Nissan 370Z 40th-Anniversary Special

FRANKLIN, Tennessee — The Datsun 240Z was a game-changer 40 years ago, when it was first rolled out on an unsuspecting U.S. market. Nissan is commemorating the occasion, six generations later, with a new limited-edition 370Z 40th Anniversary model.

It was October 22, 1969, when the 240Z came to North America, offering "the performance of a Porsche, the looks of a Jaguar and the price and reliability of, well, a Nissan," as the company puts it. Base price at that time was $3,626. The first Z car had a 2.4-liter inline-6 making 150 horsepower, mated to a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission.

Times have changed slightly: The 40th-anniversary Z gets a 3.7-liter V6 making 332 hp, with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission. It also has some amenities unheard of in 1969: Nissan Intelligent Key with push-button start, Bluetooth, XM Satellite Radio and navigation, and iPod connectivity, to name a few.

The 40th Anniversary Edition Z is a Coupe Touring model with manual transmission, Sport package with aerodynamic body add-ons, a "40th Quartz" exterior paint color and harmonizing red leather interior trim. There's the expected set of 40th Anniversary badging on the exterior and on the seatbacks and floor mats inside. The red theme continues on the brake calipers, door panel inserts and contrasting stitching on the seats and steering wheel. There's even a "commemorative premium satin" car cover.

The 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will be at select Nissan dealers in the spring, with pricing to be announced closer to the on-sale date.

Inside Line says: Some ideas from the '60s seem just as fresh as they were back then. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent