Car News
It was the first generation of the legendary Z cars – 240Z, 260Z and 280Z – produced between 1969 and 1978. The 240Z itself was built between 1969 and 1973 and included four series.
Although already established in America as makers of economy cars and compact pick-ups, Nissan Motors Ltd of Japan – under the US guise of `Datsun’ to sound less Japanese - knew they needed an ‘image car’ to crack the US market.
In the late 1960s, designers started on a plan for a personal GT car, lifting aspects from other sports cars and putting them together in an affordable package. The E-type Jaguar and Ferrari Daytona were obvious influences.
Although he left before the 240Z project began, Albrecht Graf von Goertz, a German-born design consultant to Nissan in the early 1960’s, implemented modern design techniques during his tenure – including the use of clay models - that enabled the Japanese marque to become a successful performance car producer. He is credited as being indirectly responsible for the success of the 240Z.
The 240Z didn’t just look the part. It was built with performance in mind using four-wheel independent suspension – MacPherson struts in the front and Chapman struts in the rear - and front disc brakes.
It also had quick acceleration, superior handling and a firm sporty ride, comparable to substantially more expensive cars like the Porsche 911.
On October 22 1969, president of Nissan Motors Ltd Yutaka Katayama, introduced the 1970 Series 1 Datsun 240Z to America. Instantly popular, 45,000 units were sold over the first two years - and through to Series IV, a further 50,000 in 1972 and 40,000 in 1973 were snapped up before the release of the 260Z in 1974.
Design and manufacturing changes
From 1969 to 1973 the Datsun 240Z took on several design and manufacturing changes across its four-series run.
Series I had a chrome “240” badge on the B-pillar quarter panel and two vents below the glass molding in the rear hatch. A three speed transmission was introduced in September 1970. By 1971 the vents were gone and the chrome badges were restyled with a white “Z”.
Series II saw several minor changes to things like seat belt latches, sun visors and the tilt mechanism on the front seats. There were also small upgrades to the oil pressure guage and speedometer.
Series III in 1972 got new hubcaps, a new rear end, a redesigned centre console, a new four speed transmission and a seat belt warning buzzer and warning light. Other upgrades included automatic seat belt retractors.
Series IV received dash layout alterations, the headlight buckets changed from fibreglass to steel and intermittent windscreen wipers became standard eqipment.
Racing history
Datsun’s 240Z was very successful in SCCA racing in the 1970’s, notably when it was driven under Peter Brock’s Brock Racing Enterprises – the American, not the Aussie - in 1970 and 1971 by John Morton, John McComb and Dan Parkinson.
From 1970 to 1973 the 240Z also enjoyed success in the International Rally circuit, where it competed in the East African Safari Rally, the Monte Carlo Rally and the Southern Cross Rally, among others.
Drivetrain
Datsun’s 240Z is powered by a 2.4 litre L24 inline six cylinder SOHC engine with twin SU carburettors. It puts out 113kW at 5600rpm and 198Nm at 4400rpm. There is the option of a four or five speed manual transmission and a three speed automatic for cars produced after September 1970. The 240Z will get to a top speed of 201km/h via a 0-100km/h time of eight seconds. Typical fuel consumption is around 11 litres/100km.
Dimensions and weight
Wheelbase: 2302.8mm
Length: 4135.1mm
Width: 1628.1mm
Weight: 1068kg
In 1998 - to keep the Z car flame lit - Nissan bought up several 240Z’s, fully restored them and sold them at dealerships for $24,000.
These days
Today the 240Z is fondly remembered as a hugely successful 1970s sports car and one still sort after by enthusiasts looking for an affordable restoration project or - if they can find one in good order - a great looking cheap sports car.
The most common modification for the 240Z is the replacement of the normally aspirated engine with the turbo from the 280ZX due to the relative ease of the swap – it requires no changes to the transmission or mountings.
V8 conversions are also popular due to the unusually large engine bay. And — not surprisingly — many clubs and forums exist for the iconic Datsun 240Z.
...according to Toyota’s corporate manager of product planning, Peter Evans. But the size of Australia could prevent us getting the necessary technology.
Speaking at this week’s Work Smarter conference — run by leading civil engineering and road infrastructure design software company 12d Solutions – Evans said interaction between the road and the car would be critical to erase fatalities in the future.
