Page 172 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

implement light rear-wheel steering, which turned the rear wheels slightly opposite to the front wheels, reducing the turning circle.
As with the previous generation, most Z32 models came with T-tops on the roof. In 1991 a hardtop, manual-only, two-seat version of the base 300ZX was offered at an $1,800 discount compared to the same car with T-tops, but that was still $27,300. The Turbo model had risen to $33,500 in the same year.
300ZX Convertible
For 1993, US buyers could finally get a convertible 300ZX, the first in the Z-car model line’s history. The convertible was a base model car, but debuted almost at the top of the price ladder for the 300ZX, retailing at $36,570, just $520 less than the turbo coupe and more than $6,000 above the base coupe. The convertible top was manually operated, but the 300ZX looked great and performed well as a convertible sports car.
End of Production
Although the Z32 is arguably the best Z-car made since the ZX designation was added to the line in 1978, US sales never responded. This was at least partially due to unfavorable exchange rates that made the cars more expensive than comparable models. By 1996, the top 300ZX Twin Turbo retailed for $43,799 and the naturally aspirated convertible for $44,679. At the same time, enthusiast buyers could get the popular 240SX sport coupe for just $18,359. Buyers voted with their dollars as sales dwindled to 2,929 units in 1996.
170Wayne CariniAffordable Classics
TOP: 2 + 2 variant was offered alongside the 2-seat coupe. ABOVE: The Z32’s luggage space under its hinged hatch was generous.
looking, with dimensions clearly reflecting the designers’ intent, while the 2 + 2 cars seem abnormally stretched.
A new suspension replaced the old MacPherson struts and semi-
trailing arms of the Z31 with multi-link configurations both
front and rear, with two-mode adjustable shocks delivered on the
turbocharged models. The new layout also enabled the Z32 to between the end of 300ZX production and the advent of the 350Z,
The legacy of the 300ZX was a success story for Nissan. The brand revitalized the Z-car lineage, and while there was a six-year hiatus