Nissan Z

Nissan Fairlady Z (Z-car series)
2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe (Z34)
Overview
Manufacturer	Nissan
Also called	Nissan Fairlady Z (Japan)
Production	1969-2000 2002-present
Assembly	Nissan Shatai, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan (1969-2000) Oppama, Japan (2002-2004) , Japan (2004-present)
Body and chassis
Class	Sports cars
Layout	FR layout FMR layout
Chronology
Predecessor	Nissan Fairlady

The Z-car is a series of sports cars manufactured by Nissan Motors Ltd.. The original Z was sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and was sold in Japan at Nissan Exhibition dealerships that previously sold the Nissan Bluebird. It was exported as the Datsun 240Z. Since 2009 Nissan has manufactured the newest Z, the Nissan 370Z.

The earlier models of the Nissan Z were built at the Nissan Shatai plant in Hiratsuka until 2000, while the later models (350Z and 370Z) are built at Oppama (2002–2004) and (2004–present). Enthusiasts praise the cars for their looks, reliability, performance, and affordability. Every Z car has been sold in Japan as the Fairlady Z and elsewhere under the names Nissan S30, Nissan S130, Nissan 300ZX, Nissan 350Z and Nissan 370Z.

Nissan was a relatively small automaker when it entered the international market in the 1960s and partnered with Yamaha to design a new sports car prototype to update the Nissan Fairlady. Nissan executives saw the prototype as a halo car that would improve their company's image in the minds of consumers. By 1964 Nissan realized that Yamaha's DOHC 2.0-liter engine was not meeting Nissan's expectations and the project was scrapped. Yamaha later finished a prototype and took their design to Toyota, resulting in the Toyota 2000GT.

Yutaka Katayama, the president of Nissan USA at the time, realized the importance of an affordable sports car internationally. Nissan had already produced for many decades the successful series of Fairlady roadsters that competed mainly with English and Italian roadsters, and product planners envisioned a new line of GT cars that would be stylish, innovative, fast, and relatively inexpensive through the use of interchangeable parts with other Nissan vehicles. Nissan also had the engineering background and product development experience with the recently acquired Prince Motor Company, which manufactured the Prince Skyline that was later renamed Nissan Skyline in 1966.