Twin intakes appear here as well, though they’re  smaller and more in line with the headlights. The stakes were sky-high for NDA. Many Nissan executives were in attendance,  

Including design chief Shiro Nakamura  and company president Carlos Ghosn. There was nothing to worry about, though. The directors picked their  model in a landslide vote. Resurrection of a Legend states that  “There were about 13 or 14 managers,   and all but maybe one voted…” for it.

As much of an achievement as this  was, their work was far from over. Getting the design production-ready  would provide its own set of challenges. Said challenges would have to be  taken on without Jerry Hirshberg. He retired from his post as president of  Nissan Design America in June of 2000.

The company actually wanted to name  him its worldwide director of design,   but he instead relinquished his position. Tom Semple took over for him as president while  Shiro Nakamura became the global head of design. Engineering personnel had been involved  in the process since the very beginning,  

But now they had to make some tough decisions. One such choice was whether the Z  should have a hatchback or a trunk. Z cars have traditionally used the  former, but with how much the new one   was set to diverge from the norm, it wouldn’t  be surprising if the cargo area followed suit.

Going with a hatchback design would  have compromised the car’s rigidity. And due to their aggressive price target,   they would be limited in how they  could make that difference up. It was deemed impossible early on, but some  on the team pushed for another solution.

This came in the form of a  massive brace in the rear. While it did allow them to move forward with the  hatch, it also stole a fair bit of cargo room. A while ago, we mentioned that the Z would have to  share some of its mechanicals with other models.

Its FM, or Front Midship would  underpin a host of other cars,   including the Infiniti G35 sedan and coupe. The Z also used a version of Nissan’s VQ engine. In this application, it had a displacement of 3.5L  as weak as 287 horsepower and 274 lb-ft of torque. A streamlined development process and aggressive  

Parts sharing helped the car  decimate its cost target. The 350Z launched with a  starting price of $26,269. Nissan unveiled the 350Z concept  at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show. There are several differences between the models   that came before it as well  as the final production car.

Panchal’s original proposal used a  thin intake up front with a “tooth”   in the middle while NDA’s model used twin intakes. The 2001 show car had one large grille. Panchal said that this change was  made to better cool the engine,  

But I also suspect that the development of  its platform sibling also played a part. The Infiniti G35 Coupe was also  going to use the twin intake design,   so the 350Z was probably  changed to differentiate them. Criticism directed at the size of the concept’s  

Opening motivated Nissan to tone  it down on the production car. Its sharp angles have also been softened a  bit, mainly in the headlights and tail lights. Nissan made changes to the rear as well. The concept featured centrally-placed exhaust tips   as well as small turn signals that  are broken off from the main lights.

The production model splits the pipes  apart and enlarges the blinkers. Lastly, the eye-catching door handles remain,   though they’re not in a loop-style  fashion like the concept. It doesn’t play off of the  concave section nearly as well,   but this is probably a necessary compromise  in the face of the strict price requirements.

The road car was shown early in 2002, and by  July, published reviews began to trickle out. Automobile Magazine found it an eager and willing  performer, though testers did find that it   understeered at the very limit and left something  to be desired in the middle of the power band.

Regardless, it proved to be a  screaming bargain for the money. Writer Joe Dematio even went as  far as to call it the “Japanese   Corvette” due to its driving  characteristics and low price. Car and Driver echoed these sentiments but  lamented its underwhelming engine note. The interior was also a mixed bag.

The placement of the steering wheel, IP,  and shifter earned favor with staff members. Conversely, the premium metallic details were  undercut by the extensive use of black plastic. The brace in the patch area  earned a bit of their ire as well. Placing large items inside became an ordeal.

Rearward visibility was likely to be  compromised, depending on the size of the cargo. Still, the 350Z thoroughly impressed them,   and they declared that it  was in a class all by itself. Motor Trend was probably the most positive  of them all, saying that it was affordable,   practical, engaging, and, by sports  car standards, fuel-efficient.

It was even named Automobile’s Car of the Year. The Z may have been a strong  offering in its own right,   but it was far from the only one on the market. Sports cars were experiencing something of a   renaissance after hanging  on by a thread in the 90s. Each of them provided unique experiences,  

So it would be more difficult  than ever for the Z to stand out. In 2003, Car and Driver set the convertible  up against a collection of open-top cruisers. Honda’s S2000 was in the vein  of a traditional FR roadster. This meant raw thrills, minimal creature  comforts, and a curb weight of just 2,800 pounds.

Prestigious German makes also had a showing here. BMW introduced the Z4 the previous year, and this  one was equipped with a 231 horsepower 3L engine,   6-speed manual, and love-it-or-hate-it styling. The Boxster, Porsche’s crack  at a lower-cost sports car,   was an enthusiast favorite despite  being deep into its product cycle.

Lastly, the Audi TT would attempt to wow  the testers with its avant-garde styling. And speaking of last… The front-wheel-drive-based  convertible simply couldn’t   stack up with the others in  terms of driving dynamics. One staff member summed up its showing by saying: “We can’t go high for a cutie that doesn’t dance.”

BMW’s Z was achingly close to greatness with its  heavenly shifter and effortless pulling power. It was undone by twitchy, unintuitive steering. Rough ride quality and a surprising lack   of attention to detail let  the Porsche down in the end. Coming in second was the Z.

It had a strong showing, but  its awkward seating position   and pitiful top-up rearward visibility  kept it from topping the competition. That left the S2000. The barebones convertible just provided a  more visceral experience than the others. Just take a look at some of the… colorful language  that writer Patrick Bedard used to describe it.

Motor Trend ran a test of  its own in February of 2004. A new challenger was pitted  against the Nissan and Honda. The Mazda RX-8 was a radical  departure from its predecessor,   though what set it apart from the  competition also gave it its identity. The rear-hinged “freestyle doors”  provided increased practicality,  

And there isn’t anything  quite like a rotary engine. Coming in third place was the Honda. The car had actually received an update that  dulled its edge just a bit in their eyes. It still offered plenty of plenty of excitement  and would most appeal to buyers looking for a  

Toy rather than a tool. The Z was up next. Despite having significantly more power than  the others, Motor Trend docked it a few points   for the cargo bay, weight concerns,  and a less-than-stellar engine note. The RX-8 overcame its fuel economy and emissions  concerns to come away with the victory.

Despite being outgunned by the others on paper, it  proved to be much more than the sum of its parts. Our last comparison test features a few familiar   faces in the Mazda and Audi but  also includes a Mustang Shelby GT. Its significant power advantage couldn’t  save it from a last-place finish.

Its handling and build  quality weren’t up to snuff. The article stated that the  vibrations were so harsh on   a rough road that the hood clips became undone. This became even more damning when its  $39,000 price tag was taken into account.

The Z wasn’t much further ahead, meaning  that once again it failed to win a roundup. In some ways, the car’s introduction  mirrored that of the 240Z. It offered strong performance for the money  and was uniquely positioned in the market. The difference was in how  mature its competition was.

Its platform siblings in the Infiniti G35  sedan and coupe were also highly acclaimed. The latter broke cover at  the 2002 New York Auto Show. This was more than a mere Z reskin. It essentially replaced the 2+2 variant that  had been a staple in the Z lineup for decades.

This was probably a change for the better in  terms of market positioning and pure aesthetics. Due to the added weight and length,   the cars naturally took on a  softer, more comfortable dynamic. These traits were a bit out of character for the Z  and more in line with the upscale Infiniti brand.

2+2 Z cars have also appeared a bit  ungainly when compared to the 2-seater. The Infiniti’s wheelbase is nearly 8  inches longer than the Z’s and it’s also   12 and a half inches longer in overall length,  yet the car doesn’t look any worse for wear.

The G35 Coupe also features a conventional  trunk rather than a hatchback. The brace remains in place despite the change,   though it lies deep in the storage area where  it is unlikely to interfere with cargo loading. One might expect for the car to command a  

Premium over the Z due to its  badge and market positioning. Well, the G35 coupe also had a starting price of   under $30,000. There’s actually a bit more  separation between the cars you might think. That price is for a base model  equipped with an automatic.

If a buyer wanted a manual, then  they’d have to pony up about $32,000. Compare this to the base model 350Z,   which was only available with a stick,  and Nissan’s strategy becomes clear. Enthusiasts no doubt would have preferred a stick   shift Z while G35 coupe buyers were  typically content with the automatic.

The company knew it could  charge a premium to those   who wanted to row their own gears in the latter. Both the sedan and coupe were warmly received  by the North American motoring press. The lineup even took home Motor  Trend’s Car of the Year award.

The car was also sold in Japan, though not as  the Infiniti G35, but as the Nissan Skyline. The 350Z launched with 5 trim levels. We’ve already talked about the base model a bit. Above this was the enthusiast model at $28,249. It added, among other things,  a traction control system,  

An LSD, xenon headlights, and aluminum pedals. The $30,429 Performance trim included a VDC  system, tire pressure monitor, and 18-inch wheels. At $33,000, the Touring model added  creature comforts like a Bose stereo   system, power-adjustable heated  leather seats, and heated mirrors. Lastly, the Track came with front and  rear spoilers, a rear underbody diffuser,  

Rays forged alloy wheels, and Brembo Brakes. At $34,079, it did not come cheap. A convertible model debuted in July  of 2003 for the 2004 model year. Engineers needed to grapple with  the coupe’s rigidity issues,   and chopping the top off could have  potentially resulted in more problems.

Nissan made up some of this by  reinforcing the door openings   as well as adding a triple member that  connected the sides to the floor structure. 2005 saw the release of the  35th Anniversary Edition. At $36,660, it was the most  expensive Z car in the range.

Both it and the Track model got a slight  bump in power to 300 horsepower but   suffered a minor torque reduction to 260 lb-ft. The rev range was also extended  from 6600 rpm to 7000 rpm. Yet another update came the following year. The 2006 model featured a tweaked front end.

Instead of sloping down at an angle, the auxiliary  lights on the lower clip sit straight up. The refresh also added bi-xenon  headlights, LED tail lights,   and a new speed-sensitive power steering system. A new Grand Touring trim added  staggered 18/19 inch wheels,   Brembo brakes, front and rear spoilers, and VDC.

