13 Facts Only Real Gearheads Know About Nissan’s Z Cars

Nissan introduced the Z-car towards the very end of the 1960s, and the sound of car enthusiasts’ jaws dropping could be heard worldwide. 

The original 240Z was never a ground-breaking car in terms of technology, but it was much more than the sum of its parts. 

Combining Japanese reliability and affordability with a stylish design and excellent driving dynamics, the Datsun 240Z was so good that it forced the competition to improve. 

The Nissan Z is still going strong today, 55 years after it first saw the light of day, but the early cars from the 1970s are no longer cheap enthusiast cars.

It’s Called Fairlady Z In Japan

Outside Japan, Nissan’s beloved Z sports cars are named using a number followed by the letter “Z.” For example, we have the 240Z, 300ZX, 350Z, etc. However, they changed this strategy for the latest model, which is simply called the Nissan Z.

JDM Z models, however, are called Datsun or Nissan Fairlady. The Fairlady moniker originated in 1961 when Katsuji Kawamata, then-president of Nissan, learned about the successful My Fair Lady Broadway musical. He believed naming the sports car Fairlady would make it as popular as the musical.

The Datsun 240Z Wasn’t The Brand’s First Sports Car

Datsun introduced the 240Z on the American market in 1970, but this wasn’t the brand’s first attempt at making a sports car.

In 1959, Datsun introduced the Sports 1000 roadster (sold as the Fairlady 1000 on the Japanese market). It only had a 1.0-liter four-cylinder engine and was never a massive success in the North American market. However, Datsun didn’t give up, and the little sports car grew stronger with time. In 1963, there was the Sports 1500 with an 85-horsepower 1.5-liter, which was succeeded by the Sports 1600 and Sports 2000.

The 240Z Was Hugely Successful In The States

When the Datsun 240Z arrived in the States, it was an immediate success. It looked like the Jaguar E-Type but offered much better reliability at a far cheaper price.

During its first year on the US market, Datsun sold over 16-thousand 240Z. The following year, sales more than doubled and just kept improving with time. 1973 was the last year for the 240Z, and 46,282 units were sold that year. Although it’s not particularly rare, the Datsun 240Z is a bit overpriced today.

There Was A Rare Datsun Fairlady Z432

When Nissan saw how popular the Fairlady Z was, they quickly decided to build a high-performance version that weighed less and produced more power. It was known as the Z432.

They made 420 Z432 cars and, for homologation purposes, another 50 of the even more special Z432R. The engine was the same 2.0-liter straight-six unit as found in the Skyline 2000 GT-R, and the Z432’s name refers to the 4 valves per cylinder, 3 Mikuni carburetors, and 2 camshafts. The Z432 is now a highly-desirable vintage JDM car, and buying one requires exceptionally deep pockets.

The Datsun Z Kept Growing But Didn’t Get Faster

When the Z car was first introduced, it had a 2.4-liter inline six SOHC 12-valve engine that produced 151 horsepower, enough to send it to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. In 1974, the 240Z grew to become the 260Z. Even though the engine now had a 2.6-liter displacement, emission controls meant it only produced 139 horses.

Nissan also introduced a new 2+2 model that was physically bigger than the regular 2-seater. In 1975, the engine grew even more and now measured 2.8 liters. Even with fuel injection, it only made 149 horsepower. 

The 280Z Turned Into The Far Less Attractive 280ZX

Production of the first-gen Z car ended in 1978, but sales were still strong, with over 70,000 280Zs being introduced to American roads in 1977 alone. However, customers wanted more luxury and opulence in the late 1970s, so the 280Z was replaced by the 280ZX.

At first glance, the two looked similar, but the 280ZX was physically bigger and didn’t look as good. Only the 2.8-liter engine and 5-speed manual gearbox were the same as the 280Z; everything else was new. With just 135 horsepower, the 280ZX needed 11 seconds to reach 60 mph.

