1990 Nissan 300 ZX

The Nissan 300ZX sports car was sold in Japan (as the Fairlady Z) from 1983 to 2001 and in the United States from 1984 to 1996. The much-vaunted 300ZX continued the reputation created by the previous 'Z Cars' that began with the 240Z of 1969 and progressed through the 260Z and 280Z, all of which were sold under the 'Fairlady' name in the home market. The first generation, the Z31, was available with no fewer than five engine packages and manual or automatic transmission.

The Z32 version, introduced on October 1st of 1986, was designed by Isao Sono and Toshio Yamashita. It arrived in the U.S. in the spring of 1989 as a 1990 model and remained in production until 1996 (US) and 2001 in the domestic market. Power was sourced from a 2960cc VG30 six-cylinder engine equipped with dual overhead camshafts and variable valve timing (N-VCT) and developed 222 horsepower at 6200 RPM and 198 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 RPM. The twin-turbocharged version, equipped with Garrett AiResearch parallel twin-turbochargers and dual intercoolers, increased horsepower to 300 bhp at 6,400 RPM and 283 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 RPM.

The Z32 was offered as a four-seater (2+2) and a 2-passenger hatchback, similar to the previous generations, and most were fitted with T-tops as standard. It continued to use the same basic proportions of its predecessor while being endowed with numerous technological leaps. Since it was designed to be more of a grand touring car than its predecessor, it was plusher and more refined inside. The sleek shape had integrated bumpers and alloy wheels.

The 2-passenger GS hatchback sold for $27,300 while the turbo version had a base price of $33,000. All 300ZX models came with anti-lock brakes, rear spoiler, z-rated tires, and could be identified by intercooler inlets on the front air dam.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2020