Lastly, all manual-transmission  cars received the 300HP bump. The last major development  came for the 2007 model year. A new version of the VQ,   the VQ35HR, brought figures up to 306  horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. A new high-performance NISMO model was also added. Although it didn’t have any extra power,  

It did include items that improved  its handling and downforce. And it isn’t exactly subtle, either. The restyled front end was intended  to resemble that of the SUPER GT 350Z. The side skirts, spoiler, rear diffuser, and  beefy exhaust ports are also dead giveaways.

According to a 2008 Super Street  piece, the cars are pulled from   the assembly line and sent to Autech for  chassis reinforcement and stitch welding. In addition to this, the NISMO 350Z  featured Brembo brakes and a retuned   suspension developed in collaboration with Yamaha.

According to an article by Autobytel.com,  it had a base price of over $38,000. Sources vary a bit on the  final production numbers,   but Nissan ended up building  just over 1600 examples. 2008, the car’s last year on the market,  didn’t see any significant updates.

The Nissan 350Z successfully brought  the Z lineage back from the grave,   and it did so by going in its own direction. Its successor was right around the corner,   and it would iterate on its winning formula  of design, affordability, and performance! How should one approach the creation of a sequel?

Nissan was faced with this question as it began   development of its follow-up  to the sensational 350Z. That car was less of a direct sequel and  more of a reboot of a beloved classic. It was developed during the retro craze  of the late 90s and early 2000s and was  

Going in that direction early on,  but it took on its own character. Things were a bit different with its successor. The 350Z was a market and media darling  and was still fresh in everyone’s mind. Therefore, it would be in Nissan’s best interest   to take an evolutionary approach  rather than a revolutionary one.

Design work on the new car began in 2005. This phase was a bit different  than that of the 350Z. For that car, Nissan’s design  studios in Japan, Europe,   and The United States went at each other  in an international design competition. Their models were evaluated and  scrutinized until only one remained.

This time, its designers the world  over were invited to submit sketches. Participants had to develop  their designs outside of work. The designer who created the winning  sketch was 31-year-old Randy Rodriguez. The Surrey, British Columbia native  was a Z fan through and through.

He got his first when he was  14 years old and went on to   have owned 11 of them at one point or another. Rodriguez landed internships with General  Motors and Toyota while attending the College   of Creative Studies, but had always  envisioned himself working for Nissan.

The company finally took note of  him after he won multiple design   competitions hosted by the  likes of Michelin and PPG. He was hired right out of school. Before getting involved with the Z  project, he worked in its studios in   Europe and Japan and even got to help  design cars for the Infiniti brand.

Previous V cars would undoubtedly  influence the new one,   but Rodriguez said that he looked  to another source of inspiration. The Discovery Channel had its  well-known “Shark Week” special   on television while he was developing the design. He also referenced motorcycles and athletes.

All of this notwithstanding, he did not  want to leave the 350Z behind completely. Instead, he was focused on making it  more aggressive and, in his own words,   “injecting it with some steroids.” Rodriguez was involved with the  project until the theme was selected.

He was then pulled off of the  project to work on other things. The production phase was finished  in Japan at Nissan’s Design Center. The evolutionary nature of this car  also extended to the mechanicals. Powering it was the VQ37VHR.

It was another member of Nissan’s VQ engine  family, though in this application it had a   displacement of 3.7 liters as well as figures  of 332 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. This is also where the car,  dubbed the 370Z, got its name. The transmissions received  some notable updates as well.

Its six-speed manual gearbox  had a bit of a wrinkle. Buyers could have the car equipped  with the “SynchroRev Match” system. Essentially, this controls  and adjusts engine speed   when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear. This resulted in smoother shifts and  made heel-toeing a thing of the past.

For those who preferred the old-school  feel, the system could be deactivated. Rev-matching systems are common now, but this was   the first time that something like this  had been incorporated into a road car. We’ll get into what reviewers thought about  it a bit later, but their reactions typically  

Went from bewilderment to disdain  before finally landing on acceptance. The 370Z would also have a 7-speed  automatic transmission on offer. It was previously introduced on the Infiniti G37. Cars nowadays typically get larger and  heavier with each subsequent generation,   but this was not the case here.

It shrank and grew in all the right places. Extra weight was also a concern for the team. The 370Z used aluminum in the  door panels, hood, and hatch. Engineers also shaved weight off in the  fuel tank, exhaust system, and audio system. Nissan said that the net weight  reduction of the 2009 350Z was  

95 pounds when lined up against a  comparable 350Z Enthusiast model. The new 370Z debuted at the 2008 Los  Angeles Auto Show in November. Well,   the car got into the hands of enthusiasts  a day earlier. What’s more, for just $60,   you could’ve had your own 370Z…  in Need for Speed Undercover.

Nisan partnered with game developer Black Box   on the debut of the car. It was  featured prominently in the game. It even dropped players into a  high-speed pursuit in the car. This kind of marketing made an impression  on kids like me back in the day,  

Who probably wouldn’t get much  closer to a car like that than… What the… oh, come on! Well, let’s head back to Los Angeles  while I wait for Microsoft to fix my 360. The lineup has been greatly simplified. The previous generation launched with five trim  

Levels and then added the Grand Touring  and 35th Anniversary models later on. And that’s to say nothing about  the Roadster and Nismo grades. Now, the standard Z came in  Base and Touring configurations. The latter came with, among other things,  4-way power-adjustable leather seats,   a 6-CD Bose audio system, and XM Satellite Radio.