In that world, your car will keep to the speed limit, stay a safe distance from other traffic, not stray out of its lane and get enough warning of pedestrians to avoid hitting them. It may even ease the pain of the city commute by ensuring a smooth traffic flow.
“Bring in that technology, such as overhead infra-red beams, and … for example, drivers can be warned of traffic signals and pedestrians ahead,” he said.
“Certainly drivers would appreciate some help in city areas. It’s been estimated that a driver traversing one city block in a busy downtown area receives more sensory inputs than a pilot landing an aircraft.
“On the open road, roadside infrastructure can also cooperate with vehicles to provide advanced cruise-assist highway systems. “
However there are still some hurdles along the way, including the development of design tools for interactive infrastructure, the commitment of government authorities in implementing it – and their desire to impose more control on private vehicles.
“Planning for the longer term will mean deciding on what type of roadside infrastructure is desirable and, also, what method or methods will be used to seamlessly transfer data,” Evans said.
“Legislators would like to go a step further and beam or force-in speed controls from the roadside to a vehicle. But this would mean giving the local road authority access to the technology at the very heart of the vehicle.”
He said carmakers are unlikely to be enthusiastic about that, because the intellectual property contained in that technology is “very tightly held” by manufacturers.
However the infrastructure design itself will not be a barrier, 12d Solutions managing director Dr Lee Gregory said.
“Software tools for the design of the next generation of infrastructure would be esily developed from our existing software, and we see no difficulty in delivering to designers the tools they need even in a shorter timeframe than indicated.
And while cynics might think it would be impossible to get federal, state and local governments to work together on such a development, that kind of collaboration is already happening.
The New South Wales Road and Traffic Authority’s general manager of corporate planning and performance, Brendan Nugent, said an in-principle agreement is in place to have a national safety body with key roles from across the country.
“There’s a high level of commitment to having a national approach, which comes out of the success we’ve had with the Australian road rules consistency,” Nugent said.
“So it’s possible to achieve. The cutting edge will occur in the European Union, where they are talking about roadside ‘furniture’ controlling some aspects of heavy vehicle traffic.”
In the end, it seems the only unchangeable hurdle to the development of a total vehicle-to-infrastructure communication in Australia will be the size of the country and our small population.
“In Australia, the sheer length of roads versus population density will more likely mean vehicles are guided by means other than roadside infrastructure – probably a combination of GPS and optical recognition,” Evans said.
“We might see a combination of advanced lane keep assist working with active radar cruise control and pre-crash brake technology and GPS to create autonomous self-guided capability.”
Evans said other benefits from systems that produce a smooth swift traffic flow would include reduced fuel consumptions and therefore reduced emissions – both CO2 and NOx – to levels that may become mandatory in the future.
“In Europe, they’re already talking about an average 105 grams per kilometre C02 emissions for all vehicles and it will surely go lower,” he said, pointing out that the new Prius being launched next week will have an official CO2 rating of 89 grams.
But he says while these requirements will also force a change in the way we think about getting from A to B, it may not mean we’ll be abandoning our personal vehicles in favour of public transport – or even abandoning the fun side of motoring.
“An automotive society regulated by emissions rather than by speed will change current paradigms,” he said.
“Under a regime where vehicles must have average CO2 ratings of around 100 grams per kilometre, vehicles won’t be capable of being much faster than 100km/h. A commuter car might only do 80km/h.
“Will that lead to a move to a rejection of the motor car in favour of mass mobility? I don't think so.
“Regardless of the continuous lobby for mass transportation; the car — or personal mobility if you like — will still be the vehicle of choice.
“And I think there would be a hug push back against any developments that removed the enjoyment of motoring.”
The company is not revealing too many details about the HSV E Series II upgrades but buyers can expect some visual and engine tweaks to deliver more power from the 6.2-litre V8 without sacrificing fuel economy.
Power is believed to have been lifted from 317kW to around 320kW but engine emission tweaks have delivered slight gains in fuel economy.
HSV spokesman, Simon Frost, says the company is focusing on fuel consumption but there will also be a number of significant visual improvements to the cars.
HSV managing director Phil Harding says the multi million dollar program includes "major visual differentiation and introduces at least five Australian auto firsts, a huge shot in the arm for the local industry".
"We know our customers want the latest technologies, as well as distinctive luxury and performance features in their HSV," he says.
"The new range delivers in improved economy, more power, some truly exciting driver enhancements and distinctive design themes across the board."
The new HSV line-up arrives in showrooms around September.
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