#TBT: Comparing the then-new 350Z against the original 240Z | Articles

Spicing Up the Image

Even though they have been without a halo car in the U.S. for a few years, Nissan has been in the news a great deal, thanks to the company’s reversal of fortunes. Because of Carlos Gohsn’s new business plan, Nissan has emerged from its late-’90s slump: New models are being released at a breakneck pace, and the company is beating its sales records quarterly. A new Z car was an integral part of Nissan’s plan; not taking advantage of the existing enthusiasm for the Z would have been foolish.

Sports cars have a way of spicing up a manufacturer’s image and creating loyal followers, and the first Zs sold like hot cakes, which is exactly the kind of thing Nissan would like to get retro about. In 1999, an early Z concept, with a long hood and many design cues taken from the 240Z, was shown in Detroit. A second version debuted in 2001, and later that year the production version of the new 350Z was unveiled. Has Nissan been able to recapture the spirit of the 240Z with the 350Z? Let’s find out.

240Z: The Original

The Datsun 240Z wasn’t the first car of its kind on the planet, as it borrowed elements from other sports cars of the day. Look at the 240Z and you’ll see strong visual cues from cars such as the Jaguar XKE and Porsche 911. It’s worth mentioning that these are still considered among the most gorgeous shapes to ever to grace a road, so it’s not as though Nissan borrowed ideas from the wrong crowd.

The 240Z has an elegant shape, but with enough hard edges to distinguish it from the Jaguar, and a profile that is uniquely Z. The car’s SOHC straight six was nothing revolutionary, either, but the long engine fits nicely under the sensuous hood, displaces 2400cc (hence the 240 in the name), and generates 150 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 148 lb.-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm.

The first 240Z models weighed about 2300 pounds, meaning the great shape came with a favorable…