Two packages were also on offer. The  Sport package, priced from $3,000 came   with RAYS 19-inch wheels, Bridgestone  Potenza tires, front and rear spoilers,   larger brakes, SynchroRev Match,  and a Limited Slip Differential. The $1,850 Navigation package also included  a 9.3 GB music box hard drive as well as  

An interface system for the iPod. Those  were far from the most important numbers,   though. Nissan managed to keep  the car’s price under $30,000. The 370Z launched with an  MSRP of $29,930. Meanwhile,   the upscale Touring grade started at $34,460. It  went on sale in North America in January 2009.

The Nismo model was added to the range in July,   which was much earlier in its cycle  than what occurred with the 350Z. Additionally, while the previous generation  didn’t increase the power, the 370Z Nismo did. It rose from 332 horsepower to 350.  Torque also ticked up slightly to  

276. this was thanks to a reworked ECU  and a larger diameter dual exhaust. It also featured a reworked suspension,   new wheels, and larger brakes. At  $39,130, it did not come cheaply. That summer also saw the release of  the roadster variant. It started at   $37,690 while the Touring was priced at $42,540.

Car and Driver got its hands  on one that sadly lacked the   SRM system and published its  findings in December of 2008. In many ways, it was an upgrade over the 350Z. The interior, for instance, did  away with the vast expanses of   black plastic in favor of supple leather,  premium stitching, and metal accents.

Other aspects in this area of the car  left them scratching their heads. The   biggest one came in the form of the  fuel and water temperature gauges. Instead of going with traditional dials,  Nissan opted to use a light dot display. The magazine was not a fan of this approach,  

Comparing it unfavorablely  to a “Pep Boys knickknack.” It was a preproduction model and  the company assured them that it   would be more readable on the real thing. T hese missteps notwithstanding, the  370Z still managed to impress them. A more in-depth look revealed additional findings.

No doubt the biggest revelation  came with the SRM system. By their estimations, the experienced Car  and Driver drivers were able to match the   revs correctly about 80 percent of the time. With electronic assistance, this  jumped to 100 percent. It was so  

Good that they reckoned that even the  most stubborn drivers would leave it on. Driving dynamics (impressed here as well.  It was fun and engaging, if a bit harsh. Their few complaints included excessive  road noise and poor visibility. Eddie Alterman of the New York Times praised it  

As well, even going as far as to  compare it to the flagship GT-R. He was also resistant to the idea  of the rev-matching assistance but   realized that it was much  more accurate than he was.   It also allowed him to give greater  attention to braking and steering. Alterman occasionally deactivated it for a more  

Engaging driving experience but  could not deny its usefulness. A Motor Trend review briefly compared  it to its predecessor and summed their   differences up by saying “It feels sharp, direct,   and balanced, a well-honed santoku knife  to the 350Z’s blunter and bulkier cleaves.

The sports car landscape had been shaken up once  again, and the pressure was on the Nissan to show   out. Motor Trend put it up against three of its  closest competitors in an April 2009 comparison   test. The recently introduced Pontiac Solstice  Coupe brought up the rear. Its seductive looks  

Couldn’t mask its poor visibility, dated 5-speed  transmission, and subpar interior quality. Testers also took issue with its top. There was  nowhere to place the included hardtop, meaning   that it would have to be left behind if its owner  fancied an open-air experience. Even the optional  

Soft top gave them trouble. It took up much of  the cargo room and had a cumbersome setup process. The RX-8 gave the 350Z more than a few  headaches back in the day. Years later,   it was set to do the same to its successor.  This particular example was equipped with  

The sporty R3 package, which added traction  control, a rear spoiler, revised suspension,   and Recaro seats. Unfortunately, Mazda’s  shining star was beginning to show its age. Abysmal fuel economy and a harsh ride  kept it out of the winner’s circle. BMW’s 135i brought home the silver  medal. It was as composed on the  

Road as one expects a BMW  to be. It wasn’t perfect,   though. Some on the panel felt that it  didn’t look quite right from certain angles. A tight backseat and cramped  footwell were also negatives.   And with an as-tested price of $37,775,  it was the most expensive car present.

The 370Z was the last one standing. Its  improvements had turned it into an even more   compelling product than the old model. It did  exceptionally well against its contemporaries,   but how would it fare against a more upscale  product? Road and Track found out when it  

Put the car up against the Porsche Boxster S. I’m  going to spoil this one for you: the Porsche won. The Z still put up a better fight than you  might expect. It stuck with it in terms of   performance but fell behind when it came to  refinement, composure, and interior quality.

With a sticker price that was nearly half of  its rival, the Z had nothing to be ashamed of. Updates were relatively minor to  start. 2010 saw the introduction   of the 40th Anniversary Edition.  This was a Touring model wearing   an exclusive “40th quartz exterior  color and red leather interior.

The model also received a unique wheel finish,  red stitching, and a plaque of authenticity.   Black Cherry also became an extra-cost  exterior color. Changes for 2011 and 2012   were even milder. In the former, a rearview  monitor was added to the navigation package. It also added yet another new color in Gun  

Metallic. The latter saw an oil  cooler become standard equipment. A major refresh was on tap for 2013,  and it won’t take long you you to spot   the differences. Its distinctive fangs  have been removed, leaving a rectangular   opening that was somewhat reminiscent  of the openings on the 240Z and 350Z.

