October 22nd will mark the 40th anniversary of the Nissan (Datsun) Z. First released in 1969 as the Datsun 240Z, the ‘Zed’ has evolved through the years, and we’ve had a front row seat to watch it grow. As a child it was an impressive sports coupe that made US automakers sit up and take notice with it’s straight-six that grew in size and stature each generation. From the 2.4L 240Z, to the 2.6L 260Z, to the 2.8L in the 280Z each iteration added more bang-for-the-buck and had people looking at the little coupe that could. By the time adolescences came around, turbocharged versions of the car were available and the straight six was being ditched for a more robust V6 setup.
The early 80’s marked the entry of the 300ZX with the most iconic version coming in 1990 with the Z32 300ZX Twin Turbo. A powerhouse and a design far ahead of its time, the 300ZX became the tuner’s choice and fired the first shots in what would becomes the Japanese Supercar Wars. A brief hiatus in the late 1990’s set the stage for a triumphant return in 2003 with the Z33 350Z and subsequently the Z34 370Z, both of which follow the same trajectory as the Z didin the 70s with increased displacement release after release.