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Until recently, the most retro coupes you could buy all hailed from Detroit. You could pick up a stick shift Dodge Challenger, which looked like a muscle car straight out of the 1970s. But there’s no 2024 Challenger. You can get a Camaro Collector’s Edition, but production’s over by the end of the year. With the Mustang getting increasingly futuristic, the retro coupe torch seems to be passing to the Nissan Z.

The Nissan Z car debuted in the U.S. as the 1969 Datsun 240Z, the automaker’s take on the American muscle car market. The numbered sport coupe line continued–though eventually becoming a Nissan–until the 370Z for 2009-2021. For the 2022 redesign, the automaker dropped the number form the model name, making it just the Nissan Z.

Orange classic Datsun sports coupe
1970 Datsun 240Z | Nissan

The Nissan Z has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. It comes with either a nine-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. The Z Performance trim makes 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than the now-extinct 5.7-liter Doge Challenger. And while that Dodge began at 3,800 pounds, the heaviest Z configuration weighs just 3,700 pounds.

The latest Nissan Z has a cool, fastback design. But the automaker is taking the retro up a notch with this year’s Heritage Edition. This edition is built on the Z Performance chassis. It has a vintage split grille reminiscent of the 1969 Datsun 240Z and is available in an exclusive Sight Orange paint which is retro-fabulous.

Side view of Nissan's Z heritage edition coupe, water visible in the background.
2024 Nissan Z Heritage Edition | Nissan

Why a Heritage Edition now? Well 2024 will be the 55th anniversary of the Z badge. How many of these cars will Nissan build? It hasn’t announced a number, but says it will be a limited run.

My hot take is that Nissan very much earns its place in sport coupe history. I don’t want to keep picking on the Challenger, but the truth is that Dodge didn’t join the party until 1970. And it was discontinued soon after. Meanwhile, Nissan was first and just kept building the Z series. And now it’s outlasted the retro coupes from most of Detroit.

The front-engine, RWD, stick-shift configuration is beloved for a reason. It is fun and an important part of automotive history. And thanks in no small part to Datsun/Nissan’s Z series.

See the Nissan Z Heritage Edition yourself in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.