In the present day, Nissan is a successful global automaker that offers its models across multiple continents and for various types of consumers. From the tiny Micra subcompact, to the maxed out, off-road capable Armada/Patrol, the supercar-destroying GT-R and the upcoming electric Ariya. Back in the 1960s, the story was a little different; Nissan was a tiny automaker when they first dipped their toes into international waters, but they had an ace up their sleeve; an affordable sports car for the global market.

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This meant the introduction of the first Z car. Called the Fairlady Z in Japan (which it still is today), and the 240Z in North America, it showed the world that Nissan was getting serious about performance cars and their global expansion. The Z car steadily evolved over the coming years, with the most recent one preparing to launch for the 2023 model year. A lot of people would argue that one of the absolute best Z-cars is the Z32 300ZX, introduced in 1989.

Overview Of The 300ZX

Front 3/4 view of a dark green 300ZX
Nissan

The Z32 Nissan 300ZX is, in fact, the second generation of the 300ZX family, the first generation being the Z31 in 1983. It featured a radical styling departure, and even though it's quite wide, most agree that it's a beautiful sports car. Nissan introduced the 300ZX right at the start of the Japanese sports car revolution, a little before the cutting-edge Mitsubishi 3000GT, the Mazda RX-7 (FD) and the Subaru SVX, all of which competed with this car.

Front 3/4 view of a black 300ZX
Nissan

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The front end ditched the pop-up headlights in favor of fixed units, which would go on to appear on the Lamborghini Diablo. The silhouette was long and purposeful, with a flat rear end and some callbacks to the old school Z cars from the 60s and 70s. Nissan offered the 300ZX as either a fixed-roof coupe, a convertible, or a 2+2 with a targa top.

300ZX Powertrains And Drivetrains

Front 3/4 view of a red 300ZX convertible, top down, high angle
Nissan

Nissan offered two similar engines on the Z32 300ZX. The regular 300ZX received a 3.0-liter naturally aspirated V6, codenamed the VG30DE. This engine remained largely unchanged from the Z31 generation, giving a total output of 222 hp.

New for the Z32 is a twin-turbo version of the same engine, codenamed the VG30DETT. Power jumps from 222 hp to 300, which decreases the 0-60 time drastically, although the top speed remains the same at 155 mph.

The side of the 300ZX on the move
Via Nissan

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All models are RWD, with either a five-speed manual transmission, or a four-speed automatic. The automatics are more comfortable, but the manuals are, of course, much more desirable.

Twin turbo models also feature revised suspension and Nissan's Super HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering) four-wheel steering system.The 300ZX used four-wheel steering before it became cool. In terms of the driving experience, the 300ZX doesn't try to hide its weight all that much, but with that Super HICAS system and the excellent chassis tuning, this is still a great-handling sports car.

300ZX Comfort And Quality

The interior of the 300ZX
Nissan

It's easy to forget that the 300ZX used to be one of the most expensive sports cars on the market, with the price reaching some $50,000 towards the end of the production run. It's no surprise then that Nissan ladled it with the latest and greatest in terms of interior technology. Well, for early '90s standards, anyway.

There's cruise control, a high end audio system, climate control and leather seats. Like with so many of its competitors, the 300ZX takes the cockpit interior design philosophy very seriously, where by most of the essential controls are literally surrounding the instrument cluster, only in purview of the driver.

The front of a white 300ZX on track
Nissan

In terms of reliability, the 300ZX is a solid automobile. According to owners, a comprehensive service history and maintenance records are absolutely necessary, as this can be a very expensive car to own without the maintenance taken care of properly. Be sure to not use any type of fuel additives, as this could potentially fry the injectors and leave you with a paperweight.

Assuming that it's all taken care of by the previous owner and if you continue to take care of it, the 300ZX shouldn't give you too much trouble. The Z32 seats either two or four passengers depending on the model, and has 23.7 cubic feet of cargo/trunk space.

300ZX Prices

The front of a red 300ZX 2+2
Nissan

The 300ZX is becoming more and more desirable by the minute. Most of these got modified extensively, which means that unmodified, low-mileage examples are harder to come by. Considering how much other Japanese cars from this time period have shot up in value, Z32 prices aren't all that high. You can find a low mileage example for around $20,000, with prices going up to $30,000 for the nicest possible manual twin turbo car you can find.

Rear 3/4 view of a 300ZX on the move
Nissan

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The Nissan 300ZX is a curious, but worthy piece of Nissan history. It's a fantastic looking, underrated sports car with some amazing technology, a great drive and a great, characterful powertrain. Values of these will only go up, so if you're thinking about buying one, now is the time.