Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: April 1969
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: Classic two-seater sports car, brutal and dynamic, four-cylinder 2-liter engine, powerful but rough, 5-speed gearbox, strong brakes but heavy pedal effort, extremely maneuverable but requires good road surface, weather-resistant hardtop, very noisy and extremely hard ride.

Road testing the Fairlady 2000

In this near-1970s society, where men are becoming increasingly feminine and “sports cars” are no longer sports cars, the Datsun Fairlady is becoming a truly rare creation. From a technical standpoint, it is “old-fashioned” and “classic” in every respect. The Fairlady appeared in 1961, but its design, which is clearly represented by its separate ladder frame and rigid rear axle, belongs to the same generation as the Triumph TR2/3 and MGA of the 1950s. Of course, through the continuous development process, the Fairlady has come to have outstanding power performance and appropriate handling for a contemporary 2-liter sports car, but in order to achieve this, “luxuries” such as a comfortable ride and interior have been completely rejected. It is a sports car for sports that does not tolerate compromise.

Publication: Auto Sport
Format: Auto Sport Impression
Date: January 1970
Author: Takatoshi Teranishi, Auto Sport Editorial Staff (uncredited)

The Fairlady, the “giant of GT car racing,” has undergone a full model change for the first time in seven years. How will the new high-performance Fairlady Z432 respond in city driving and at the Suzuka Circuit? The driver is Takatoshi Teranishi.

Dynamic Driver and Machine

“Wow, what an easy car to drive!” That was Takatoshi Teranishi’s first impression from behind the wheel of the Fairlady Z432. Teranishi was driving the car for the first time on November 21st, in front of the Nissan Gallery in Osaka where he works.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: February 1970
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: A practical two-seater GT with a DOHC six-cylinder engine based on the R380. More flexible at slower speeds than the GT-R, extremely economical when using fifth gear. Very good handling even on bias-ply tires, good support from bucket seats, excellent heater and ventilation, high price.

Road testing the Fairlady Z432

The Fairlady Z, announced in December 1969, comes in three models: the popular Z (930,000 yen), equipped with the same basic 1988cc SOHC, six-cylinder, 130ps/6000rpm engine as the Skyline GT; the Z-L (1,080,000 yen), fitted with a 5-speed gearbox and deluxe interior equipment; and the high-performance Z432 (1,850,000 yen), equipped with the same 1989cc DOHC, six-cylinder, 160ps/7000rpm engine as the Skyline GT-R, which is based on the engine of the R380.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Road Test
Date: January 1970
Author (Roundtable): Hajime Mizutsu, Osamu Hirao, Kazumi Yotsumoto, Kenji Higuchi, Kuniyuki Tanabe, Yuji Sakakibara, Yasuhei Oguchi, Kunitaka Furitani, Masahide Sano, Taizo Tateishi, Atsushi Watari, Hiroshi Okazaki, Minoru Onda, Mineo Yamamoto, Kenzaburo Ishikawa, Toshihide Hirata, Motor Fan Editorial Staff (uncredited)

With America in Mind

Magazine: First, please tell us about the aim of development for this car.

Mizutsu: The planning for this car dates back to the year before the current Bluebird was announced, the same year the R380 achieved its victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. In that sense, the technical foundations for the Fairlady Z were already in place: the Bluebird’s suspension on the one hand, and the R380’s engine on the other. The project was conceived on that basis.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Dynamic Test Drive
Date: January 1970
Author: Shintaro Taki

The Fairlady Z432: Reflecting on My Arch-Rival “380”

Let me give it to you straight.

Starting this month, Motor Fan has decided to feature my road tests. I suppose I should begin with a word of greeting, but I doubt most readers are looking for formulaic pleasantries. Since this is the first installment, I’d rather take the opportunity to lay out the way I think about cars.

Publication: Motor Fan
Format: “Bubble Index” Road Test
Date: August 1971
Authors: Osamu Mochizuki, Katsuzo Kageyama, Shigeki Asaoka, Yasuhei Oguchi, Reiko Ikuuchi, Kensuke Ishizu

The “Popular Edition” of the Safari-Winning Car

The test car this time is the “Z-L,” the popular version of the Nissan Fairlady 240Z that achieved overall victory in the Safari Rally. In a country like Japan, where sports cars have traditionally struggled to gain a foothold, this celebrated nameplate has already built a history spanning twelve years. Just where does the appeal of this “famous marque” lie? Here, we take a closer look.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Road Test
Date: March 1972
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Summary: The Z’s displacement has been enlarged to 2.4 liters, and compared to the 2-liter model, acceleration has improved significantly, and flexibility has increased. If you use fifth gear frequently, the fuel economy is impressive. In other respects, it is the same as the existing model. The disadvantage of being prone to clutch slip remains.

Road testing the Fairlady 240ZG

Since the Fairlady Z debuted in December 1969, C/G has tested various models from time to time. We began with a full test of the DOHC 2-liter 160ps Z432 at Yatabe (C/G, February 1970), then we drove the race-spec 240Z (the SCCN team car Z432R equipped with a SOHC 2.4-liter engine tuned to 200+ps) at FISCO (C/G, June 1971). More recently, when the domestic 240Z was officially released, we tested the automatic model, which we had never tried before (C/G, January 1972). We had returned to Yatabe to test the 240ZG with a five-speed gearbox for last month’s issue, but misfortune struck when the valve gear failed, and we had to abandon the test. So, early in the new year, we tried again with another 240ZG.

Publication: Auto Sport
Format: Group Test
Date: August 1973
Author: Auto Sport Editorial Staff (uncredited)

Now in its fourth installment, the editorial test drive series has finally escalated into the 2-liter class. At the enthusiastic request of the test team–apparently still unaware of how unrefined their driving skills actually are–the two cars selected this time are the Skyline GT-R and the Fairlady Z.