"Beautiful Lady" Datsun 240Z is a Japanese sports car made in a coupe and was at the peak of the popularity of car markets in the USA and Japan in the 70-80s of the last century. It is about this car that our story will go.
Nissan and Datsun: the same thing?
The Datsun automobile brand was unknown to domestic motorists until the collapse of the USSR. Faced in reality with the legendary Nissan-Datsun 240Z was impossible, so motorists had to be content with photos of a beautiful sports car. Until the 60s, almost every car from Nissan Corporation was produced under the name Datsun. Nissan nameplates were found only on the company's cargo vehicles.
During the war, the Japanese concern Nissan was engaged in the production of equipment with the same name, which was known to the Americans from a not very pleasant point of view. Marketers of the company were well aware that it would be impossible to sell manufactured cars with a similar name, evoking negative memories, in the US markets, which is why it was decided to deliver cars to America under the name Datsun.
Low-cost subcompact Japanese cars that appeared in the 60s on the markets of North America did not like the Americans. Changes occurred only in the 70s, after the stylish and powerful representatives of Datsun began to appear on the markets.
History of Datsun Fairlady 240Z
The Nissan concern in 1963 sent an invitation to the position of design consultant Albrecht Hertz, a well-known German motorist, whose work the entire auto world is responsible for the appearance of such luxury cars as the Toyota 2000GT and BMW 507. For more than two years, Japanese designers learned how to create transport vehicles world-class funds, which confirmed the emergence of cars such as the Nissan Silvia Coupe 1600 and Datsun 240Z.
The Fairlady was created according to the sketches of A. Hertz himself in a sports car studio under the direction of Yoshihiko Matsuo. In Japan, dealerships sold a model called the Nissan Fairlady Z, but in the US it was shipped as a custom Datsun 240Z. Almost immediately after the presentation, the car broke all sales records.
Nissan 240Z was characterized by incredible dynamics and controllability: acceleration to the first hundred was carried out in nine seconds. Affordable cost - about $ 3,500 at that time - did the trick: in this price category, none of the direct competitors could offer similar high-speed and stylish cars. We should also note the dynamic characteristics of the Datsun 240Z, comparable with German and Italian cars, which cost several times more. This combination of qualities guaranteed Fairlady unprecedented success.
Nissan Fairlady Z and Datsun 240Z
As mentioned above, in the North American automobile market, Nissan Motor Company vehicles were sold by authorized dealers under the Datsun brand, while in Japan they were sold under the Nissan logo. During the 240Z demonstration, company representatives said that the letter āZā in the name could mean anything, and in the future it would mean all sports cars of the brand. Datsun 240Z is directly related to professional motor sports: the pilots of this model won the Safari rally in Africa twice, not to mention setting American records for cars of this class.
The first series of Nissan 240Z was produced until 1971, after which the exterior was restyled, which only increased the popularity of the model and in no way affected its technical equipment. Buyers, as before, were offered different types of transmissions: three- and four-speed automatic and mechanical. The American market in 1974 immediately replenished with two new modifications of the Datsun 240Z under the names 260Z and 280Z. Both models were equipped with engines of increased volume: 2.6 and 2.8 liters, respectively.
Specifications
The sports car from the Japanese concern was equipped with a 2.4-liter six-cylinder in-line engine and a capacity of 151 liters. from. In the upper part of the power unit was a camshaft. The curb weight of a two-seater coupe is 1,068 kilograms. The maximum speed is 200 km / h, acceleration to the first hundred takes exactly nine seconds. Fuel consumption is 11 liters per 100 kilometers.
The sports car was equipped with three types of transmission. The most popular was considered a mechanical four-speed gearbox. Only for the Japanese market the car was equipped with a five-speed transmission, and the model with a three-speed gearbox was the rarest. Datsun 240Z standard suspension - McPherson struts. An excellent driving performance of the car is largely due to such struts and anti-roll bars. According to its technical characteristics, the Nissan 240Z is relevant in our time, bypassing many Russian car models.
Dimensions
- The length of the body is 4135 millimeters.
- Width - 1628 millimeters.
- Height - 1285 mm.
- Wheelbase - 2304 mm.
- Ground clearance - 165 mm.
- The curb weight is 1070 kilograms.
Legend in japan
In addition to the American markets, the Datsun 240Z enjoyed considerable popularity in its own country. It was produced in Japan under the name Fairlady Z. The car was distinguished from the American model by the presence of a two-cylinder engine in the line of power units.
Model Fairlady Z432 in the Japanese market was extremely rare due to the limited series: only 419 copies were released. The car was equipped with a forced engine with a capacity of 200 horsepower and was created specifically for racing.
Legend in Russia
You can buy a unique Datsun 240Z sports car today: the average cost of a car in the Russian markets is 160-180 thousand rubles. Of course, there is no guarantee that the car will be on track and in good condition, and it is also extremely rare in single copies. A huge disadvantage of the car is its body, which is subject to corrosion. You can buy restored models, but their cost exceeds 15 thousand euros, which, however, is fully justified: such cars look gorgeous, as evidenced by photographs of one "Beautiful Lady" Datsun 240Z from Ksenia Shel.
The advantages of a Japanese sports car
Before buying a used Nissan 240Z, it is advisable to weigh all its advantages and disadvantages, so as not to make a mistake with the choice. In a coupe, a car has the following advantages:
- Excellent dynamic characteristics and technical equipment, which allows the model to leave far behind many modern analogues of domestic production.
- Excellent driving performance and powerful engines in the line.
- Bright, original and attractive exterior.
- The acquisition of this legendary car from a Japanese manufacturer.
disadvantages
- Too high cost of the car, regardless of its condition;
- High fuel consumption.
- It is likely that Datsun will be in poor condition and with large foci of body corrosion.
Datsun 240Z - a true legend of the Japanese auto industry, enjoyed incomparable success in its heyday. The sports car from the Nissan concern was distinguished by its excellent technical characteristics and driving performance, which made it excellent at the track and in motorsport.