Nissan 240Z Review 2022

How do you dare. It is one of the most important sports cars of all time: the Nissan 240Z. Or the Datsun Fairlady Z(ee), if you’re of American descent. Nissan’s first Z car didn’t just elevate it from a decent appliance maker to a big-name player. Cela a également donné aux Britanniques pompeux et aux Italiens nonchalants un bon coup de pied dans le cul à l’école de «construire des voitures de sport de tous les jours que ne tombent pas en panne à chaque fois qu’il ya unage en heaven”.

Since the OG-Zed is now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Top Gear has given it the full overhaul treatment, as it’s one of those modern-yet-classic cars that really lives up to its name.

So the basics. The 240Z is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seat coupe. The 240 badge is derived from the displacement of the engine: it’s a 2.4-liter inline six, essentially a run-of-the-mill Nissan four of the time with another pair of lobed cylinders at the end to make it something a little more special.

The launches are modest, obviously this happened the same year that humanity landed on the Moon. But, and you know what’s coming here, 150bhp is enough when you have around 1050kg to push, about the same as an Up GTI, which only makes 113bhp. The 240Z is not a large car, certainly not the size of the E-Type it claims to be, and it is a light car.

The power goes through a five speed manual transmission, if your car is not US spec, although many US cars have made their way to Europe as there are many and if they are Originally Arizona or Texas, it is less likely to have been exposed to conditions conducive to rust.

These days you can spend anywhere from £15,000 to £35,000 or more on a 240Z, depending on how much of a project you want. Ironically, it’s priced to rival its “modern” predecessor, the gregarious but painfully old Nissan 370Z. But if you want a sports car for a Sunday blast, our money will go to the old man, and here’s why.

The Nissan, okay, Datsun 240Z, probably isn’t the first car that comes to mind when you covet a 50-year-old sports GT. But now is the time, because it is a reliable, hearty and easy-to-handle classic.

And all of the above means you’re more likely to use it than leave it curled up in a garage in case you have to spend a week polishing a strip of your precious paint. And every time you use it, you’ll get the most out of it, because this well-balanced little coupe loves to be open. It is as attractive today as when it conquered the world 50 years ago. Happy birthday Zed.