The Nissan S30, sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z but badged as the Datsun 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z for export, are 2-seat sports cars and 2+2 GT cars produced by Nissan from 1969 until 1978. The S30 was conceived of by Yutaka Katayama, the President of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A., and designed by a team led by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the head of Nissan's Sports Car Styling Studio. It is the first car in Nissan's Z series of sports cars.
The S30 had four-wheel independent suspension and a powerful straight-six engine with an overhead camshaft, features identified with far more expensive premium European sports cars and coupés such as the Jaguar E-Type and BMW 2800 CS, but absent from similarly priced sports cars such as the Alfa Romeo Spider, MGB and Opel GT, which had smaller four-cylinder engines and rear live axles. The S30's styling, engineering, relatively low price, and impressive performance resonated with the public, received a positive response from both buyers and the motoring press, and immediately generated long waiting lists.
As a halo car, the S30 contributed to the popularization of Japanese carmakers beyond producers of traditional economy cars. Datsun's growing dealer network—compared to those of imported sports cars manufactured by Jaguar, BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, and Fiat—played a major role in this popularization.
The S30 was initially sold alongside the smaller four-cylinder Datsun Sports, which was dropped from production in 1970. The S30 240Z is unrelated to the later 240SX, sold as the Silvia in Japan.
Fairlady Z
The Fairlady Z was introduced in late 1969 as a 1970 model, with the L20 2.0-liter straight-six SOHC engine, rear-wheel drive, and a stylish coupé body. In Japanese specifications the engine, based on the Datsun 510's four-cylinder, produced and came with a four- or a five-speed manual transmission. For 1973, power of the carburetted engine dropped to to meet stricter regulations. In Japan, the Fairlady was exclusive to Nissan Japanese dealerships called Nissan Store. Japanese buyers could also get the L24-engined Fairlady 240Z model (HS30), although the larger engine placed it in a considerably higher tax category. The Japanese-spec 2.4-liter engine produces a claimed at 5,600 rpm but was discontinued in 1973 as sales had dropped considerably as a result of the fuel crisis, and so until the August 1978 introduction of the Fairlady 280Z only two-liter Fairladys were available in the home market.
When export models changed over to the larger 2.6-liter 260Z in 1974, only 2-liter models remained available to Japanese buyers. A Fairlady 260Z had been planned for release, but the impact of the oil crisis stopped the model, although the 260Z was available in Okinawa (which drove on the right side of the road until 1978). The Fairlady Z received all the changes as applied to the export models, including the addition of a long-wheelbase 2+2 model. Introduced in January 1974, this received the GS30 chassis code. In 1975 the L20 engine gained fuel injection to meet new emissions standards (A-S30, A-GS30) and once again provided . At the end of July 1976 the car received the NAPS system, including an EGR system, to meet the stricter yet emissions standards in effect for this year, bringing with it a change in model codes to S31 (C-S31/C-GS31). At the same time, the more luxurious Fairlady Z-T model was introduced
The Fairlady ZG was available in three colors: Grand Prix Red, Grand Prix White, and Grand Prix Maroon. The "G" in Fairlady ZG stands for "Grande." Although the ZG was not sold in the US and was never sold outside Japan, in order for it to be eligible for competition in the US, Nissan sold the nose kit as a dealer's option which is known as the "G-nose". With the nose added, these 240Zs are often referred to as 240ZGs outside of Japan.
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File:Nissan Fairlady 240ZG (S30), 1972, front.jpg | Front
File:Nissan Fairlady 240ZG (S30), 1972, rear.jpg | Rear
File:Nissan_Fairlady_240ZG_(S30),_1972,_interior.jpg | Interior
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Fairlady Z432 and Z432R
thumb|right|1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432 at the [[Toyota Automobile Museum|alt=]]
A special Japan-only model Fairlady Z called the Z432 was released, equipped with the twin cam 2.0 L inline six-cylinder "S20" engine used in the Skyline GT-R. This engine, originally designed by former engineers of the Prince Motor Company, produced . Some Z432s were used by the police in Japan.
A sub-model of the Z432 was the Z432R homologation special. This version came with the same S20 engine as the Z432, but to reduce weight some parts of the car were stamped from steel thinner than normal, the bonnet was made of fiberglass, and all of the glass except the windscreen was replaced with transparent acrylic, resulting in a weight reduction over the Z432. Nearly all of the usual comfort and convenience features were also stripped out of the car, which came without a heater, radio, clock, glovebox, or any sound deadening. Other signs of its racing intent were the lack of an intake airbox or brake booster, and the installation of a fuel tank that required deleting the rear spare wheel well.
The Z432R were all painted orange with black aluminum wheels and a low luster black hood. Fewer than 50 Z432Rs are thought to have been built.