1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX Turbo. One of the best automotive designs in history.
One evening, during dinner time, this famous commercial aired.
“Z. The last letter in the alphabet is the last word in sports cars…”
That was the first automobile advertisement that really caught my eye.
It must have been some time in the spring of 1989. From that time on, my taste in cars slowly changed…
Since the 1970-1978 Datsun Z cars, there was not a single Japanese car that the buying public lusted after – at least not for looks or driving dynamics. Japanese cars after the late 1970′s was far from being sexy, they were more utilitarian. Two things come to mind, utterly reliable and boxy!
You couldn’t tell the difference between a Cressida, Maxima, Camry, Stanza, Accord, Sentra, or a Corolla… as a matter a fact, even the size of those cars looked similar (thanks to the Japanese import vehicle width rule).
I was barely getting into my teenage years. Like all the other boys growing up in the late 80′s and early 90′s, I had posters of Ferrari F40, Porsche 959, Lamborghini Countach, and even a Chevy Corvette. At that time, I was hoping that my first car would be a Ford Mustang or something to that ilk.
Then Nissan rocked my world with the “Z” commercial.
“What is that?”
“That’s a Nissan???”
“Wow!!!”
The next day, I asked if my friends saw the commercial. “Man, did you see the Nissan Z commercial?”
“Nope, and don’t care! It’s a Jap car!” A friend declared, “Jap cars are crap, you want a real car… like a Camaro or a Mustang…”
Let’s fastforward to the late 90′s, when I first had a chance to drive a 300ZX Turbo.
From the outside, the Z was nothing like any Japanese car. It was low-slung and sleek, and it looked like it came out of a design studio in Italy, not Japan. Only one word describes this car – timeless.
The cockpit felt as if I was in a fighter jet. All the control switches and buttons were located in the driver pod, within fingertip’s reach. Turn the pistol shaped titanium ignition key, and the engine roars to life. The soft burbling of the 3-liter V6 at idle made my heart flutter with excitement. But, the best part was once you open up the throttle, the sound was absolutely soul stirring. Nobody does a V6 quite like Nissan – still to this day.
The precisely shifting, short throw gear box was a pleasure to row. Steering feel was excellent, if not a little overboosted. Handling was more than capable, and the acceleration was smoothly brutal. But interior featured sculpted seats that were comfortable and supportive, and a quiet cabin so you don’t get distracted from the wind/tire noise at high speeds. Everything about the car meant business… business to go fast!
The 300ZX Turbo was equally at home on the city streets, on the highway, and on the track. But the best way to enjoy this beast is a long road trip… let’s say the PCH (Pacific Coastal Highway).
I believe the time period from 1988-1996 was the pinnacle of Nissan’s sports car production. The lineup included the 240SX/Silvia, Sentra SE-R, Maxima SE, 300ZX, Pulsar GTi-R, and Skyline GT-R. All are world class sport cars/sedans, and cars with cult status. Although, we are having a second coming of Nissan’s sports car heyday with cars such as 350Z/370Z, G35/G37, GT-R – but we are still missing the affordable speedsters like the 240SX/Silvia and the original Sentra SE-R.
If you decide to get one, please do your due diligence on these vehicles. Join online clubs such as www.twinturbo.net and www.300zxclub.com, and do your research. Either you buy one at a low price and put money into restoring it, or buying a low mileage specimen, you will spend close to $10,000 for a good conditioned Z. You will not be disappointed for having one in your garage.
-KF
