The original Datsun 240Z made its debut in the fall of 1969 and immediately set the sports car world on its head. One year short of its 50th anniversary, the iconic “Z car” is still being celebrated around the world, including this week at the 31st annual International Z Car Convention.
From Oct. 16-20, an estimated 1,200 Datsun and Nissan enthusiasts are expected to take to the streets and nearby racetracks of Atlanta for the five-day festival of all things Z, known as ZCON.
Nissan, a key supporter of the annual event, will be on hand with a quartet of vintage vehicles. The four display vehicles are:
1960 Datsun 1200 Sedan, a version of the first passenger car sold by Nissan in the U.S.
1960 Datsun Fairlady Roadster, the first Datsun sports car imported to the U.S.
1965 Datsun 320 Truck, with 60-horsepower 4-cylinder engine
#83 Nissan GTP-ZX Turbo, the 1988-89 IMSA Championship race car with 850+ horsepower
“These heritage vehicles provide a great window into Nissan’s remarkable heritage here in North America – as well as showcasing how far car design and performance has come when looking at the exciting all-new, 6th generation 2019 Nissan Altima,” said Anne Corrao, director, Chief Marketing Manager, Nissan North America, Inc.
In addition to the vehicles, three people with special associations to Nissan sports cars will be on hand at ZCON 2018 – motorsports legends Peter Brock and John Morton, and original 240Z designer Yoshihiko Matsuo will attend from Japan.
This year, ZCON events will be held at various venues around the Atlanta area. Activities include a pair of car shows, an autocross competition at Atlanta Motorsports Park, a track day and parade laps at Road Atlanta Raceway and a charity cruise through the northwest Georgia Mountains.
For more information on the 2018 ZCON, please visit the ZCON website.
