The Japanese automotive industry may be one of the younger ones, at least compared to the Americans and Europeans, but it managed to take the world by storm, on numerous occasions. The most notable instances of that are when Japanese carmakers took full advantage of the oil crisis and flooded the U.S. market with reliable, dependable cars, and later, with the introduction of JDM icons, which through pop culture, gained legendary status in the tuner world. One classic Sports Car from Japan that left its mark on the automotive world is the Datsun 240Z.

The classic coupe was an affordable, but exciting alternative to powerful European grand tourers and American V-8 Muscle cars, which somehow, managed to stay relevant decades after its production ended. The Datsun 240Z is about as old as the Porsche 911, which is why parallels are often drawn between the two. Like other iconic, JDM cars, the 240Z was immortalized in pop culture through Japanese manga, animated series, and even a live-action movie inspired by real events. There’s much allure to the Datsun 240Z and here’s why this Japanese classic is relevant even today.

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Datsun 240Z Is The Japanese Porsche 911

Datsun’s sports car came out in 1969, succeeding its less-known forbearer, the Datsun Sports. Five years earlier, Porsche had released its own sports car – the rear-engine 911. While the two models were in different price segments, they both offered a more affordable and usable sports car in times when expensive, Italian exotics were, more or less, the only way to have fun in a sports car. In a way, the Datsun 240Z and Porsche 911 (in their early iterations) were mass-produced sports cars that were more attainable compared to almost any other Italian sports car of that time.

The People’s Sports Cars From Japan

Like other Japanese models, the Datsun 24Z’s biggest advantage was its price in relation to foreign offerings in the segment. In 1970, the Datsun 240Z would have set you back $3,500, which is just over $21,000 in 2023 money. To put things in perspective, a C3 Corvette, which was native to the American market, cost $4,849 for the convertible and $5,192 for the coupe, when both were equipped with the 300-horsepower, 350 cu-in Small block V-8.

Meanwhile, the pleasure of driving a brand-new, air-cooled Porsche 911 in 1970, would have set you back $8,600. All three delivered performances were very different, but on paper, they were surprisingly close. Considering the performance-per-dollar ratio, the Datsun 240Z became one of the most mass-produced sports cars of all time. The Datsun 240Z was produced between 1969 and 1973, with total production numbers around 168,000.

The Classic Sports Car Formula

Part of the allure of the Datsun 240Z comes from its timelessness. Even today, the long bonnet and short rear deck, with fastback design and cam tail rear end are as classically-correct as the day they were invented. The Fairlady Z offers all that and more. The naturally-aspirated, L24, inline-six engine featured normal aspiration and twin SU carburetors that made it sound like a Samurai on a rampage.

1969-1973 Datsun 240Z Specifications

(Specs sourced from Nissan)

With a redline of 7,000 RPM (recommended by the manufacturer), you can enjoy it all day long. Luckily, very few examples were equipped with the sluggish, three-speed automatic, meaning most 240Zs came with a four or five-speed manual.

The five-speed, however, was not offered in the U.S. While the Datsun 240Z was a two-seater, there was also a 2+2 version with more of a notchback silhouette. More importantly, in times when Corvettes struggled for traction because of massive low-end torque and Porsche 911s snap-oversteered due to the engine in the rear, the Datsun 240Z offered an affordable, balanced platform.

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It’s Still Relatively Affordable

With nearly-170,000 units produced in less than four years, the Datsun 240Z was a very successful, Japanese sports car that became a global hit. We already determined that with a sticker price of $3,500 in 1970, the 240Z would be around $7,000 more affordable than the current, most affordable sports car – the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Like other Japanese sports cars, the classic Z has appreciated in value. Pristine examples that are highly original or have undergone Rotisserie restoration, are now in the $50,000 budget bracket, but according to Classic.com, good examples can still be had for under $20,000, making the 240Z one of the most affordable, classic sports cars today.

The Datsun 240Z’s Immense Restomod Potential

While you can still find a highly original Datsun 240Z, many examples have been modified to various extents. There is a whole plethora of custom, resto-modded, and modified examples, but that doesn’t seem to hurt the value all that much. Granted, the more original a 240Z, the more it retains value. The 240Z is something like the Mazda MX-5 of the 1960s and 1970s. As such, engine swaps, wide-body kits, or builds intended for different types of competition are not uncommon.

Swapping an inline-six from more modern Nissans, Toyotas, or Chevrolet V-8 engines is a common sight too, but there is one company that does for the Datsun 240Z what Singer does for air-cooled Porsche 911s. U.K.-based company MZR Roadsports reimagines the 240Z in a variety of flavors, each classically correct and highly finished. Naturally, it will cost you a pretty penny – anywhere from £94,995 (approx. $115,000 in 2023 money) to… well, it depends on how crazy you want to go with options and which package you opt for, and there are plenty.

Related: The Hoonigans Check Out A SR20’d 240Z, Nearly Crash: Video

The Heritage Of Nissan Z Sports Cars

Back in 1969, the Datsun 240Z started something – a long line of classically-correct, Japanese sports cars that offered reliability, fun, and the ability to showcase the capabilities of Japanese automotive engineering. Fast-forward to 2023 and the Fairlady Z is in its eighth generation. Like a certain, German car with a rear-mounted engine, the Fairlady Z’s philosophy was more along the lines of “evolution, not revolution”.

All generations of the Z-car, starting with the S30 original, are classics in their own right. The Datsun 240Z spawned an underdog that captivated the mass auto enthusiast and competed in various motorsports, including rallying, SCCA, FIA, and in more recent iterations, drifting. Modern iterations of the 240Z have long been badged as Nissans, but one thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the incredible bang for the buck, keeping car enthusiasts hopeful that affordable, fun sports cars will continue to exist, even if they are not perfect.