DATSUN S30 240Z, 260, 280Z – 1969-1978

THE Z-CAR legacy started here with the standout 240Z. It was widely lauded at its release, particularly for its gorgeous looks courtesy of Albrecht Goertz (of BMW fame), and further fettled by Yohihiko Matsuo. It was also one of the few genuine 125mph cars on sale in 1969, and was largely your only choice if you couldn’t fork out for one of the ‘Big Three’ brutes, or a far more expensive Italian supercar.

The real kicker was the price: Just $4567 – believed by many to be the best value for a sweet-looking sports car that could out-accelerate the much dearer Triumph TR6s and Alfa Romeo 1600s as well as the Ford Capri V6s.

Today they remain a series of Japan’s all-time classics, with original low-mileage examples overseas regularly fetching unheard of prices over the past 12 months.

The record sale was set this past June, when a restored 1970 example fetched AU$180,000 at auction in the US.

By 1972 the 240Z had become the world’s fastest selling sports coupe, thanks to tightening emissions regulations in the US that saw rival sports car makers slump in sales – or pull out of the market altogether.

The US was the updated 260Z’s main target. The engine was bored out to 2565cc and Datsun introduced a 2+2 variant with a wheelbase stretched by 302mm, and an elongated notched roofline.

The last iteration of the Z-car’s first generation was the 280Z, released in the US-only from 1975. While much of the sheetmetal carried over, it was powered by a larger 2. 8lt inline-six that featured fuel-injection.

Australia carried on offering the 260Z until 1978, though a few left-hand drive examples of the 280Z have been imported over time.