Colloquial term for one of a family of cars made by Datsun/Nissan, beginning in 1970 with the 240Z.
The Z cars have been intended as sports cars from the beginning, although many concessions were made to comfort in their design, and some models have been positively luxurious. Early models were renowned for their lightness and sharp handling, but as the series grew older, they also grew heavier and harder to handle. After the 300ZX was 'canned' in 1996, there was a lapse of several years before the reintroduction of the Z badge with the 350Z, which purports to be a return to the ideals of the first Z cars. It isn't.
The Z cars all came with six cylinder engines, the displacement of which can be approximately determined by the model name. For example, the 240Z had a 2.4 litre engine, the 260Z had a 2.6, the 300ZX had a 3.0, etc etc. The 240Z, 260Z, 280Z and 280ZX engines were in an in-line six configuration, the 300ZX and 350Z came equipped with a V6. All of these engines are single overhead cam per bank, and were equipped with electronic fuel injection from the 280Z onwards. Those with the 'X' badge were available also in a turbocharged version.
The Z Cars:
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