It is a durable and sublime design that debuted in 1969 and has resulted in a diversity of cars that continues today. This coupe had a great international fortune and placed Japan on the map of sports cars. Of course, we’re talking about the iconic Datsun 240Z and, unfortunately, its designer Yoshihiko Matsuo, passed away last week in Japan. He’s 86.
To characterize the effect of Matsuo’s 240Z on the world in the 1970s, it was as if Datsun had introduced the Sony Walkman from the automotive world or the Nintendo Gameboy of the game. By 1973, the 240Z had sold about 150,000 games in the United States, making it the most successful Japanese sports car of all time, until the arrival of the Mazda MX-5 in 1989.
Matsuo joined Nissan in 1959 and temporarily drew attention to control of the company for his contribution to the Datsun 410. In popularity of this talent, he replaced a design team in the late 1960s who designed the Datsun 240Z, called Fairlady Z in Japan.
The reason for its huge success came down to inspired design, superb performance and handling and a competitive price. And perfect timing. In 1970, no rival had looks and specs like the Datsun and for just $3,500 (around $23,000 today). Critics argued it borrowed styling hints from the E-Type, 911 and Daytona, but to the market, the 240Z had a look all its own. And for the price, at least twice as much engineering had gone into the car’s creation.
The coupe used a 2.4-litre in-line six-cylinder engine that generated horsepower at 6000 rpm, a 7000 rpm red line and disc brakes and independent suspension throughout. Looking to compete with well-established European sports cars, Datsun valuated the new 240Z at less than $200 from the British MGB-GT in the United States, a five-year design that showed its age.
For the 240Z project, Matsuo and his design team were in charge of the external esteroification of the car, but they also had to design it taking into account the production. This meant thinking about how the factors and fabrics that made up the portions were built with the right balance between functionality and cost.
Considered one of the most beautiful cars to be released in Japan, Sports Car International placed the 240Z at number 2 in its best sports cars of the 1970s, the Ferrari Daytona, in 2004. The Z won several SCCA racing titles in the 1970s with drivers, adding actor Paul Newman at the wheel. Its great appeal meant that the 240Z expanded the acceptance of Japanese cars beyond its econobox image.
“We are all saddened by the loss of Yoshihiko Matsuo,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president of global design. the Z a design revolution that expressed Nissan’s DNA in a vehicle.
In the mid-1970s, he left Nissan to set up his own design consulting firm. In recent years, Matsuo has traveled to the United States and other countries to participate in Z car conventions. I will not forget my soft voice conversations with the Matsuo about the early days when he and the first President of Nissan USA, Yutaka Katayama, had to press Nissan’s reluctant bosses to give the green touch to the 240Z project.
DNA 240Z created through Matsuo in 1969 persists in the current 370Z and the proposed 400Z, which is expected to emerge until next year.
Over a 30-year career, I have written about automotive, innovation, games, luxury lifestyles and gastronomy. Based in Tokyo since 1988, he was at the forefront
During my 30 years of automotive experience, I have written about automotive, innovation, games, luxury lifestyles and gastronomy. Based in Tokyo since 1988, it was in the front row to tell stories about Japan’s golden year of 1989 when local car manufacturers introduced legends such as the Mazda MX-5, Nissan Skyline GT-R, Subaru Legacy, Toyota MR2, Nissan 300ZX, Mazda. . RX-7, then opened the first Lexus and Infiniti showrooms in the United States. I presented a global television exhibition on automotive culture called Samurai Wheels in Japan, won a Japanese oratory contest, co-piloted a Lexus V8 at the 24-hour Nurburgring Race with Gran Turismo author Kazunori Yamauchi, finished fourth in a team that created with the former driving force of F1 Ukyo Katayama to co-drive an MX-5 race car in the annual 4-hour race of Mazda , drove a first generation Porsche 911 at The Hill in Goodwood, drove Jeremy Clarkson’s leading car in his “GT-R vs Bullet Train” race through Japan for Top Gear, co-starring in a World War II Japanese television series playing a Russian baseball pitcher. Array published an e-book in Japanese on automotive culture and sang in a men’s choir at the Vatican (but not in front of the Pope). I have also scribbled on everything similar to Japanese for publications such as Car and Driver, Edmunds, Top Gear, Autoautomobile, Auto Express, Quattroruote, The Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun, The Japan Times, GQ Japan, Japan Airlines and Forbes Japan. I am co-chair of the World Car Awards and a member of the jury of the Japanese Auto of the Year and The International Engine of the Year.