For a car named after the last letter of the alphabet, the Z-car got off to an incredibly strong start. An instant hit when it landed on our shores in 1970, the first-generation Datsun 240Z wore a graceful long hood, a sloping fastback roofline, a squared-off Kamm tail, and a powerful overhead-cam inline-six engine driving the rear wheels. A starting price of just $3526, about $26,000 in today’s money, led to an amazing rookie year. Eventually, the 240Z became the 260Z and then the 280Z, and Datsun became Nissan. But the car’s 53-year history has been a bit of a roller coaster. Strong sales, accolades, and racing success met rising prices, a shrinking sports-car market, and eight model years of no Z at all.
With the new 2023 Z, Nissan…
