Description
The Datsun 240Z occupies a genuinely pivotal place in automotive history as the car that fundamentally changed how the world viewed Japanese automobiles. Launched in the United States in 1969, the 240Z was sold in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z, with the export name derived from its 2.4 litre L24 inline six engine. Datsun’s American president Yutaka Katayama, affectionately known as “Mr. K,” championed the car’s arrival in the US market, personally removing the “Fairlady” badging he knew would never resonate with Western buyers, and his instincts proved correct as the 240Z quickly developed waiting lists that stretched for years.
What made the 240Z so revolutionary was its combination of genuine sports car performance with genuine affordability, offering handling and straight line pace that rivaled contemporaries like the Porsche 911 and Ferrari Dino, all at a starting price of just 3,526 dollars, a fraction of what its European rivals commanded. Designed by a team led by Yoshihiko Matsuo, the 240Z’s long hood, short deck, and flowing roofline drew inevitable comparisons to the Jaguar E-Type, yet its underlying reliability and value proposition helped it single handedly build Datsun and Nissan’s American reputation, moving an average of 50,000 units a year and launching what would become the longest running sports car franchise in automotive history.
Hot Wheels honors this genre defining Japanese sports car as part of its Then and Now series, finished in a bold Green paint that highlights the 240Z’s flowing, long hood proportions at 1:64 scale. This casting celebrates a car that didn’t just succeed commercially, it reshaped global perceptions of what a Japanese automaker could build.
Why You Should Own It?
- Represents the Datsun 240Z, the car that transformed global perceptions of Japanese cars
- Part of the Hot Wheels Then and Now series
- Bold Green colorway that highlights the 240Z’s flowing, elegant proportions
- Represents the launch of the longest running sports car franchise in automotive history
- Great pickup for Datsun, Nissan Z-car, and classic JDM themed collections
- Durable die cast metal build with authentic Hot Wheels detailing
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.