260Z (1974 to 1978)

The Datsun 260Z served as the larger-capacity evolution of the original S30 platform in Australia from 1974 until 1978, introducing a more practical 2+2 seating configuration alongside the traditional two-seater coupe. Locally delivered versions benefited from a longer-stroke 2.6-litre inline-six that, unlike the choked-down North American variants, produced a healthy 123 kW and was almost exclusively paired with a five-speed manual transmission. In the current Australian market, the 260Z is a highly active segment of the classic Japanese scene, with the buyer pool split between purists seeking "two-seater" survivors and a growing number of modifiers who view the 2+2 as a more accessible entry into Z-car ownership. Desirability is at an absolute peak for early 1974 models that utilised leftover 240Z shells, as well as the rare two-seater variants which are increasingly being exported back to international markets. Because many 260Zs became the basis for high-performance builds or suffered from decades of body corrosion, highly original examples with documented history maintain an exceptionally strong market value, standing as a versatile and enduring blue-chip alternative to the original 240Z.

The Datsun 260Z served as the larger-capacity evolution of the original S30 platform in Australia from 1974 until 1978, introducing a more practical 2+2 seating configuration alongside the traditional two-seater coupe. Locally delivered versions benefited from a longer-stroke 2.6-litre inline-six that, unlike the choked-down North American variants, produced a healthy 123 kW and was almost exclusively paired with a five-speed manual transmission. In the current Australian market, the 260Z is a h… Read more