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| Did you Know? Little known facts about Mr. K and the Z Car
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Z history
Facts courtesy Nissan Motors USA
Did you Know?
The first 240Z was introduced to the members of the US media in October 1969, in a ballroom at New York's Pierre Hotel. The new Z Concept debuted at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show and included a worldwide webcast.
The first-year Z had a 240Z badge displayed on the C-pillar. When the second year Z debuted, a vent had been integrated with the badge to improve cabin airflow - further proof that form and function could peacefully coexist.
Yutaka Katayama, the first president of Nissan Motors USA and affectionately known as "Mr. K", was an enthusiastic student of everything American, including our love of fast cars. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Z".
In 1970, Nissan was shipping 1,600 240Z's a month to the States. By mid 1971, they were up to 2,500 a month. Had the factory's production capabilities allowed, they could have sold twice that number.
In the UK, a popular police series from 1962 to 1978 featured two officers whose vehicle designations were Z-Victor 1 and Z-Victor 2. The show was "Z Cars". Any relations to the Datsun Z? Nope.
The all new, second generation Z debuts in 1979 as the 280ZX. It is named Motor Trend's "Import Car of the Year" and sets the all-time Z sales record of 86,007 units.
A 1970 240Z brochure made an unusual sports car claim: " A new kind of economy car". After all, in addition to its undeniable power, the Z was so well engineered it could deliver 'up to 25 miles per gallon'.
The June 1972 edition of Road & Track magazine featured a reader's survey conducted among current Z owners to gauge their level of satisfaction. How many owners said they would buy another Z? Only 91%.
The Chevrolet Corvette took nearly 25 years to sell 500,000 unites. The Z did it in fewer than 10.
In 1980, Datsun commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Z with the 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition. Only a few thousand were produced, in just two color schemes: Gold and Black or Red and Black.
At last count (May 2001) The Z Car Club Association's Global Z Club Registry put the number of clubs in the United States at 67-six of them in California alone, and five each in North Carolina and Texas.
The first soft-top convertible in the 25-year history of the Z appeared on the 1993 300ZX. A whoosh of fresh air for Z lovers everywhere.
On October 13th, 1998, the legendary Yutaka Katayama, "Father of the Z", was inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.
The evolution of a sports car, the 1975 280Z: "When first introduced, the Z-Car was a sensuous, gracious, almost gentle machine. Now it is showing definite signs of pure machismo."-Car and Driver
A succinct commentary on the 1990 300ZXTT: "The only car in the world that can better this performance are high-buck exotics."-Car and Driver
A racing fanatic, Nissan Motors USA President Katayama's own Z-Car was the Japan market 240ZG. An extended "G nose" added 190mm of length and included glass-covered headlight scoops for more aerodynamic efficiency.
Except for steering wheel and throttle, a driver is in most constant contact with the seat. The seat in the 1990 300ZX, the first totally new Z design in 21 years, was chosen only after 1,000 other designs had been tested.
In the "Best Sports/GT Car ($3,000-$5.000)" category of the 1972 Car and Driver Reader's Choice Poll, the 240Z won with 54.3% of the vote. The next nearest competitor polled 10.9%
Because the Z driver did not live by engine revs alone, the 1982 280ZX antenna was designed with even a half-height setting to match the frequency of certain popular FM stations.
In 1990, Road & Track named the Nissan 300ZX Turbo "One of the Ten Best Cars in the World." That same year, American Z sales reached the one million mark, making the Z the best-selling sports car of all time.
Little Known Facts Department: The wheels on the 1990 through 1996 300ZX were specially engineered to draw the air out from under the car at high speeds to cool the brakes.
The first Z was to be called the Fairlady Z in both Japan and America. Nissan's US president, Yutaka Katayama, aware of the cultural mismatch, swapped "Fairlady Z" and "240Z" badges as the cars arrived in Los Angeles.
In 1978, the last year of the first-generation body style, the first Z to be painted black was sold. It was called "The Black Pearl Edition."
The retractable headlights on the 1984 300ZX were more than a design nicety. The motors were strong enough to crack a coating of ice. No power to the motors? No problem. The headlights could be raised and lowered manually.
When most wheels were limited to 15 inches, Nissan pushed the performance of the 50th Anniversary 1984 300ZX Turbo with 16-inch alloy wheels. (Like they say, give engineers an inch and they'll take it.)
When Nissan turbo charged the 280ZX's 2.8-liter straight six, output shot to 180hp with 203 ft. lbs. Of torque. The result was a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds. In lickety-split terms, faster than that year's 4-speed Corvette.
© 2007 Triad Z Club
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