I like to brag about the Z as the "most popular sportscar in the U.S.A., but someone will then say, "What about the Corvette..." or, "what about the Mustang..." or the BMW Z3 or 318, and so forth.

The Z is a sportscar, the Corvette is (the only American ) sportscar, a Mustang is a Pony car, the Z3 is a roadster, and the 318 is an executive/touring car.

Then the same person will say, "What about the Infinity...., or Acura......, etc" which are performance sedans.

Sportscars have exceptional handling due to light weight, "2 seats," a well-engineered, balanced chassis, and modern suspension. A powerful engine alone doesn't make a sportscar.

It goes without saying the 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z were the only real sportscars sold in the U.S.A. in their day, after MG, Triumph, and others had left the market, but things seem less defined lately, with most every car looking like a aero-something with 4-wheel disc, ABS, turbo-EFI-"VTEC" engines, and all the other stuff. Except those new box cars, which should say SF&TokyoRR on them

thxZ

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by TomoHawk

I definitely agree.

Although, I don't necessarily agree with the statement that the Z was the only sports car sold in the U.S. during its time.

Sports cars generally have just 2 seats (or a small back seat in a 2+2 version), definitely just 2 doors, are generally small with sports car styling, and designed first and foremost for driving entertainment. Performance alone doesn't make a sports car. The Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru WRX Sti, Dodge SRT-4 all have good performance but are not sports cars IMO, they're sport sedans. True sports cars also have RWD which would eliminate the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Except for the Z4, I wouldn't consider any BMW a sports car, they're sports sedans. Here are the modern cars I would consider a sports car: 370Z, Corvette, Viper, Miata, Honda S2000, Porsche 911, Boxster or Cayman, GT-R, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and the Italian exotics of course. I'm debating whether the RX-8 should be included since it technically has 4 doors.

The Z wasn't alone at first, but it did eventually replace the MGs, Triumphs, and most every other sportscar. I would also like to include "low-cost" for a sportscar, which would eliminate the ABS, turbo, exotic suspensions, air conditioning, etc. You don't really need all that. I'm not sure what to say about the $1000 stereos; I prefer to go basic on that too. Even power steering, like the 280ZX had, which IMO, is when the original Z car line ended. After that, the Z was was more of a luxury touring/GT car.

A sportscar should appeal to the pocketbook too, like the 240Z did, so I would say that eliminates the exotics for many of us. Unless it's in plastic or diecast metal, that is.

thxZ

Part of my collection of Italian Sportscars:

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by TomoHawk

I'd have to disagree on the ""most popular sportscar in the U.S.A" statement as much as I like the Z. What would that be in terms of; sales?

Yes, according to the sales figures, from the Z car history video from the History Channel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=filjihe00Go&feature=PlayList&p=201AF19EE8E687FD&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=25

Corvette owners will argue that, tho.

Ah, the 250 GT SWB

Thats love right there..

sigh.....

I have that video but even if I didn't, I wouldn't suffer through wactching it in segments on YouTube. Show me the part where it says that the Z has outsold the Corvette, I must have missed that. I still think that a vehicle that was produced from the 1953 model year to the present would have outsold one that was produced from the 1970 model year to the 1996 model year plus the 2002 model year to the present. Lies, damn lies and statistics, as they say but still, show me.

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by sblake01

At $14 million, a 250 SWB (supercompetezzione) is a little too expensive for me.

It took 39 years to sell 1,000,000 corvettes, Whereas Datsun sold about 150,000 240Zs in the first few years. and the 1,000,000th Z (an S130) in 1982.

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by TomoHawk

First, the definition of a sports car is personal, and has changed over the decades. When I was young, sports cars not only were 2-seaters, they were all convertibles. A "sports car" without a convertible top was laughed at.

And if number are all that matters, look at MGBs. 500,000 sold in 17 years. One model, basically unchanged for that whole period. Of course, trying to sell late 50's technology into the '80s is why MG died off.

It took 29 years to sell 1,000,000 corvettes, Whereas Datsun sold about 150,000 240Zs in the first few years. and the 1,000,000th Z (a Z31) in 1982.

But how many of each are on the road today? Total numbers? 'Vettes of any kind vs. Datsun/Nissan Zs of any kind? You say popularity. If the numbers denote popularity it would obviously favor the 'Vette. I don't need to see a list of unsubstatiated numbers. Like I said, lies, damn lies, and stastistics. Any other judging criteria is just opinion. Like this quote:

It goes without saying the 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z were the only real sportscars sold in the U.S.A. in their day

I guess then we'd have to define your use of the word 'real' since the rest of the sentence would be blatently false without a broad and obviously biased personal definition of that word. You speak of the 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z in one sense and the entire Z production in another. You speak of sports cars vs. performance sedans. You speak of the definition of a sports car. You say a sports car should 'appeal to the pocketbook'. What is the point you attemting to make with this thread? (Too bad we don't have the 'willy-nilly' smile icon on this site). And either that's an S130, not a Z31, in 1982 or you've got the wrong year.

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by sblake01

Across town (in the ritzi part,) there is a Tuesday night cruise-in where it's been said that they turn you away if you drive in a ricer or tuner, or something that doesn't meet the theme of the day, like Mopar. One week they had "2-seat sportscar," whch according to our definition is redundant. Maybe those people think there are 4-seat sportscars? That's part of what this topic is about- the difference between sportscar and performance sedan, etc. It seems that people with Acuras or Lexii think of their cars as sportscars because they can go fast or look sleek or "sporty." I don't think there are many 2-seat cars made today anyway.

I'm not so sure about Corvetes being sportscars any more. They have 2 seats and all the rest, but they have gotten bigger, so I think of them as a kind of exotic car.

Edited September 7, 200915 yr by TomoHawk