In 1969 Nissan Motors embarked upon a market for a new type of sports car. Nissan's product planners imagined an agile, compact "GT", whose performance and comfort would outrun its price. Nissan engineers began work on a prototype which would become the Nissan 240Z.
Then in 1969 the 240Z went on sale in the U.S. on October 22nd. It features a 2400cc six-cylinder, 150 horsepower engine, and delivered a Zero - Sixty time of under NINE SECONDS!! The price tag on this outstanding sports car was only $3,526.
Come 1970, less than a year after its debut, demand for the 240Z became so high that the Kelly Blue Book rated the value of a USED Z at $4,000. Bob Sharp and Pete Brock took the Datsun 240Z to the race track in SCCA competition and driver John Morton won the C-Production National Championship for Brock Racing Enterprises. His championship repeated itself for the next following year (1971), then Bob Sharp raced for the championship for 1972 and 1973. In 1973, during the close of the 240Z's fourth and final model year, all time sales reached 116,712 units.
In 1974 Nissan increased the engine displacement of the 1974 model to 2.6 liters, and they renamed the car to 260Z. Due to stricter emissions requirements horsepower reduced down to 139. 1974 also brought the introduction of the "2+2" body style, which accommodated fold-down rear seats. In its only year of existence, the 260Z set a single-year Z-car sales record (at the time) with 63,963 cars sold. Walt Moss extended the Datsun's Z-car dominance by claiming the C-Production National Championship.
In 1975 emissions requirements became even tougher to meet, increasing the need for more complex technology. Nissan boosted the Z-car's displacement to 2.8 liters and added a version of Bosch's L-Jetronic fuel injection, creating the 1975 280Z. Its horsepower rating also increased to 149.
Sharp moved up to the IMSA GTU racing circuit, winning eight races and capturing the championship. He also won the SCCA C-Production title. In 1977 a five-speed overdrive transmission was added to the 280Z, raising the horsepower to 170. 1997 is also the Z's highest sales year to date (at the time), with 67,331 cars sold.
In 1978 Nissan released a Black Pearl Edition 280Z, as a test market device to determine if the color black should be added to the Z-car model line colors. Some of these Black Pearl Editions came with a Sports Appearance Package which included the following options:
| Availability: | Package Content: |
| -2 Seater Coupe | - Red & Silver Accent Stripes On:
|
| -Black Pearl Metallic Paint | -Rear Window Sunshade |
| -Dual Racing Mirrors |
This all with a price tag of $8,287.00!
In 1979 an all new, second-generation Z-car emerged, debuting as the 280ZX. The 280ZX offers a high level of luxury to meet the growing demands of the sports car customer. Named Motor Trends "Import Car Of The Year" for 1979, the 280ZX set the all-time sales record for the Z-line with 86,007 cars sold. The Z-car captured its 10th consecutive SCCA C-Production championship. Don Devendorf wins another IMSA GTU title for Datsun.
Along with the 280ZX, 1979 included the surprise 1979 280ZX-R (for Racing!) This car was a limited edition Z with only 1,000 units made. The Datsun's 280ZX-R's were produced by the Nissan Factory to homologate the large rear wing for racing. The car had to be manufactured in 1,000 unit lots to meet the qualification requirements for "Production Class." The ZXR was a standard 280ZX coupe with blue stripes on a silver mist paint scheme. The factory registered Special Edition cost the owner $399 extra. The side stripes were actually decals and there was also a large "R" after the ZX on the emblems.
In 1980 a new T-Bar roof option was introduced. Cumulative American Z-Car sales reached 500,000 cars sold.
1980 also brought the production of the 1981 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition. This Anniversary Edition of the Z-car was commemerorated by the factory with the production of a Special Edition Z Car for 1980. This Special Edition was named the "280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition". Pictured below is The Gold and Black Edition of the10th Anniversary Edition of 3000 - Registration #0001.
Only 3000 of these cars were produced. 2,500 were painted Gold and Black, while 500 were painted Red and Black. The basis for this special edition was the 1980 280ZX GL package. They were all then equipped with a Special Edition Option Package, which included the following:
Below is an image of the
rare Red and Black version of this Z - #1170.
