It is a car that won some notable track races, secured top positions in some rallies, and become a sweetheart to sports car enthusiasts around the globe. Meanwhile, despite its inception in 1969, the legacy of the Nissan Fairlady Z is still intact in 2023. One of the main rivals of Fairlady Z includes the MG MGB GT.
10. Fairlady Z was not the first
Many people think that it was the Z-Series that laid the foundation for Nissan’s Fairlady Range. However, it was the Datsun Sports Roadster also known as the Datsun Fairlady or Nissan Fairlady that began selling in 1959.
The Sports 1000 or Fairlady 1000 was part of the first generation of Datsun Sports that hit the Japanese market.
9. Origin of the Nissan Fairlady Z
To succeed the Nissan/Datsun Fairlady, Nissan and Yamaha collaborated to create the prototype in 1961 which was named the Yamaha YX-30. However, later due to the shortcomings of Yahama’s four-cylinder engine, the partnership for the project was broken.
However, eventually, Nissan realized how important it was to launch an affordable sports car in the international market. Since it already had success with the Fairlady roadsters for years, Nissan finally managed to put the Fairlady Z into production and the first-generation model debuted in 1969.
8. British Roadster Killer and an Instant Hit
The first-generation models of the Z-Series came to be known as the Fairlady Z in Japan. For international buyers, it was labeled as Datsun 240Z. The Nissan Fairlady Z was released in 1969. In the USA, 16,215 units of the Datsun 240Z were sold in its very first year.
By 1971, the total number of units sold had already crossed the 45,000 mark. Hence, the Nissan Fairlady Z started dominating the market by killing off its direct competition from British Roadsters like the MG MGB. Meanwhile, some considerably expensive competitors were Jaguar E-Type and Jaguar XK-E.
7. Design of the Fairlady Z
The Nissan Fairlady Z had a long nose and traces of inspiration from the Jaguar E-Type can be instantly seen. The highlights of its design were the long hood, Short Rear Deck, sleeky side profile, and small rear spoiler in the back.
Meanwhile, the Nissan Fairlady Z from 1969 to 1973 was only available in coupe body style. That said, the Fairlady ZG model came with some different styling elements such as aero-dyna nose and acrylic glass headlight covers. On the other hand, the Fairlady Z432R models had an orange color on the exterior with black alloy wheels.
6. Generations and Iterations
To this date, there are seven generations of the Nissan Z Cars. The S30 or 1969 Nissan Fairlady 240Z was the first generation model. However, in the US market, it was sold under the Datsun banner. The initial Japanese version of the Fairlady was powered by a 2.0L Inline-6 engine whereas the US version received a bigger 2.4L motor. Until 1973, the Nissan Z did not receive any major mechanical or design updates.
However, within the same generation in 1974, more powerful versions such as the 260Z and 280Z were also sold. Meanwhile, models like the Fairlady ZG, Fairlady Z432, and the Fairlady Z432R were reserved for Japanese consumers.
5. Powertrain and performance
Initially, the Datsun 240Z was powered by a 2.4L Inline-6 engine in the US which made 151 horsepower. On the other hand, the Japanese Nissan Fairlady Z with a smaller 2.0L Inline-6 engine produced 21 horsepower less than the 2.4L counterpart.
However, in 1973, the 2.4L Inline-6 engine’s output was lowered. Meanwhile, the Fairlady Z432 was a more powerful version in the Japanese market which made 158 horsepower.
4. Racing History
The Fairlady Z was as much as successful on the track as it was on the road. A few of the most recognizable names to ever sit behind the Nissan Fairlady Z’s wheel are Paul Newman and Bob Sharp. In 1970, the Fairlady Z432 managed to win the 1000-kilometer Suzuka Circuit Race in Japan. Moreover, from 1970 to 1971, the Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) 240Z managed to win the Sports Car Club of America Production C racing series championships.
The Nissan Fairlady Z also enjoyed success in the rally. In 1971, East African Safari Rally, Edgar Hermann and Hans Schüller took the victory with the 240Z. Another rally victory was scored in 1973 but this time duo was Lofty Drews and Shekhar Mehta who raced the Datsun 240Z in a 3,852-mile-long rally race.
3. Popularity of the Nissan Fairlady Z
The Nissan Fairlady Z/Datsun 240Z was an instant hit in the automobile market. From 1970 to 1973, In the US, around 141,769 units of this highly popular Z-car were sold. After all, it was an affordable sports car that everyday buyers could get without any difficulty.
Meanwhile, on one hand, the Fairlady Z was giving the thrill and joy of driving to its buyers. Furthermore, it was also aiding the Tokyo Municipal Police Department in chasing criminals and illegal racers.
2. Nissan Fairlady Z Auction and Price Tag
If all generations are taken into account, the average price of the Nissan Fairlady Z is just $24,447. However, if it is the first generation car then it would fetch $29,875. Meanwhile, $27,849 is the average price tag for the Nissan 370Z Z34 sixth-generation model.
That said, some cars such as the 1971 Datsun 240Z have been sold for as high as $72,900. Lastly, the 1970 Nissan ‘240Z’ Z432R is one of the most expensive Fairlady cars ever sold. It received a final bid of AUD 1.17 million.
1. What came after the (1969–1973) Nissan Fairlady Z
The mantle of (1969–1973) Nissan Fairlady Z also known as the Datsun 240Z models enjoyed basked in fame until the more powerful 260Z and 280Z models were released in 1974 and 1975 respectively. However, these models were very well within the first generation.
