240Z and Miata: The Essential Japanese Sports Cars - Hagerty Media
Posted by BenzinaPorkChop@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Posted by BenzinaPorkChop@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 19 comments
PurpleSausage77@reddit
This makes me love those cars and my 86/BRZ so much more. People crap on these cars sLoW but they bring that old school feel (when everything was relatively slow as balls by today’s standards) back in a basic package for cheap cost.
Also can’t wait for more on the 86 x Miata relationship.
2013-2016 FRS is a bargain. Tempted to have 3 of them for the cost of whatever the cheapest new car is nowadays. I bought a unicorn 2013 with 17k miles for $10k usd.
joe2105@reddit
They're both amazing cars, but as a Miata owner, I'm not as excited. I understand it's probably the only way we can keep them alive, but the miata is 500 lbs lighter and has a 10in smaller wheelbase. People cross shop them, but beyond them being small sports coupes, they couldn't be more different.
stoned-autistic-dude@reddit
Mazda will not jeopardize their mantra behind the Miata, especially after the passing of Tom Matano this year. Thing has to be amazing to fulfill his legacy.
joe2105@reddit
That's what you and I want.
beeslax@reddit
Miata is a true sports car. The Z is awesome but the Miata is a pure hedonistic experience. It’s an accessible sports car for everyone. It’s a smile machine.
Krakatoacoo@reddit
Both amazing cars.
FreeGums@reddit
the OG Z is the godfather to every Japanese coupe. We owe a lot of the JDM craze to that car.
that car gets so much respect at meets and cars and coffee
Whuuu@reddit
I kinda see its importance for the opposite reason; It was the first Japanese sports car that AVOIDED being JDM and introduced the US to how capable Japanese companies could be. Also lots of parallels with the development of another legendary Japanese car, the Miata.
italia06823834@reddit
Eh, I'd argue it was the Toyota 2000GT. But the Z was by far more attainable for... well everyone.
But the good news is, we have two sets of Grandparents.... so we can both be right haha.
AntonRudinskii@reddit
Love how this thread feels like three generations of JDM icons talking to each other. The 240Z built the DNA, the Miata reminded everyone that fun isn’t about horsepower, and the 86/BRZ proved you can still buy that feeling without breaking the bank.
lurpeli@reddit
What's interesting to me is the Miata has kept true to its spirit throughout its generations. I feel like the 350z onward changed the character of the car from what it once was.
RiftHunter4@reddit
I'll be totally honest with you, I think the 350Z, 370Z, and current Z will probably go down in history as a deeply underrated set of cars. But I do wonder what things would've been like if Nissan decided to stick with the Euro-inspired theme of the original.
Astramael@reddit
I think the 370Z NISMO is an extremely evocative and cool shape, a great looking car, a fun car, and a future classic.
lurpeli@reddit
I certainly am not disparaging the 350 and 370 (the 400 is another story.) They are just very different cars than the original nameplate represented.
SlayerSEclipse@reddit
It started before that. The ZX cars added premium features, weight, and expense.
boomerbill69@reddit
The 350 feels way more akin to the OG than the ZXs do IMO
NetworkStatic@reddit
Right. 300ZX as cool as it is is kinda porky for a 90s sports coupe.
MJather@reddit
I was not alive when the 240z came out, but one thing that's a pretty common theme when older folks chat me up is this: the 240z was the car that opened their eyes to Japanese automobiles.
Before then, Japanese cars were little and cheap. But the Z was good looking and reasonably priced, and came at a time when American cars were starting to struggle with emissions/fuel economy/etc...
To some degree I (self servingly) believe it gave Japanese cars a leg to stand on in the US.
r_type2266@reddit
People compared it to the Jaguar E Type at the time. Makes sense to see it as a demonstration of Japan's capability.
It was specifically designed with Americans in mind , but also worked well in Japan which is a double win