You would be hard-pressed to name a brand that created more fabled sports cars than Nissan. Back when the company was still Datsun, they created the timeless 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z cars from the late '60s throughout the '70s. Then, the '80s hit with the ZX models like the 280ZX and 300ZX Z32 coming to the fore. And who can forget about the mother of all Nissans - the Skyline GT-R.

Modern examples include the 350Z and 370Z, which have become household names in the car community for tunability and drifting. But there is one Nissan that doesn't get enough love from the JDM car community. That would be the Nissan 300ZX Z31, the first V6 Nissan sports car to enter the world.

The Z32, which is the generation after the Z31, commonly overshadows the old one because of its flashy twin-turbo models and retro-futuristic styling. But the Z32 only existed because of the stepping stones that were laid before it. The Z31 proudly assumes that position and deserves plenty of recognition.

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Origins Of The Nissan 300ZX Z31

Nissan 300ZX Turbo 50th Anniversary
Via Nissan

Before 1986, Datsun was still a sub-brand of Nissan, and so the late 1970s and first few years of 1980 featured Dastun models, one of them being the 280ZX.

The 280ZX remains one of the least desirable Z-cars because of its slightly crooked body style and, frankly, horrendous 2+2 versions. This prompted Nissan to replace it with a fresh yet functional new model that would see an increase in performance and style.

In 1983, the Japanese automaker revealed these specs in the form of the Z31 chassis 300ZX. It parted ways with both the dated '70s styling and 2.8-liter inline-six engine from the 280ZX, of which the Z31 was based, and opted for a sleek and slippery body style that was quintessentially 1983 in every way imaginable.

Nissan developed a new VG30E V6 engine along with a VG20E V6. The numbers in the engine codes (20 and 30) designate 2.0 and 3.0-liter engine sizes. The VG30E went into the 300ZX while the VG20ET went into the 200Z, a Japanese market-only car.

Nissan 200ZR
Via BringATrailer

You might notice that the 2.0-liter V6 has a "T" at the end of its engine code. The T stands for Turbo, a designation that would also find its way into the VG30ET, the single-turbo version of the 300ZX that was available in the US.

All of the Z31 engines (there were five) had electronic fuel injection and overhead cams, though the VG30DE and RB20DET engines had two overhead cams instead of one like the other three engines.

You may recognize the name RB20DET, and for good reason. It went in the Japanese domestic market Nissan 200ZR and was the last Z-car to ever use an inline engine configuration. The famous RB26DETT engine used in the R32, R33, and R34 GT-Rs was a disciple of that old RB20DET.

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The 300ZX Represented Major Design Improvements

1988 Nissan 300ZX
Via BringaTrailer

Nissan couldn't completely ditch the classic genes of the Fairlady design. Even if you had never seen a Z31 before, you would instantly know its underpinnings. Its long pointy hood, short deck, and flat rear end were all key Z-car design elements that continued with the Z31 300ZX.

Although to distinguish itself from the funky old 280ZX, the cone-shaped headlight buckets were replaced with flat pop-ups that morphed right into the hood. These new headlights, in addition to the tighter-packaged V6, allowed for a lower hood line that flowed seamlessly into the windshield, which was raked back at a lower angle to get rid of the 280ZX' tall cabin.

The investment made into the new design came back as a formidable return for Nissan. In 1985 alone, 70,000 Z31 300ZX models were sold in North America. Porsche was only able to sell 56,912 units of 944s in North America over a span of seven years.

In 1986, the Z31 got all dolled up and fresh-faced for a booming market. It received new bulging fender flares, jutting side skirts, and 16-inch wheels for Turbo models. Nissan also took off the hood scoop and added some special headlights and taillights, as well as valence-mounted fog lamps and more aerodynamic bumpers.

Its Performance Declined With Time

Nissan 300ZX Stanced
Via YouTube- VarkFilms

The Z31's naturally aspirated VG30E and turbocharged VG30ET V6 engines produced 160 hp and 200 hp, respectively. That is until 1988 when Nissan fitted both motors with a higher compression ratio (7.8:1 vs. 8.3:1) and the turbo engine with a beefier Garrett T25 spinner instead of the old T3 turbo on the pre-'88 models.

Power went from 160 to 165 in the naturally aspirated 300ZX and from 200 to 205 in the 300ZX Turbo. It wasn't a big difference, but new looks always call for more speed.

Zero to 60 figures obviously fluctuate between the model years and the turbo vs non-turbo examples. The 1984 non-turbo 300ZX with a 5-speed manual transmission could get to 60 mph from a dig in 8.2 seconds, while the turbo model from the same year with the same manual transmission could do it in 7.1 seconds.

The refreshed 1988 turbo models could achieve 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds, three-tenths of a second slower than the '84 model. And why is the newer turbo model slower than the old one? The answer is curb weight. Over those four years of continuous development, the 300ZX gained 215 lbs in technology and extra exterior parts resulting in a slightly slower time.