By Classic Yorkshire contributor Tony Lofthouse
Growing up in the seventies one of the stand out sports cars on the road was the Datsun 240Z.
Launched in 1969, this elegant two-seater caught its European rivals ‘on the hop’ and would take the US by storm.
For those of you unfamiliar with ‘Datsun’, this was the name used by Nissan Motors for many years – car production starting in 1931.
Datsun would go on to be a significant player in the global car market right up to the mid-1980s when Nissan decided to badge future cars in their own name.
But, let’s go back to Datsun and the impact of the first of the ‘Z’ line-up. The Datsun 240Z was the export version of the Japanese model, the Fairlady Z.
With its long nose and short tail it shared more than a hint of the Jaguar E-Type in its styling.
Under the bonnet, the car had a punchy 2.4 litre inline-six engine capable of generating 151 bhp and reaching a top speed of 125 mph.
Soon, the 240Z would be known for its top-notch performance and its entry into the sports market proved a ‘game-changer’ for the Japanese car-maker.
In the UK tough import duties hindered sales. To buy a ‘Z’ would set you back £2,300, a lot more than an MGB GT or Ford Capri.
But, it was a different story in the North American market where it represented great value and notched-up nearly 150,000 sales.
By 1974, the 240Z would pave the way for the bigger engined 260Z and a year later the 280Z (released in the US only).
The Z-series has continued ever since at Nissan, but that early sporty Datsun will be long remembered for its undoubted impact.
Driven by Tony Fall very successfully in rallying and the car he chose for historic rallying later in life. Unfortunately later models were ruined by US emissions making them heavy and ugly.