The Nissan Z is a series of sports cars built since 1969. The original was first sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and as the Datsun 240Z abroad. Nissan has made seven generations, the most recent known simply as the Nissan Z and in production since 2022.
Nissan Z-car at a glance
| Series began | October 1969 |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | Nissan Fairlady Z, for every generation |
| Export names | Datsun 240Z, Fairlady Z (S30 and S130), 300ZX, 350Z, 370Z, Nissan Z |
| Generations | seven |
| First Japanese engine | 2.0-litre L20A straight-six, 130 hp |
| First US engine | 2.4-litre L24 six, 151 hp gross |
| Racing version of 1969 | Z432 with the Skyline 2000 GT-R’s S20 engine |
| Built at | Hiratsuka to 2000, Oppama 2002–2004, Tochigi since 2004 |
| Main rivals | Toyota Celica, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Mazda RX-7 |
| Current model | since 2022 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Nissan Z-car; no free photographs of a single Z-car were found for this page.
History of the Nissan Z-car
How it began
Nissan was a relatively small maker when it entered the international market in the 1960s, and it partnered with Yamaha to design a sports car prototype as an update to the Fairlady, producing the Yamaha YX-30 in 1961. Executives saw it as a halo car that would improve the company’s image, but by 1964 Nissan judged Yamaha’s twin-cam 2.0-litre engine not good enough and scrapped the project; Yamaha finished a prototype and took the design to Toyota, which became the 2000GT. Yutaka Katayama, then president of Nissan USA, saw the need for an affordable sports car internationally, and the planners wanted a line of GT cars that were stylish, fast and relatively cheap through shared parts with other Nissans. The engineering experience of the recently acquired Prince Motor Company, maker of the Skyline, was part of the mix.
S30 (1969)
Sales began in October 1969 for the 1970 model year, with separate versions for Japan and the United States. The Japanese Fairlady Z used the 2.0-litre SOHC L20A straight-six of 130 hp, while the American Datsun 240Z had the 2.4-litre L24 with twin Hitachi SU carburettors making 151 hp gross. A third version, the Z432 (PS30), shared a performance version of the twin-cam 2.0-litre S20 engine with the Skyline 2000 GT-R.
Seven generations
Every Z car has been sold in Japan as the Fairlady Z and elsewhere under names including the 240Z, the S130 Fairlady, the 300ZX, the 350Z, the 370Z and now simply the Nissan Z. Early cars were built at Nissan Shatai’s Hiratsuka plant until 2000, with the 350Z and 370Z built at Oppama from 2002 to 2004 and at Tochigi since 2004. The cars are known for their looks, reliability, performance and affordability, and in Japan their main rivals were the Toyota Celica, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT and Mazda RX-7.
Design and features
- Affordable GT: the original idea was a stylish sports car at a low price.
- Straight-six start: the L20A and L24 engines gave the Z its character.
- Z432: the GT-R engine in a Z for Japanese racing rules.
- Seven generations: one continuous name since 1969.
Nissan Z-car versions
- Fairlady Z and Datsun 240Z (1969–): the original S30.
- Z432 (PS30): the S20-engined version.
- Fairlady Z (S130): the second generation, sold as the 280ZX.
- 300ZX, 350Z and 370Z: later export names.
- Nissan Z (2022–): the seventh generation.
The line began with the 240Z and 280Z, continued through the 300ZX and 350Z, and the current car sits above the 370Z generation. More cars are in the Nissan collection.
Video: Car Tech – 2014 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Video by YouTube on YouTube.
Sources
- Nissan Z-car, English Wikipedia: origins, S30 engines, generations, plants, rivals
