Nissan celebrates 50-year legacy of the Z sportscar with five limited-edition models

Honoring the legacy of the Z sportscar, Nissan looks in the rearview mirror to reflect on five limited-edition models that have embellished the Z’s five-decade legacy. Pushing the boundaries of innovation and engineering, the Nissan Z has held its position at the helm of the sportscar segment and set the benchmark for accessible, everyday sports cars for over 50 years.

Each generation of the Nissan Z has seen Nissan push the bar higher in terms of innovation and attract a larger following of enthusiasts to the brand. Sharing a rich bond between human and machine, the Nissan Z is the embodiment of the brand’s passion and dedication towards driving excitement and has offered attractive styling, advanced technology, and thrilling experiences for over five decades.

Thierry Sabbagh, President, Nissan Saudi Arabia, INFINITI Middle East and Managing Director, Nissan Middle East, said: “From its global success in the motorsport’s realm, to its strong following and popularity in the Middle East, the Nissan Z is an important model in our line-up and a testament to our brand promise, Innovation that Excites. Holding a Guinness World Record title for the longest twin-vehicle drift in the UAE, the Nissan Z is popular amongst automotive enthusiasts in the region, and we look forward to continue catering to this unique demographic with the global rollout of the new Z.”

Since its introduction in 1969, the Nissan Z has differentiated the brand and helped write a unique story, supported by five limited-edition models that celebrate key milestones in the model’s illustrious history:

• 1980 Datsun 280ZX – 10^th Anniversary Edition

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the first Z, Nissan released a special edition 280ZX model with a limited production run of just 3,000 units. The success of previous Z cars unlocked the opportunity to equip the 280ZX with upscale materials such as leather seats and hi-fi stereos, while a golden Z hood badge, gold- or black-colored alloy wheels, commemorative wreath decals on the front fenders and hatch, and tinted T-bar roof differentiated the 10^th Anniversary Edition from the standard model.

• 1984 Nissan 300ZX Turbo – 50^th Anniversary Edition

To mark the 50^th anniversary of the brand’s founding, Nissan released a special 300ZX Turbo 50^th Anniversary Edition. Features of this unique model included steering wheel audio controls, digital readouts and electronically controlled sport suspension – technologies that were considered advanced for their time. Connoting its sporting pedigree, the 300ZX Turbo was also equipped with a futuristic digital instrument cluster with a dominant multi-LED sweeping tachometer, speed display and G-force indicator. The year 1984 not only marked a milestone for Nissan’s history as a carmaker, but it also marked the Z as the best-selling sports car in America.

• 2005 Nissan 350Z 35th Anniversary Edition

The 350Z, a driving enthusiast’s delight, marked Nissan’s return to the sportscar segment following a short hiatus and took the world by storm in 2003. The reborn Z was built on the company’s innovative FM (Front Midship) platform and powered by a smooth-revving, high-output 3.5-liter V6. In 2005, Nissan created a special version to celebrate the Z’s 35th anniversary and equipped this unique model with a suite of performance tuning and upgrades. Nissan’s engineers retuned the engine to produce an additional 13 horsepower, raising the total to 300 horsepower, with shifting duties performed by a 6-speed manual gearbox. Other special equipment for this commemorative model included exclusive five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels, a front spoiler, Brembo® brakes, special badging, and a Bose® six-speaker premium sound system.

• 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition

In 2009, the 350Z’s VQ engine received a displacement bump to 3.7 liters, prompting the car’s name to change to 370Z. A year later, Nissan introduced the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Limited to just 1,000 units, the special edition was equipped with a manual transmission and a host of upgrades, including front and rear spoilers, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch RAYS forged aluminum-alloy wheels, a viscous limited-slip differential and the company’s innovative SynchroRev Match® transmission technology. Differentiating the 40^th Anniversary Edition from the standard car was a special “40^th Graphite” paint scheme, as well as red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badges.

• 2020 Nissan 370Z 50^th Anniversary Edition

In 2020, Nissan introduced the special 2020 Nissan 370Z 50^th Anniversary Edition. Paying homage to the #46 BRE (Brock Racing Enterprises) Datsun 240Z that won multiple SCCA National Championships, the 50^th Anniversary Edition adorned two signature stripes on the side of the car and painted trunk, hood, side mirrors and A-pillars in contrasting accent colors (red for the white car and black for the silver car). Few other unique touches included 50th Anniversary identification on the front fender and special 19-inch alloy wheels with red accents, in addition to a “50th Anniversary” steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara® and custom stitched 50^th Anniversary seatbacks.

The all-new Nissan Z, which premiered in New York, builds on the success of its predecessors, of which 1.8 million units have been sold, making the Z a global top-selling sports car. Built for enthusiasts by enthusiasts, the seventh-generation Z features a 3.0-liter V-6 twin turbo engine that is rated at 400 horsepower and 475 Nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic transmission. As part of the global rollout of the new Nissan Z, the iconic sportscar is set to be launched in Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania (AMIEO) markets later this year.