I polled my viewers on which  front-end execution they preferred,   and the post-facelift mug won out convincingly,  taking home 63 percent of the total vote. A commenter in favor of them  argued that they distinguished   the Z33 from other generations of the sports car. Without them, there just wasn’t  very much setting it apart.

A few others preferred the  cleaner look of the 2013 model. One felt so strongly about it that he put it up  – or down – with models like the Juke and Cube. The redesign came with other exterior changes   as well. Vertical running lights  were set at either end of the car.

Around the back, the dark reflector  was replaced with a red one. For some reason, the base price this year  jumped to $33,120. The following year,   it fell back down to $30,780. Nissan dropped the price of several models  this year in an attempt to increase sales.

Lastly, two new colors were added  in Magma Red and Midnight Blue Changes for the 2014 model year  were relegated to the Nismo. Gray coloring was added to the front, rear,  side sills, side mirrors, and spoiler. Inside, the car received  Alcantera steering wheel trim,   Alcantara appointments, red  accents, and a red Nismo Tach.

The trim levels got a shakeup in 2015. The  Sport and navigation packages were retired. The equipment in the former was now in  the Sport grade while the technology   in the latter was included in the Sport Tech trim. The steering and suspension  setups were also retuned.

Larger changes were in store for  the Nismo. Starting this year,   the 7-speed automatic transmission  became available as an option. Up to this point going back to the 350Z, the  Nismo had only been available with a manual. Nissan also unveiled an  intriguing concept at year.

The Nismo 370Z Roadster Concept was a  one-off show car that was produced to   gauge interest in an open-top version of the car. It was also equipped with the automatic. The changes probably would have increased its  appeal, but the company likely didn’t get the   response it was expecting because  it never entered series production.

2016 saw the introduction of Deep Blue  Pearl as well as newfangled audio tricks. The first was Active Noise Cancellation.  According to the company, this helped   to cancel out low-frequency engine noise  while preserving those on the higher end. A ctive Sound Enhancement “enhanced natural engine   sounds to help bolster the  acceleration experience.”

Yeah, they were piping engine sounds  into the cabin through the speakers. Enthusiasts usually detest these systems  and the Z faithful were no different. When you type in Nissan 370Z Active  Sound Enhancement into Google,   many of the top results are either bemoaning  the system or asking if it can be disabled.

The only update for 2017 was  the addition of Chicane Yellow,   a rather fetching color in my opinion. Another touchup was in store the following year.   It brought darkened headlights,  tail lights, and lower rear clip. Vibrant Red was added to  the paint selection as well.

A new Heritage Edition accessories  package could be added for $790. It could be ordered in either yellow or black and  included custom graphics and yellow interior trim. The 2019 lineup featured an even simpler lineup. Nissan combined the Touring and Sport Tech  trims into a single Sport Touring grade.

A Pearl White Heritage model also came  into the fold. An auto-dimming rear   mirror with a rearview monitor  came standard on all trims. Lastly, the Roadster was  discontinued in the American market. Its price had ballooned up to  nearly $43,000 and the 7-speed   automatic became the sole transmis-sion choice.

Curiously, it continued to be offered in Canada. 2020 turned out to be the 370Z’s final year on   the market. It also coincided  with the Z’s 50th anniversary. To commemorate this occasion, the company  released the 50th Anniversary Package. Realizing that the Z33 was being  produced way back when it turned  

40 just puts into perspective  how long it lasted in the market. A paint job inspired by the livery on the Brock  Racing Enterprises Datsun 240Z was the main draw. The execution falls flat, in  my opinion. On the old car,   the lines were directly behind the  front wheels and far ahead of the cabin.

They also continued onto the hood. It just worked with the car’s proportions. On the 370Z, it feels like an afterthought.  The short stripes appear to be haphazardly   applied. They also make the car  appear larger than it actually is. Nissan’s send-off to its long-running sports  car was a mixed bag, to say the least.

Motor Trend tested an Anniversary  Edition, and it is fascinating to   see how expectations and the sports  car scene had evolved around the Z33. The car that had been praised for  its precision and technological   prowess was now noted for its old-school feel.

It summed it up perfectly by saying “The car  drives stupidly raw; this is a good thing.” And with that, the car was finished. The Z name was put to rest once again,  though this time things were a bit different. It would only be out of production for one year.

Fans were assured that they’d receive at least  one more entry in the legendary model line. Nissan’s Z car has had a strange life thus far. It entered production in 1970 and  remained in production for 30 years.

After this, the car entered the great beyond,  and no one was sure if it would ever come back. In 2002, it reappeared as the 350Z. While it sported a clean sheet exterior  design, it also managed to bring the   performance and accessibility of  the original into the modern era.

This chapter of Z history lasted  17 years and one evolution,   but this too came to an end. We all  knew that this wouldn’t be for long,   though. Nissan was hard at work  on the next-generation model. The design process mirrored that of the 370Z.

Its designers from all over the world were  invited to submit sketches for evaluation. In which direction would they  take the project, though? Employees asked themselves that question  when the Z directive was handed down. Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior  vice president for global design,   said that the 8 studios approached the  project from different perspectives.

