Nissan Z Series: Celebrating a Legacy of Performance
The Nissan Z Series is celebrating over 50 years of Z-cars, which are some of the sportiest cars made by the Japanese automaker. The Z-cars first hit the Japanese market in 1969 with the Fairlady Z and then the Datsun 240Z in the USA. Since its debut, over 1.8 million Z-cars have been sold worldwide. Jeff Schmitt Auto Group takes a look at some key Z-cars from years past.
1980 Datsun 280ZX
The 1980 Datsun 280ZX was released as a 10-year anniversary of the model's original release. The two-door coupe had a limited run of only 3,000 units and it featured alloy wheels, plus a gold-colored Z badge on the hood. These cars are definitely fairly rare now and range widely in price depending on the condition. Current listings show units ranging from $10,000 up to nearly $30,000.
1984 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
Like the previous car, this model was released to celebrate nearly 50 years of the Nissan company, which began in the 1930s. This car added some cutting-edge tech for the time, including audio controls on the steering wheel, an electronically controlled sports suspension, and even some digital readouts. Prices for this car are typically between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on the condition.
2005 Nissan 350Z
Leaping forward some twenty years to the 2005 Nissan 350Z, this Nissan Z-car was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine and was built to soup up a model released a few years prior. Nissan engineers worked on the design until they ended up with an engine that made 300 horsepower. This model also represented the 35th anniversary of the car and posted a zero to 60 MPH time of 5.8 seconds.
2010 Nissan 370Z
Five years later marked the fourth decade of the Z-cars and Nissan released the 2010 370Z to commemorate it. The name change reflected the fact that the engine size was increased to 3.7 liters. This model was a little different from the previous model in that it came with front and rear spoilers, bright red brake calipers, a special graphite paint theme, and a variety of 40th-anniversary badges.
2020 Nissan 370Z
Next up in this lookback is the 2020 Nissan 370Z. This model represents half a century of the Nissan Z-cars. Some upgrades for this model included side stripes, contrasting accents on the A-pillars, alloy wheels with red accents, and a variety of 50th-anniversary badges. 2020 also turned out to be the final production year for the 370Z. The standard engine here was a 3.7-liter V6 that made 332 horsepower.
2024 Nissan Z
The newest Z-car is the 2024 Nissan Z, featuring an attractive sporty design that subtly references the Z-cars from the past. The Nissan Z doesn't lack power with its twin-turbo V6 engine that makes up to 400 horsepower. Three trims are available, and one is the souped-up NISMO that makes 420 horsepower.
The Nissan Z-cars have always thrilled sports car enthusiasts and we're always excited to show customers the newest versions at Jeff Schmitt Auto Group. Come see us today for a wide selection of Nissan models and top-notch customer service.
