After giving it some thought, I owe you an apology, Godfoot. I guess you could have remebered that commerciial from when you were growing up. They launched that commercial during the 1996 Super Bowl, some two decades after the last 240Z was built. This was really the first evidence of Nissan attemting to get away from that 'anti-Datsun' mode that gnosez alluded to. The same year that the Z Store Project began. Marketing. To me, though I love that poster and have a 24" X 30" version of it on the wall in my garage, it was simply a part of Nissan's marketing strategy at the time. That being said, when I look at that poster, it evokes different feelings for me than it does for you. It was a NISSAN commercial and you claim to be a NISSAN fan. I get that. I am a DATSUN fan, and to me, there is a huge difference. I was around when Datsun name was contemporary. I owned their vehicles then as well as more recently. Personally, I wouldn't be at all concerned about where the company is headed now because, to me, there is no connection.

Edited February 19, 201213 yr by sblake01

Opps! Gotta step in on this old thread and set the record straight again. The Dream Garage ad was NOT a Super Bowl ad! The $200 million national advertising campaign designed to rekindle consumer brand identitiy began during the closing ceremonies of the Atlanta Olympic Games August 4, 1996. The Z Store project you mention, Stephen, was part of the campaign as was the Vintage Z restoration program.

Scion FR-S\Subaru BRZ. it's the truest 240 successor in a long time......I don't think so. both just as "fat" as the 350Z.

I think the BRZ weight goal was around 2500lbs with a 53F-47R distribution. Pretty darn close to a Z.

Well, at least I had the year right. But it was still marketing and it must not have fared too well. IMO, outside of the hobby, most people don't know what a Datsun is......

“Dream Garage,” which first aired during the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics and later during the 1997 Super Bowl.

http://www.videomi.com/blog/archives/322

"Caudill acknowledged that the company has been handicapped by its name change in the United States from Datsun in 1983. "We could have done a better job carrying over our heritage,"

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/management/572534-1.html#ixzz1mwqxbBi9

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19980801&id=CO8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v3IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1165,641708

Keep in mind that the 1997 Super Bowl follows the 1996 season.......That's where I remember seeing it. Then, as now, I'm much more of a football fan than a fan of the Olympics so I likely wouldn't have watched the 1996 ceremonies.

I never get the sports wedgie playing trivial pursuit.

Hey, thanks for the links, black gold man. Chris Blair, by the way, incorrectly calls the ad campaign title as "Enjoy the Ride". I own a copy of the Nissan literature - the full kit - including all the television videos. It is "Life is a Journey. Enjoy the Ride". I have no doubt that the Dream Garage commercial appeared during a super bowl, it was probably aired during a rebroadcast of "The Rockford Files" for all I care, but it would be misleading and historically incorrect to state that the ad was a super bowl ad. And I don't mean anything rude, Stephen. It is just that I have spent too much time and money researching that moment of Nissan history and I see the Dream Garage commercial mentioned as a super bowl commercial all the time. Including by some who profess to be an 'expert'! Stephen, you point out what is most likely the root of the misconception. Americans don't pay as much interest in the olympic games as they do football. Of course, the rest of the world doesn't pay much interest in American football!!!

Edited February 21, 201213 yr by 26th-Z

So what do you think about the DETROIT parking garage.

At that time Nissan had there design center here i believe.

Maybe someone from NISSAN was inspired by it. Just a theory.