The British and Japanese sites  embraced a retro theme while the   Nissan Design America facility  used a more modern philosophy. For those familiar with the Z car  story, that name might ring a bell. The winning proposals for both the 350Z  and 370Z were submitted by this studio,

Its relationship with the Z  extends as far back as the 80s,   as it worked on the facelift for the Z31 300ZX. Leadership poured over dozens of sketches. From  these, several designs were fleshed out virtually. In time, only three remained. Clay modelers brought those  proposals out of cyberspace  

And created full-size mockups out of them. You might think that the La  Jolla outfit had the edge,   but in a dramatic finish,  the Japanese studio won out. This was especially meaningful when you consider   that Nissan’s home country hadn’t  designed a Z car since the Z32.

On September 15th, 2020, the company  unveiled the Z PROTO on its website. I actually made an entire video delving into its   design. Not many people watched it and  to be honest, it isn’t worth watching. For your sake, I’ll go through it again here. Much ado was made about its grille.

Designers intended it to be a modern  interpretation of the S30s grille. Both cars use different techniques to  break up the mass of their openings. On the 240Z, a bar spans the front end  and literally splits this area up in two. The Proto attempts to do this  through more covert means.

24 filleted shapes are packed  into the upper half of the grille. Underneath this is a darker portion with two  long elements that can just barely be made out. In theory, this would give the impression of two   separate openings without disrupting  this area of the car very much.

In practice, it fails to stick the landing. There simply isn’t enough contrast between the  sections for the effect to work in most scenarios,   resulting in the appearance of a gaping  maw that clashes with the car’s bodywork. Viewing the Proto from straight  on is especially jarring.

We can at least get a better sense  of how it interacts with the nearby   elements from other angles,  though stronger contrast or a   more defied separator would have  done it more than a few favors. There are a few other nods to previous Z cars. On either side of the front end are vertical  

Creases that resemble the  reflectors from the 350Z. The lights, meanwhile, are a callback  to the units on a few historic models. Shinichiro Irie, the design director of  the Proto Z, said that the outer lens of   the S30s light housing give a unique  reflection when the lights are on.

The lights signature on the Proto  is a modern interpretation of this. Alfonso Albaisa said that the Japanese-market  Fairlady 240ZG was another source of inspiration. A similar effect occurs with that car’s lenses. He added that the team experimented  with circular lights for a time,   but it didn’t end up working out for them.

They happened to have a car from  the Nissan Heritage Collection.   And this particular model had clear lenses. Designers ran with the new theme soon after. The power dome on the hood serves  as another link to the S30. Nissan pulled a few tricks to visually  lower the car and enlarge its greenhouse.

The roof and rails are painted black. Automakers have been doing this for years  to lower the roofline of their cars. The Proto takes this a step further. Due to the stark lack of jewelry on the car,   the eye goes to the metallic  chrome strip on the cabin.

Nissan refers to this as the “katana” because  it has a similar shape to a Japanese sword. It defines a new roofline and makes  the car feel a bit lower and leaner. It runs the risk of making the  window opening appear smaller,   though designers took this into account as well.

The painted section continues  until it reaches the side mirror. After this, it appears to cut back and  resumes its path lower on the body. This pushes the perceived window  line down and opens things up a bit. A black strip lines the bottom of the  greenhouse, further driving this effect home.

Toward the rear, the window cuts up in a manner  that is similar to the S30 to make way for a   redesigned Z badge. And then it becomes part of a  metal sandwich that also includes the painted roof  

And katana. The way the latter ends off helps sell  the effect of it being a piece of honed steel. The 350Z and 370Z used ornate,  eye-catching door handles. The Z Proto instead opts for  integrated body-color openings. Older models also used flush handles,  but the execution here is different.

On those cars, the driver has to  reach under the handles and pull out. Units on the S30, S130, and Z31  are also accented with brightwork. They’re color-keyed on the Proto and also  require the owner to reach into it from the side.

The decision to go with these actually came  from an unlikely source, as Albaisa explains. The designer visited Peter Brock as they  were getting the car off the ground. He was an instrumental figure in the 240Z story. Back in the early 70s, his  Brock Racing Enterprises  

Outfit piloted the cars to victory on the circuit. Albaisa figured that he was as good a person to  turn to as anyone for guidance on the new model. He even likened this meeting to speaking with God. Brock simply wanted him to “make it beautiful.”

His wife stepped in and told them to  “suck the door handles back into the car.” And so they did. There haven’t been any  references to the Z3 thus far. Well, that all changes around back. Soft, rounded lights are set against a  glossy black backdrop, just like the 300ZX.

Their shape appears to tie in with the elements  in the upper portion of the front grille. Even the arrangement is the  same, with the brake lights   and turn signals taking precedence and the  reverse lights being placed more inward. Look closer and you’ll find that the  Z Proto puts a spin on this formula.

They appear to project from the housing to the  surface above, creating a distinctive 3-D effect. Work on the interior began after  the exterior plan was worked out. Designer Takuya Yamashita said that the   team initially intended to warm  over the interior from the 370Z.