In 1981 a turbo charged engine was offered on the 1981 280ZX. Sales remained strong through the 1983 model year. In 1982 Devendorf and his Electromotive racing team won Datsun's first ever IMSA GTO championship.
In 1984 the third generation Z, the all new 300ZX, made its debut. The 300ZX offered sleek new styling and a powerful 3.0 liter V6 engine, raising the sports car's performance image to even greater heights. The normally-aspirated 300ZX produced 160 horsepower, while the turbo charged version offered 200 horsepower. The 1984 model year became the second-best selling Z-car ever with 73,652 cars sold.
Besides the new 300ZX, Nissan also brought to us the 1984 50th Anniversary Edition 300ZX. (Pictured Below)
The 1984, 50th
Anniversary Edition 300zx Turbo came with perhaps the longest list of STANDARD
features in automotive history. The only option buyers had was an automatic, or
manual transmission. The Following Features Were On All 50th A.E. 300ZX's:
(Note: The Links Below Are To Full Size JPEG Images Averaging 60K each!)
In 1985 Paul Newman split time between the SCCA's professional Trans Am series and the amateur ranks and set 10 track records in his 280ZX Turbo and lead the national championship races wire-to-wire to win his third title, 1986 also graced Newman with his second SCCA GT-1 national championships. Scott Sharp, son of legendary Datsun racer, Bob, won his second straight SCCA GT-1 national championship, and his third title overall.
Towards the end of the 1980's the overall sports car market faced a down turn dute to a significant increase in consumer demand for more multi-purpose vehicles, such as mini-vans and sport utility vehicles. Back-to-basics was the name of the game when it came to sports cars and for Nissan, it meant a return to more of a performance orientation during the development of the next generation Z-car.
In 1990 the fourth-generation Z, the dynamic 1990 300ZX, took on a more aggressive stance. The all-new DOHC 3.0 liter engine offered increased output of 222 horses for the normally-aspirated model, and an incredible 300 horsepower for the 300ZX Turbo. The 300ZX. Here is the long line of titles the 300ZX and the 300ZX Turbo won over the next five-six years:
| 1990 | The 1990 300-ZX Turbo is named Motor Trend's "Import Car of the Year". Motor Trend also names it, "One of the Top Ten Performance Cars". Automobile Magazine honors the 300-ZX/300-ZX Turbo as its "Design of the Year", and names the 300-ZX Turbo to its "All Stars" list. Road & Track names the 300-ZX Turbo "One of the Ten Best Cars in the World". Car and Driver names the 300-ZX Turbo "One of the Ten Best Cars". American Z-car sales reach the one million sales mark in the 1990 model year, making it the all-time best selling sports car. |
| 1991 | The 300-ZX Turbo is named to Car and Driver 's "Ten Best" list, and is once again one of Automobile Magazine's "All-Stars". |
| 1992 | For the third straight year, Car and Driver names the 300-ZX Turbo one of its "Ten Best", and Automobile Magazine names it to its "All-Stars" list. |
| 1993 | For the fourth straight year, the 300-ZX Turbo is named a Car and Driver "Ten Best", and one of Automobile Magazine's "All-Stars". |
| 1994 | A race-modified Z wins both the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours at Sebring. It goes on to win the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, making it the only car ever to accomplish such a record within the same year. And for the fifth straight year, the 300-ZX Turbo is named to the "Ten Best" and "All Stars" lists by Car and Driver and Automobile Magazine, respectively. |
| 1995 | 1995 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Z. It also brings another award from Car and Driver, as the publication the 300-ZX Turbo to its "Ten Best" list for the sixth straight year. |
1996 regrettably marked the final year of American productions of the Z-car. Nissan will sell the 300ZX in 1996, despite the 1994 sales of just under 6,000 units, and 1995 sales reported to be even fewer. The heart and soul of this car will live on forever. In spite of the end of the American productions, the 300ZX is being built and sold in other countries around the world. In 1998, mainly because of the opening of the Nissan "Z-Stores", rumors started brewing about a "next generation" Z-car.
January 8, 2001 marked the long-anticipated official announcement of the newest generation Nissan Z Concept! Thankfully, the Z-Car heritage and tradition will live on...
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