Datsun 240Z

We took the boring out of economy and put performance in – The Datsun 240Z

Until the last few years in the 60s, Nissan was mainly known as most Japanese car manufacturers; Solid, small, few options and above all.. boring! In 1969, Nissan kicked hard against this and came up with a true wasabi variant; the Nissan 240Z. The long nose, the low seating position, a six-in-line and the five-speed gearbox were the recipe for a lot of loving goosebumps.

We call it a subtly mechanical driving experience. As soon as you wake up the 2.4 liter, you hear the iconic Japanese 6-in-line sound. Not to be compared with the Europeans or Americans. Can we describe it? Refined, you get the feeling that she is eating the petrol with chopsticks. Above 3500 RPM the familiar Z-howl starts, which you can continue without feeling guilty until 7000 RPM. It brings with it an enthusiast reaction, almost a chemical reaction. Goosebumps, a smile and an even heavier right foot!

And then the design; If you look closely, you can see that the Japanese secretly copied a little from Jaguar - thank goodness! The bump in the nose, the wide hips that continue from the front screen to the rear. No extra fuss, just very beautiful, exciting lines.

Ours is, as you may be used to by now, a little extra special. She has been fully restored in the Netherlands with a lot of attention to original details. The 240 already has quite a few affectionate nicknames. The Datsun 240Z, Nissan 240Z, the Fairlady Z and the S30. With the last one you really steal the show; the Ni-Yon-Jyu. Nijoe what? 240 in Japanese. See you soon?