The higher-ups had a change of heart and  ordered a more comprehensive overhaul. In his own words, “They were Z fans and wanted  the model to be equally great inside and out. But don’t think that the cockpit left  the previous cars behind completely.

The gauges at the top of the dashboard are a  nod to previous two model as well as the 240Z. They indicate boost pressure,  turbo speed, and battery voltage. Yamashita says that the arrangement  of the central stack – with the dials,   screen, and climate control  – also call back to that car.

The company tried to create a new experience here,   but as we’ll soon find out, they  might not have gone far enough. Mechanically, the Z borrowed a  fair bit from Nissan’s parts bin. Let’s start with the engine. The VR30DDTT was a twin-turbocharged 3L  

Engine that initially saw use in  the 2016 Infiniti Q50 and Q60. In this application, it made 400  horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque,   which were increases of 68 and 80  over the old model, respectively. This engine being in this car is  significant for a few reasons.

For the first time since the Z32, Nissan  would be producing a Z with forced induction. And for the first time ever, there wouldn’t  be a naturally aspirated variant on offer. Two transmissions were also available; a  six-speed manual and a 9-speed automatic.

A version of the former had been in use since  the 350Z but it had been updated for the RZ34. The latter was a modified version of the  gearbox used in the Frontier and Titan. Under the skin, it shares  quite a bit with the 370Z. This is even reflected in the  car’s internal designation.

Going back to 1983, they’ve gone  from Z31 to Z32, Z33, and Z34. You’d think this one would be  Z35, but it’s actually RZ34. This indicates that, while modifications were   made to the platform, Nissan didn’t  think they justified a new number. Ben Tsu from Japanese Nostalgic Car relayed a  

Story from Kuruma News that  explained the situation. Japan’s Ministry of Land,  Infrastructure, Transport,   and Tourism has to perform tests to ensure  they meet crash and emissions regulations. Hsu theorized that Nissan kept the chassis code to  avoid these exams along with the associated costs.

The production model debuted on August 17,  2021, this time on Nissan YouTube channel. Its lineup was even more  streamlined than the 370Z’s. At just under $41,000, the Sport  served as the RZ34’s entry point. Above this was the Performance  grade at about $51,000.

While it does command a premium, the  model does add a fair bit to the car. It included a mechanical LSD, unique  19-inch wheels, aluminum pedals,   and Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires. Last but certainly not least was the Proto Spec. It was made as a tribute to the  prototype that debuted the year prior.

Fittingly, American allocation  was limited to just 240 units. It added exclusive yellow paint and  brake calipers, bronze-colored wheels,   leather seats with yellow accents,  and Proto-spec interior stitching. This grade was priced at about $54,000. Prices for all trim levels were the same  for both manual and automatic models.

There were a few minor differences  between the production model and   the concept, as noted by Motor Trend. Performance models gained rear spoilers, a  feature that the Z Proto and Sport did not have. The front grille has also been adjusted to  increase the contrast between the two sections. Finally, the braking system was adjusted.

The Proto used units pulled  directly from the GT-R. The production model had to make do  with upgraded brakes from the 370Z. Motor Trend published its  initial findings in May of 2022,   and they were impressed with  its sheer value and performance. A more thorough examination  came in the middle of July.

For this one, Nissan sent them  a case of octane booster because   93 octane wasn’t easily found in California. The publication performed their tests without it,   but they experienced engine knock  and then got a “low power” warning,. These issues went away after  they used the octane booster. Performance also improved  and became more consistent.

It proved to be less of an all-out  sports car and more of a grand tourer. Dynamically, it wasn’t as on-edge as the  370Z, with a softer suspension and shifts. Road and exhaust noises were also  filtered out for the most part. These weren’t necessarily bad things. It just  

Differed from the last few  Z cars that came before it. Road and Track liked it as well,   though it took issue with the bouncy  ride and ill-defined shift gates. Overall fit and finish lagged behind  its direct competitors and even cars   like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Toyobaru twins.

And despite Nissan’s efforts, testers  felt that the cabin felt dated. Toyota had introduced the Supra a few years prior,   and it didn’t take long for  magazines to pit it against the Z. Sports cars have become an increasingly  tough sell for product planners. Nissan had to work with  what it already had on hand.

The Supra was a collaboration between Toyota and  BMW, being built upon the bones of the G29 Z4. While it rides on newer mechanicals,  some have derided it for not being a   truly independent creation  of the Japanese automaker. The base Supra started at $43,000,  

Though with just 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft  of torque, it was outgunned by the Z Sport. As such, Car and Driver put the Premium 3.0L,   which made 382 horsepower and 3668 lb-ft  of torque, against the Z Performance. Also, the Supra was only available with  an automatic at this point in time.

This would give it an advantage in some areas  compared to their Z, which had the 6-speed manual. The Nissan still had the edge on paper, but  the Supra outperformed it during their tests. It was 125 pounds lighter and  also had a weight distribution   of 52:48 compared to the Z’s split of 56:44.

Much of this was chalked up to  the Nissan’s tires and gearbox. While they declared that it  was the best Z car thus far,   it just came up short during this comparison. Motor Trend performed the same  test, this time with both cars   being automatics, but the same result shook out.

