Why was the mid-80’s 280ZX such a great makeout car? What was it that distinguished it? Even with the stick shift in the way and the non-existent backseat there was something about it. That theory requires some reflection because Nissan is celebrating the Z’s 40^th year with the release of a 370Z Anniversary coupe.

First conceived in 1969 as the Datsun 240Z, it was the first affordable two-seater with sports car performance for the everyman and the comparisons with the Porsche 924 and RX7 were myriad. Then came the add-ons and it began to cater to folks wanting a GT cruiser and while its fans were varied, enthusiasts included chicks blasting Def Leppard and cool Dads seeking a little more reliability.

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Wow, forty years? Has it really been that long since Nissan (then Datsun) rolled out the Z Car? Indeed it has, and as you would expect, they have a special anniversary edition to help celebrate. Through the years, the Z has seen as many twists and turns as a mountain road. It started out as a pretty good, if spare sportscar. In between now and then, it would get fatter then skinnier; more luxurious and more of a boulevardier; from straight to vee engines, with and without turbos.

So we are, forty years on, we’re still here, cars are still here, and the Nissan Z is still here. What does the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition have to offer?

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