Nissan just announced the successor to its legendary Z line of sports cars, the Z Proto. One of the most handsome sports to be released in recent years, Nissan was quick to emphasize how proud they are of its modern yet retro styling.
During the Z Proto’s global reveal, Nissan made clear that it draws inspiration from some of the most “groundbreaking” past models such as the 240Z and the 300ZX. With so much history to draw from, the 400Z (or the Z Proto)should be one of the most successful sports cars on the market when it releases in 2021.
With that history in mind, here is every Z car ever ranked in terms of historical significance to both Nissan and the car community.
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9 240Z Concept
In 1999, the Z line of cars was on hiatus but Nissan wanted to keep interest in the legendary nameplate alive. So along with a restoration program, they launched to buy old 240Zs, restore them, and sell them at dealerships, they also released a modern 240Z concept car.
In terms of looks, the concept looked like a genuine successor to the original 240Z with its retro yet modern styling. Many of these design aspects can be found in the eventual 350Z including a swept-back design. Unfortunately, the powertrain was found lacking. With only a 4-cylinder engine compared to the traditional 6-cylinder engine, it was evident that this concept was only that, a concept.
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8 Datsun Race Cars
Most of the Z line cars found success in racing but the 280ZX has been considered one of the most successful. Some notable wins include the 1979 SCCA C Production Category Race and the 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1983 IMSA GTO Championships. The 280ZX turbo that won the 1983 IMSA GTO championship produced over 700 HP.
But almost every other Z car had success with racing. The early S30s won many SCCA/IMSA championships and even racked up rally and baja race wins. The 350Z traded places on and off with the GT-R for years as they produced many victories. The 350Z is still one of the most popular cars in import drag racing with some cars producing more than 1,700 HP.
7 Z Proto
Since it hasn’t been released yet it’s hard to say what the cultural impact the Z Proto will have. It has garnered enormous support from both Z fans but also sports car fans as it is one of the few new cars dedicated to sportiness. Many enthusiasts are already comparing it favorably against the new Toyota Supra.
We don’t know much yet but what we do know is the styling is based on the 240Z and the 300ZX which is clear just by looking at it. The Z Proto will also have a twin-turbo V-6 engine. No horsepower or torque figures have been released but it is widely speculated to have the same engine as the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport which produces 400 HP. Whatever the specs, the Z Proto will likely become the fastest Z car in history.
6 Fairlady 280ZX (S130)
Despite being named Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year for 1979 and being a commercial success, it is still the lowest on this list which should give readers an idea of how incredible the Z legacy really is.
First introduced in 1978, the 280ZX was released with a mournful 135HP. It was also the first model that was transformed into a full GT car that prioritized luxury and comfort over sportiness which made it far heavier than its predecessor making it one of the slowest Z cars of all time. Later, the revised 280ZX added much-needed power via turbo to 180HP but many enthusiasts still ding the model from moving away from its sports car roots.
5 300ZX (Z31)
The Z31 continued to offer luxurious interiors but this time around Nissan completely redesigned the car including the powertrain. It now offered 160BHP as a NA engine or 200BHP with a turbo in the US. Still, that much power could not turn the GT car into a spirited sports car and received heaps of negative feedback from the enthusiast car community.
Despite its lackluster performance on the road, it found success on the race track. Famous actor turned race driver, Randy Newman, won in the SCCA Trans AM race series and the GT1 Challenge with the Z31.
Unfortunately, the success on the track did not translate to the road and Nissan only made a few minor changes throughout its run. The only reason why the Z31 beat out the 280ZX is because it’s the second most sold Z car in history.
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4 370Z (Z34)
The 370Z is by far the fastest production Z model in history. With 330HP under the hood, the car can rocket from 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds. Handling was also excellent with Nissan’s most advanced suspension at the time. The car was also an incredibly good value being offered at a little less than $30,000 for the base model which still had the 3.7-liter engine.
But it was clear that Nissan didn’t want to ruin the success from the 350Z and was far too conservative with the 370Z’s redesign. Although the 370Z is better than the 350Z in almost every regard from weight to rigidity it failed to get enthusiasts excited.
The model was even more unfortunate as it presided over one of Nissan’s most tumultuous times. All while the car market made a significant shift away from sports cars and sedans to SUVs. So while it may be the best performing Z car in history, its significance lacked.
3 300ZX (Z32)
Nissan knew the car enthusiast community was falling out of love with the Z cars and worked tirelessly to completely redesign the Z32. Almost everything was brand new and at the highest end, the twin-turbo engine could produce 300HP. That was significantly more power than the Lamborghini Jalpa which was discontinued just two years prior to the Z32’s release.
Motor Trend named it the "Import Car of the Year" in 1990 and “One of the Top Ten Performance Cars.” Automobile Magazine hailed it as its “Design of the year.” Road & Track was honored as “One of the Best Cars in the World.” The Z32 was even on Car and Driver’s 10 Best list for all seven years of its production.
The enthusiast community finally had a true sports car Z. The popularity of the Z32 also boosted sales of Nissan’s other models and ushered in one of the most prosperous times for the company. Unfortunately, emissions regulations and a weakening Japanese Yen to US Dollar ratio made it impossible to continue the Z line.
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2 350Z (Z33)
After almost a decade, Nissan with its new benefactor, French automaker Renault, announced they will be reviving the Z badge. There was instant interest and in 2003 the world met the 350Z. The car was an immediate hit with its V6 that produced close to 290HP, relatively low weight, and its reasonable price tag.
Throughout its lifetime it got two new engines, more power, a huge new fanbase thanks to the rise of import tuning culture, and a high-performance Nismo version. Due to the massive interest, there have been a total of seven versions with varying luxury features and performance packages.
To this day, the 350Z is the most common Z car on the road. The 370Z successor made marginal improvements to the 350Z and the famous reliability meant purchasing a steeply discounted used 350Z made much more sense. The aftermarket selection for the 350Z is still very strong and enthusiasts can modify almost everything on the 350Z meaning even decade-old cars can be transformed into performance powerhouses for relatively little money.
1 Fairlady 240/260/280Z (S30)
It’s no surprise that the car that started it all would be at the top of this list. The first Z went on sale in 1969 with a 2.4L inline-6 with twin carburetors that produced 151HP. Known as the Fairlady Z in Japan to keep in line with Nissan’s (Datsun) previous performance cars.
Enthusiasts are quick to point out that there is a reason the Z badge has garnered so much respect over the decades, the 240Z was near perfect when it launched. It was quick, hitting 60 MPH in under 8 seconds which was very fast at the time. The handling was sporty while also having a comfortable ride and the four-speed manual gearbox was a pleasure to shift.
The styling was cutting edge at the time and likened to a Jaguar E-Type, one of the most beautiful cars of all time. Today, the styling is still extremely handsome. The 240Z perfectly encapsulates what “retro” styling should be and it’s easy to see why Nissan used it as inspiration for their all-new Z Proto. A clean example can be sold at auction for over $100,000 and a GT-R powered 240Z brought in an eye-watering $1.2 million at auction proving the passion for the Z badge never dies.
NEXT: 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Nissan's Z Cars