The Z drew two more fierce competitors in  the Ford Mustang Mach 1 and BMW M240i xDrive. It brought up the rear once again. Even though it had the lowest as-tested price,   it couldn’t overcome its troublesome  tires, suspension, and aging mechanicals. The RZ34 has already received its  update for the 2024 model year.

Amazon Alexa became standard  equipment on all models. Isn’t that great? Alright, I’m kinda burying the lede here. The big story here is the addition of the NISMO Z. For the time being, it is only  available with an automatic.

This may come as a surprise to some, seeing  as how the NISMO 350Z was offered exclusively   with a manual and the NSIMO 370Z  only gained a slushbox in 2015. Nissan added a new Sport+ mode, which increases   throttle response and reportedly  reduces downshift times by half.

Other mechanical changes turned it into a more  capable performer and included stiffer spring   rates, retuned dampers, additional underfloor  bracing, and an updated braking system. A version of its Dunlap SP Sport Max  GT600 tires was also used on the GT-R. Horsepower increased to 420 while  torque went up to 384 lb-ft.

It is visually distinguished from the standard  model through a redesigned front clip, canards,   red accents, a rear spoiler,  and a dark metallic katana. Interior changes include red start-stop and   drive mode selection buttons  and Alcantara leather seats. Both Motor Trend and Car and Driver  have published reviews for the NISMO.

The latter acknowledged that it was  an improvement over the Performance   trim but questioned if it was worth the premium. Motor Trend had high praise for it and declared   that it was “world’s better” on  the track than the Z Performance. Further changes were in store  for the Japanese market.

The Fairlady Z Customized Proto debuted  at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon in February. The biggest revelation here  is the reworked grille. A body-colored bar bisects the grille,   which breaks up the mass and forges  an even stronger link with the S30. In my opinion, it amends the  Z’s weakest visual element.

The change is so effective that looks stock. Nissan offered an accessory package that took   heavy inspiration from the  show car the following year. Unfortunately, the package is only  offered in the Japanese market and   is not offered in the United States  as of the recording of this video.

The Fairlady X was unveiled earlier  this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon. It looks strange but let me explain. This is the product of students at the  Nissan Automobile Technical College. As such, it is more of an engineering and  fabrication study rather than a styling exercise.

And it’s a pretty extensive rework at that. The students used a Murano as their base and  turned it into something completely unique. Even the interior was Z-ified. As technically impressive as  it is, I’m grateful that the   prospect of a Z crossover isn’t being  seriously considered by corporate… yet.

The RZ34 has only been on the market for a  few years, but it has already proven itself   to be a strong entry in Nissan’s  long-running line of sports cars. It pays homage to older models  without becoming a caricature.

And while it’s built upon old bones, it still  manages to keep pace with its contemporaries. The Z has been an industry mainstay for over  50 years, give or take a few gaps in between. Hopefully, it will continue to  inspire enthusiasts for years to come.

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SOURCES
240Z: https://www.barchetta.co/240z-sources
280ZX: https://www.barchetta.co/280zx-sources
300ZX: https://www.barchetta.co/300zx-sources
350Z: https://www.barchetta.co/350z-sources
370Z: https://www.barchetta.co/370z-sources
2023 Z: https://www.barchetta.co/2023-z-sources

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 (240Z) INTRO
6:01 (240Z) EARLY DESIGN PROCESS
11:59 (240Z) ENGINEERING
21:33 (240Z) NAMING/USA TESTING
28:48 (240Z) DEBUT
34:11 (240Z) MAGAZINE REVIEWS
39:38 (240Z) RACING PEDIGREE
44:47 (240Z) CHANGES/260Z/280Z
52:59 (280ZX) INTRO
54:27 (280ZX) DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
59:29 (280ZX) MARKET INTRODUCTION
1:06:47 (280ZX) TURBOCHARGERS AND T-TOPS
1:10:57 (Z31 300ZX) Z31 300ZX OVERVIEW
1:16:57 (Z32 300ZX) INTRO
1:17:58 (Z32 300ZX) DESIGN
1:26:12 (Z32 300ZX) ENGINEERING
1:28:51 (Z32 300ZX) DEBUT
1:30:01 (Z32 300ZX) MAGAZINE REVIEWS
1:36:46 (Z32 300ZX) LATER YEARS/DECLINE
1:41:56 (350Z) INTRO
1:44:38 (350Z) 1998 Z CONCEPT
1:51:20 (350Z) HISTORY OF NISSAN DESIGN AMERICA
1:56:15 (350Z) 1999 Z CONCEPT
2:00:15 (350Z) DESIGN PROCESS
2:11:33 (350Z) 2001 350Z CONCEPT
2:13:00 (350Z) MAGAZINE TESTS
2:17:42 (350Z) INFINITI G35
2:19:52 (350Z) TRIM LEVELS/MODEL UPDATES
2:23:33 (370Z) INTRO
2:24:46 (370Z) RANDY RODRIGUEZ
2:26:08 (370Z) ENGINEERING
2:28:02 (370Z) DEBUT/TRIM LEVELS
2:30:47 (370Z) REVIEWS
2:35:17 (370Z) UPDATES
2:42:01 (RZ34) INTRO
2:42:45 (RZ34) DEVELOPMENT
2:44:08 (RZ34) DEBUT/DESIGN/COMPARISON TESTS
2:57:03 (RZ34) 2024 UPDATE