Nissan 300ZX

1991
Nissan 300ZX
1 of 1 Nissan 300ZX Hardtop Convertible 3.0L V6

Description:
Engine : 3.0 V6
Body Style: Spyder
Miles : 7505
Interior Color: White
Exterior Color : Green
Certified Price: 49,900

Have you ever seen a concept car at the auto show and wondered if you’d ever be able to buy one? This one-of-a-kind 1991 Nissan 300ZX hardtop convertible was custom built for the 1992 Geneva Auto Show by ASC as a possible production-ready version of a 300ZX convertible. Of course, you know that Nissan never built a hardtop convertible, instead preferring to go with a traditional folding cloth top, but the story doesn’t end there. Read on to find out more.

Nissan redesigned its rear-drive sports car for introduction in spring 1989, adding a turbocharged model that fall. Two curvaceous body styles were offered: a 2-passenger coupe, and a 2+2 coupe with a small back seat. A 222-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 was standard in all models except the 300ZX Turbo, which came only in 2-seater form. Equipped with twin turbochargers and twin intercoolers (one set for each cylinder bank), the four-cam, 24-valve 3.0-liter engine developed 300 horsepower with the 5-speed manual, or 280 horsepower when fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The automatic also was available with the 222 horsepower engine. The Turbo cars had intercooler inlets in the front air dam, a rear spoiler, Z-rated tires, and super HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering) 4-wheel steering. That meant the rear wheels first turned slightly in the opposite direction from the front wheels, then in the same direction, to improve stability in fast lane-changes. Antilock braking was standard. Door-mounted front seatbelts could be left buckled, to deploy automatically. A T-top roof was standard on the Turbo model. Other 2-passenger coupes could have a fixed roof or the removable roof panels.

The American Sunroof Corporation, or ASC, has been building convertibles for OEM applications for years, and when the new 300ZX came out, they knew it would only be a matter of time before Nissan would want to market a drop-top version. Introduced at the Geneva Auto Show on March 3, 1992, this Nissan 300ZX convertible with a retractable hardtop was built to highlight the ASC articulating hardtop technology in a fully functional sports vehicle. The challenge in building this vehicle came in retaining the full-width rear seat, which they managed to do, giving this car room for 4. The car features an all-metal folding hardtop that retracts and folds into the rear storage area with the touch of a single button.

The key words with this important car are “all-steel” and “OEM”. ASC built this car as a proposal to Nissan for a convertible 300ZX, and as such, it is built to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards. This is not a one-off custom by some chop shop; this is a 100% production-ready prototype built by the company that builds convertibles for some of the world’s largest automakers. Because of this, every single part has been designed and built with OEM tolerances and finishes, with reliability and functionality on par with anything you would buy at a new car dealer. There are no cobbled-together bits from other convertibles on this Z; this is a fully-engineered hardtop convertible (the first since the Ford Retractable in 1959!) with full weather seals, finished upholstery, and no compromises. The rear window defroster works, the rear quarter windows are power actuated, and the rear seats are completely usable.

It’s also important to note that this car is all steel. No fiberglass was used in the construction. On a project like this, fiberglass would be the obvious choice for its ease of fabrication and the ability to make complex shapes. However, as an OEM supplier, ASC knew they needed to design and build a system that would not only look great, but that would meet OEM standards for fit, finish and production feasibility. That meant steel. As a result, this car is incredibly solid and the workmanship is first-rate. Kudos to the craftsmen at ASC for making it not only functional, but attractive too. Given all the research and development that went into designing this car, not to mention the labor to actually build it, the cost on the project was more than three-quarters of a million dollars! Yes, you read that correctly – this car cost nearly $800,000 to build in 1992. And now you can own it.

The car itself is a stock 4-seater 1991 300ZX with a naturally aspirated 3.0 liter V6 making 222 horsepower and tied to a 5-speed manual transmission. It maintains all the original car’s features and amenities including power windows, power locks, power seats, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, A/C and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo system with a touch screen interface. It rolls on a set of one-off 17-inch polished aluminum wheels with brand-new 245/40/17 ultra-high-performance tires.

For the show, the car was painted in a custom color called Mayorka Green Pearl, which is sophisticated and very light-dependent. Under some conditions, it looks almost blue, but in bright sunlight, it’s a lovely turquoise. The 100% custom interior is ivory-colored leather with black accents. All the car’s original safety features have been retained, and the seats are incredibly comfortable. It loses none of its daily-driver functionality with the conversion to a convertible, and everything works perfectly. With just 7505 miles on the odometer, the car is in excellent condition throughout and has been used only sparingly as a show car by an ASC employee. Documentation includes the original ASC press kit for the 1992 Geneva Auto Show, slides, and other documentation relating to the program. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a genuine prototype show car.

So whatever happened to the ASC retractable hardtop program? I know I promised you the rest of the story, and it doesn’t end with this car. Although Nissan passed on this project and ultimately went on to produce a cloth-topped 2-seat 300ZX convertible, the idea of a retractable hardtop was immensely appealing to another high-tech Japanese automaker who was bringing an equally potent performance car to the market. That company is Mitsubishi, and the car became the 3000GT Spyder. So the investment and prototype work that went into making this 300ZX an OEM-grade convertible was not for nothing, as Mitsubishi put the ASC system into production in 1995.

If you’re a Nissan fan, this is a unique opportunity to own a very important piece of history. The day is fast approaching when the Nissan Z-cars will take their rightful place in history alongside some important performance machinery, and the cars built in the early 90s rightfully deserve a spot on that list. They ushered in an era of high-performance, technology-laden, rear-wheel-drive Japanese sports coupes that delivered absolutely astounding performance. This car plays an important role in the development of two separate vehicles, is in outstanding condition and is documented. In terms of investments, this is as blue-chip as it gets, and you’ll enjoy your investment every time you push that single button and watch all that steel smoothly vanish beneath the deck lid. This car won’t last.

Specifications:
Basic
Year
1991
Make
Nissan
Secondary Make
n/a
Model Name
300ZX
Secondary Model
n/a
Vehicle Type
Passenger Car
Hobby Segment
Sports Car
Mileage
7505
Engine / Transmission
Engine Type
Gasoline
Engine Size
3.0 V6
Engine Number
n/a
Fuel Specification
n/a
Fuel Delivery System Type
Electronic Fuel Injection
Transmission Type
5 Speed Manual
Transmission Spec
n/a
Transmission Number
n/a
Misc
Entertainment System Type
n/a
Battery Location
n/a
Battery Shut Off
n/a
Battery Charger
n/a
Interior
Interior Color
White
Seating Type
Bucket
Seat Material
Leather
Shifter Type
Floor
Center Console
Yes

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