Just found my trusty tin-opener and found a can of worms !

So, I believe it's pretty much accepted that the 240Z WASN'T made for the US market but once it was recognised as a go-er, Nissan shipped 'em over to the detriment of other markets !

I just bought a (what you guys would call) a standard 280ZX 2 seater, without power steering and windows for my wife and this is definitely what I would call, a car made for the US ! It's got the looks, the ummph and the comfort !

Anyone want to doubt that ? They obviously got it right 'cos it sold nearly three times as many as the 240 !

Originally posted by Sean Dezart

Anyone want to doubt that ? They obviously got it right 'cos it sold nearly three times as many as the 240 !

I DO

Nissan sold every 240Z they could possibly build and ship to the USA. They would have sold a lot more Z's if they could have built and delivered them.

According to Zhome.com there were 148,615 Z's produced from 1969 thru 1973 for the USA / North American market.

From 1979 thru 1983 there were 331,737 280Z(X's) produced for the same marketplace. 1979 had the highest production, and Nissan never built that many ZX's in a year ever again for North America.

Originally posted by Sean Dezart

Just found my trusty tin-opener and found a can of worms !

So, I believe it's pretty much accepted that the 240Z WASN'T made for the US market but once it was recognised as a go-er, Nissan shipped 'em over to the detriment of other markets !

Hi Sean,

That can of worms has been opened a few times on this site, and there was a fresh one opened here: Stagnant discussion link

The way I see it, you are looking at it all wrong on more than one count:

First of all, I think its a mistake to use the name of only ONE model ( the "240Z" ) when - I am guessing - you are actually referring to all the 'first generation' S30-series Z models. If you do only mean to refer to the "240Z", then which / what "240Z" are you referring to?

Its beyond question that the 'HLS30U' model was aimed at / made for the USA / North American market - but the 'HLS30U' is certainly not the definitive S30-series Z or definitive '240Z' for that matter. There was, and can not be, a definitive first-generation Z model........ ( ?! ).

Again, its beyond question that Nissan ( like most other car manufacturers ) wanted to maximise their chances of good sales in the largest potential single market, and took the regulations and needs of that market into account when they designed the car. However, the S30-series Z was 'born' in an RHD-oriented country, and used many components sourced from models developed for that market. A natural and understandable bias towards RHD in the layout and components is apparent, but its also clear that great attention was paid to functionality and ergonomics in both LHD and RHD layouts. As we know, there were some compromises - but overall they did a great job, didn't they?

Comparing the S130 to the S30 is to compare apples to oranges. You can talk about sales figures in certain markets, but such matters are affected by so many factors that its difficult to compare fairly. How can you quantify what benefit the success of the S30-series Z had on the sales of the S130-series? I think there can be no doubt that the trail blazed by the S30 ( and other models ) made buying an S130-series Z that much easier, and the organisation to make, transport, distribute, sell and look after the cars was stronger, more efficient and certainly more trusted than it had been previously.

Times were different, people were different, tastes were different, perspectives were different. How can we compare the two and expect to come to any useful conclusion?

Alan T.

Haaaaayyyy... who are you calling "Stagnant!"

(kidding!)

Halz,

I probably could have worded it better, couldn't I?:stupid:

What I meant was that it kind of dried up and ground to a halt, despite our efforts. I don't expect this one to live all that long either. It already fell off the bottom of the home page on the first day.............

OT:

I'm off to watch the Formula One cars which are being 'demonstrated' here in central London this evening. Its all happening just walk away from our home - so it'd be rude not to. Lets see if I can manage to see anything through the crowds :cross-eye

I'll take my camera, but I'm not very hopeful.

Alan T.

Alan, I hear there have been MAJOR rule changes this season for F1 cars, and this has produced some exciting design changes for many manufacturers - here is a pic of the new Williams cars at the demonstration today - can you see yourself in the crowd anywhere?!?!

So thats the new FW04-2...!

,

I never knew we had TWO street sweeping machines in London! They must have been hiding the other one........

Couldn't see a thing except the backs of a lot of heads. Police reported an estimated attendance figure of around 500,000 people. Cars were pretty loud in between the buildings to say the least. Complete traffic chaos all day and most of the night due to the closed-off roads.......

Now they are talking about a full GP in London. It will never happen, of course - its just Bernie being clever and putting pressure on Silverstone and the BRDC.

Originally posted by HS30-H

........................Now they are talking about a full GP in London. It will never happen, of course - its just Bernie being clever and putting pressure on Silverstone and the BRDC.

If there is one thing about Bernie that annoys me to no end (hell, like there could be only one!) it is that he has such a hard-on for Silverstone. Somebody ought to smack that little billionaire!

British grands prix at Brands Hatch were much better IMHO, at least for the spectators.

Alan,

Yes, if I referred to the 240Z it was 'cos over there, that's all they refer to and the post was directed at the US surfers ! You know I'm a converted HS30 man and the line of the thread was merely to state that if they wanted to claim a Z car made for the US of A than the 280ZX was it (and not the 240/HS30) !

I agree that having had the Zs sold before the ZX came along, pretty much gauranteed that it would outsell the previous models, coupled to better consumer confidence, better dealerships, transport etc.

More ZXs were sold in most other countries too, no ? Certainly here in France !

anyone see Alan T in the latest classic car mag??? 240 v 350 comparo...