Weekly Treasure: 1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo

The 1990s was an amazing time for Japanese sports cars. The era that consisted of the Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7, Mitsubishi 3000GT, and Nissan 300ZX quartet has yet to be repeated. Just two of those vehicles have managed to survive, though there was a 17-year gap between the third and present generation Supra. Nissan’s Z car, however, only had a seven-year gap from 1997 until 2002. Next year, the all-new Nissan 400Z will debut.

But the Z32 300ZX, sold in the US from late 1989 until 1996, is one of the best-looking Japanese sports cars of all time. It was also one of the first production vehicles to be designed using CAD software. Nissan’s bold design decision paid off handsomely. Even today the 300ZX still looks good thanks to its rounded profile and wider stance. Like previous Z car generations, the Z32 had a 2+2 model and most versions came standard with T-tops.

Under the hood, Nissan carried over the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6 rated at 222 horsepower and 198 lb-ft of torque. But it was the twin-turbocharged version that enthusiasts clamored after. Output increased to 300 hp and 283 lb-ft. These twin-turbo models also came with an adjustable two-mode suspension and the same four-wheel steering system that debuted on the R31 Skyline.

Nissan altered the 300ZX slightly over the course of its lifetime, such as introducing a two-seat convertible version in 1992. A hardtop was available but only as a two-seater instead of the T-top’s four-passenger layout. However, this generation Z-car was not cheap. Pricing began at around $30,000 in 1990, nearly $60,000 today. For its final model year that amount increased to $50,000, about $100,000 now.

Not surprisingly, the 300ZX was quite popular in the aftermarket tuning community, making it sometimes difficult to find unmodified examples for sale today. A few months ago, an untouched, low mileage 300ZX hit the market for $30,000. Not everyone is willing to pay that much for a 30-year-old used car.

But now there’s this 1990 300ZX Turbo for sale on auction site Cars and Bids with a current price of $5,600. It’s completely original with zero modifications, though the mileage is reported to be 133,100 miles. It has some wear and tear but nothing substantial. Still, this Nissan 300ZX Turbo is a wonderful surviving example of the golden era of Japanese sports cars in America. Bidding will end on February 15.