Then It Evolved Into The Vastly Improved 280ZX Turbo

The 280ZX was heavy, hideous, and slow. Luckily, Nissan realized it had messed up, and in 1981, the Datsun 280ZX Turbo was introduced. It was still an ugly heavyweight, but at least it gained some power.

With a Garrett turbo forcing more air into the engine, the 280ZX Turbo became the most powerful Z car yet, producing 180 horsepower. That meant it would reach 60 mph in just over 7 seconds, which was very decent in those days. After 1981, the Datsun name was no longer used, and the 280ZX itself was gone after the 1983 model year.

The First 300ZX Wasn’t Particularly Good

In 1984, the all-new Nissan 300ZX arrived, and honestly, it wasn’t the huge improvement over the 280ZX buyers were hoping for. Styling-wise, it was all straight lines, and Nissan couldn’t have made a more 80s-style car if they’d tried.

The inline-six engine was replaced by a 3.0-liter SOHC V6 that churned out 160 horsepower. Those who opted for the turbo model now had 200 horses to play with. Well, we say play with, but in reality, the first-gen 300ZX was actually pretty boring, even if it had decent power and handling. However, when stripped down and turned into a race car, the 300ZX proved quite a competitor.

Paul Newman Raced Nissan Z Cars

To the average Joe, Paul Newman is best known for his acting, but true dyed-in-the-wool gearheads think of him as a race car driver first, actor second. 

During his long racing career, Newman was behind the wheel of multiple Datsun/Nissan cars, including a 900+ horsepower twin-turbo V8 Nissan 280ZX. He won the 1986 IMSA GT-1 Championship in a 1986 Nissan 300ZX, and drove a 1987 Nissan 300ZX in the 1988 Trans-Am series. That was the last year he raced a Nissan.

The Second-Gen 300ZX Was High-Tech Awesomeness

While the first-gen 300ZX was a bit of a letdown in many ways, its successor, the brand-new Z32 300ZX that emerged in 1990, was pure automotive high-tech awesomeness. It had a sophisticated suspension setup, HICAS rear-wheel steering, and a technologically advanced turbo engine was also available.

Nissan kept making both a 2-seater and a 2+2 version, but this was the first time those rear seats could be used by (short) people and not just to store groceries. Unfortunately, the 2+2 was only available with the naturally aspirated V6. Then again, it still packed 222 horsepower, more than any of the previous turbocharged models.

The 300ZX Turbo Was An Instant Hit With Japanese Street Racers

Those willing to sacrifice the rear seats could spec their 300ZX with the excellent twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 DOHC engine. While the naturally aspirated version was decent enough, the added turbos turned it into a real monster, producing 300 horsepower in stock form. 

Japanese tuners soon realized the 300ZX’s true potential, and after working their magic on the engine, they more than doubled the power. One such company was Revolfe S.A., who built a 680-horsepower car that was a common sight on Tokyo’s highways when the infamous Mid Night Club did their VMax runs.

The 350Z And 370Z Went Back To Basics

Nissan didn’t sell any Z cars in the States from 1997 until the 350Z was introduced in 2003. Unlike its predecessor, the 300ZX, the 350Z wasn’t a hi-tech flagship model. Instead, Nissan raided its parts bins and cobbled together one of the best affordable sports cars of the 2000s.

Gone were the rear-wheel steering, fancy tech, and turbochargers. Instead, the 350Z went back to basics, and has more in common with the original 240-280Z than the 1980s and 1990s models. Its replacement, the 370Z, received an even larger 3.7-liter engine, and it was smaller and lighter than the 350Z. If you want an affordable Japanese sports car, one of these could be what you’re looking for.

The Latest Nissan Z Offers Retro Style And Fancy Tech

While the 350Z and 370Z utilized a “simple,” naturally aspirated V6 engine and offered little innovative tech, hinting at the original 240Z, the new Z car is more like the 300ZX.

Nissan has given it a retro design as a nod to the Z heritage, but everything is brand new and very advanced underneath its skin. Like the 300ZX, the new Nissan Z has a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine under its long hood, and Nissan even chose to offer it with a manual transmission.