Top 5 Nissan / Datsun Z-Cars

By Bob Hernandez,Super Street

Will they or won't they? While Nissan is staying mum for now, car news outlets are reporting that a next generation Z announcement is eminent (!) and of course social media is having a field day with the speculation. We've had the 370Z (Z34) for going on a decade, and Nissan enthusiasts—perhaps a tad frustrated that the current Z and the R35 GT-R are getting up there in years, and that there's not even a contemporary SE-R ta boot—are maybe champing at the bit for any ray of hope, especially since the other two big Japanese OEM brands have seemingly doubled down on performance platforms, Toyota with the 86 and Supra and Honda with the NSX and Civic Type R.

They say the new lines on the next Z might be "retro," but old or not as old, we've featured more than our fair share of the Nissan icon over the years. Here then are a quick five of our more popular Z-car features stories from lately, covering a spectrum of generations and purposes, from a highly refined S30 resotmod to a purpose-built, V-8-swapped Z33 pro drift machine, and everything in between (even a JDM Pokemon Z—not joking).

1991 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo - Timeless Lines

The Z32 as a project platform isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea, so when one as striking as Joseph Joaquin's comes around, you take notice. He saved this 300ZX from an uncertain fate, dropped in a JDM power plant, and massaged it in all the right ways to produce this one-of-a-kind wonder.

2003 Nissan 350Z - A Turn of Events

Sasha Anis' Z33 is serious business, having lived lives as a road racer and time attacker. We just like that it has Volk Racing wheels, widebody Rocket Bunny fenders, and a big ol' wang (though not that big)—but there's much more to marvel at here.

1972 Datsun 240Z - The Fairest One Of All

You need only to say "JDM Legends" to know the build execution will be off the charts; the Utah-based importer and restorer put in work on local Daniel Song's now drop-dead gorgeous 240Z, and the proof is in the finished product. It's a top-to-bottom restoration with appropriately updated touches like the L28 motor swap and TE37V rims.

2005 Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33) - Pikachu Z

There's absolutely no connection between Yuki Yoda's childhood love of Pokemon and the way his Fairlady Z came out looking like Pikachu (Really? They both just happen to be yellow ...) With its Garage Mak aero, Endless big brakes, and TE37RTs at the corners, we were feeling more track monster than cute, lightning-throwing rodent.

KoruWorks 2003 Nissan 350Z

The S-chassis may be Nissan's drift darling, but the Z has carried more Formula D drivers to championships than any other model. In 2018, pro Ryan Litteral let us shoot his Koru Works-built and backed Z33, complete with extreme steering angle, obscene amounts of LS3-swapped power, and gobs and gobs of style.