On the heels of the 2023 Nissan Z, it’s a worth look at the history of the original Nissan Fairlady Z — sold in America as the Datsun 240Z, 260Z and 280Z. And, in particular, the Fairlady Z432. This S30-generation Z not only changed the definition of “sports car” from 2-seat (British) roadster to 2-seat enclosed coupe, but changed the reputation of Japanese automakers around the world from manufacturers of curious cars to world-class automakers. The 240Z was powered by the L24-powered, a somewhat-Mercedes-derived straight-six that gave it performance on par with Ferrari Dinos and Porsche 911s, at a fraction of the cost. But with all the looks of Ferrari’s front-engine V12-powered coupes. The 240Z had waiting lists for years in America. It was such a runaway success that credit for its design became hotly contested, leading to a threatened lawsuit by Albrecht Goertz, a German aristocrat who had been hired by Nissan to consult on the project — which was originally a collaboration b