The Z began in 1969 as the Fairlady Z in Japan and as the Datsun 240Z abroad, two versions of one S30 body. The home-market car used a 2.0-litre six rated at about 130 PS, a Japanese gross figure of that era, while the export car carried the 2.4-litre L24, 2,393 cc and 151 hp SAE gross. Japanese buyers waited for the bigger engine: the 240Z joined the domestic lineup only in November 1971, having been an export model until then. The engine grew again in 1974 to 2.6 litres for the 260Z, and a 2+2 body arrived the same year. The S30 range also includes the twin-cam Z432, of which about 420 were built.
The car that showed a sports coupe could be reliable, affordable and truly fast. The 240Z made Datsun well known, with its long hood and 2.4-litre straight-six. It changed what people expected from a Japanese sports car and remains the base of the whole Z line.
57years
5trims
147–158hp range
The Story
Why the 240Z mattersTrims
5 trims · 1969–1978Original S30 fastback with the 2.4L L24 inline-six that launched the Z legend.