Nissan’s sports cars always been a success on the Japanese market and not only. So is the Nissan Fairlady Z (name used in Japan) starting its first year of unveiling in 1970 until our days. The Fairlady Z was sold on the US market as Datsuns until 1984. The first model from the Z-Cars series was the 240Z. Next Nissan presented the 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX, 300ZX and last one is 350Z. The Datsuns 240Z was unveiled in 1969 and on the US market was brought in 1970 by Yutaka Katayama, president of Nissan Motors USA operations. The “Z” letter from the name refers to the displacement of the engine: the first model - the 240Z used a 2.4 liter engine; 350Z uses a 3.5 liter engine.

1970 - 1978 Nissan Z-Car: 240Z, 260Z and 280Z

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 1970 - 1978 Nissan Z-Car: 240Z, 260Z and 280Z
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

240Z


The Datsuns 240Z is the first model from the first series of Nissan Z-cars. Bagged the S30, the first series was produced between 1969 - 1978 and also included 260Z and 280Z. The Z-cars disappeared from the US market with the introduction of the 300ZX Twin Turbo I 1993 and came back seven years later with the 350Z.


On its launch, the 240Z was a spectacular car that could easily compete with the best cars from the American and European market. It was a performance car with a sexy look, at a price (only $3500) that helped the maker to sell over 30,000 units in 1971 and over 50,000 and 40,000 in 1972 and 1973, respectively. Actually, the price was that made the Japanese car to have such a big success on the foreign markets.


The 240Z came in two different versions: one for the American market and one for the Japanese one. The one for the Japanese market was more design into race, while the American model had nothing of a race car in it. It was powered by a SOHC L20 Inline-6 engine with an output of 130 hp, and on the American market came with L24 Inline-6 engine with twin SU carburetors that produced 151 hp.