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1990 Nissan 300ZX Twin-turbo, originally uploaded by swilsonmc

How many vehicles could pull a 0-60 in 5-seconds back in 1990’s? Still thinking… yeah, there weren’t too many. The Nissan 300ZX however was absolute beast hidden within an imports clothes, which in those days, Japanese imports were not quite the hyped up of sports cars as they are today.

If you really want a lovely car, might I suggest the extinct Nissan 300ZX turbo. These beasts were loaded with potential then, and guess what? They are still loaded with potential now. Rated at 300 horsepower in the late 90’s, which means that you have at least 100 horsepower waiting to be freed due to imperfect emissions, insufficient breathing, a so-so exhaust, rather tame tuning, and all this can be easily corrected with a few carefully chosen Nissan performance parts and a good, qualified tuner. While I have never been one for antiques, in this case I would definitely make an exception.

What Made this Z so Great

If you are serious about speed, the Nissan 300ZX came off the showroom with a twin turbo V-6 rated at a generous 300 “turbo” horsepower, which means that you won’t get robbed any of those valuable ponies as you rise in elevation. It is estimated that the Z could run somewhere between a 5 and 6 second zero to 60 stretch, depending on the source. The handling of the ZX was superb with a rather sophisticated (for its time) four-wheel independent suspension… and the rather unique electronic aid called the Super HICAS, which was essentially rear-wheel steering that made calculated adjustments to the angle of rear tires to provide more the body with greater agility, stability, and control at both low and top speeds.

With so much potential, you must be wondering why Nissan took the 300ZX off American soil in 1996. Well, the problem was it was just too good. Not necessarily too fast, or too agile, but more like too technologically advanced to keep it within the price range of its target audience. Combine such expensive technology with the US dollars weakness to the Yen, and what was supposed to be an affordable sports car, became a little more than most people bargained for.

Which 300ZX is Right for You

But if you you were to find one today in decent condition, you would probably not be talking not much over $8,000 for a 1995 (you probably wouldn’t want a 96, which I’ll explain why in a minute) fully loaded 300ZX. So which ZX300’s are worthy of your attention. Well, the first year, 1990 was a pretty good year. It had its full 300 horsepower and sophisticated suspension tuning. 1994 might be a little safer if you plan on having a friend along for the ride, since this was the first year that the passenger-side was equipped with an air bag.

1995 is probably your best find, as it had full power, great tuning, air bags all around, and probably a few thousands miles less. 1996 is a little bit of a different story if you ask most Z enthusiasts. It is true that the books will tell you that it had the same 300 horsepower as all the previous Z’s, but in reality, it didn’t quite feel as spirited. The reason for the lack of gusto was Nissan’s discontinuation of variable camshaft timing, and that can make quite a huge difference in the output of any engine.

So if you are having a hankering for speed during these tough economic times… Speed doesn’t get a heck of a lot cheaper than the Nissan 300ZX!