A worthy Japanese hot-hatch
It's never exactly been easy to find an imported car which is affordable, economical, and offers up the agile and balanced handling that only a rear-drive machine can.
Popular and affordable performance cars from Toyota, Mazda, Honda and Hyundai all spun their front tires--so those after rear-wheel drive for the added handling capabilities only had a handful of options. The Mustang and Camaro were available, yes, but most after a Japanese car wouldn't consider one of these any more than a mullet-wearing Trans-Am fanatic would go out shopping for a Civic.
There was the Miata of course--but three members of N'Sync drive Miatas, and for those of us who have things like luggage, friends or normal-sized arms and legs, the little Mazda just won't do, fun as it may be.
All of that said, one machine occupied the top of the list for those after a sensible rear-drive sports car. A throwback to the original "Z" cars from Datsun years back, the Nissan 240SX impressed with its timeless looks, sharp handling and low operating costs.
A number of factors impress about the 240SX. The first is the look--timeless GT car proportions comprise the side profile with a sweeping rear hatchback and very long hood, capped by a simple and graceful fascia with pop-up headlamps. The beltline tapers off at the rear, accentuating the hot-hatch styling, and a small spoiler tops the deck.
Inside, occupants sit low. Visibility is reasonable, and in typical Nissan style for the day, the interior is largely simple and concise. A sunroof resides overhead on most models, while a simple cluster and console comprise the driver's surroundings. Airbags were not available in the 1990-1994 models.
The 240SX looks like fun, and it is. Grip is impressive with a decent set of tires mounted, and the independent suspension at all four wheels does a sufficient job of clamping the car down to the tarmac. The brakes are reasonably powerful, and antilock was available too--alongside a limited-slip differential. Older models don't have the quietest or smoothest ride, but the handling performance mostly makes up for it.
It's never exactly been easy to find an imported car which is affordable, economical, and offers up the agile and balanced handling that only a rear-drive machine can.
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Popular and affordable performance cars from Toyota, Mazda, Honda and Hyundai all spun their front tires--so those after rear-wheel drive for the added handling capabilities only had a handful of options. The Mustang and Camaro were available, yes, but most after a Japanese car wouldn't consider one of these any more than a mullet-wearing Trans-Am fanatic would go out shopping for a Civic.
There was the Miata of course--but three members of N'Sync drive Miatas, and for those of us who have things like luggage, friends or normal-sized arms and legs, the little Mazda just won't do, fun as it may be.
All of that said, one machine occupied the top of the list for those after a sensible rear-drive sports car. A throwback to the original "Z" cars from Datsun years back, the Nissan 240SX impressed with its timeless looks, sharp handling and low operating costs.
A number of factors impress about the 240SX. The first is the look--timeless GT car proportions comprise the side profile with a sweeping rear hatchback and very long hood, capped by a simple and graceful fascia with pop-up headlamps. The beltline tapers off at the rear, accentuating the hot-hatch styling, and a small spoiler tops the deck.
Inside, occupants sit low. Visibility is reasonable, and in typical Nissan style for the day, the interior is largely simple and concise. A sunroof resides overhead on most models, while a simple cluster and console comprise the driver's surroundings. Airbags were not available in the 1990-1994 models.
The 240SX looks like fun, and it is. Grip is impressive with a decent set of tires mounted, and the independent suspension at all four wheels does a sufficient job of clamping the car down to the tarmac. The brakes are reasonably powerful, and antilock was available too--alongside a limited-slip differential. Older models don't have the quietest or smoothest ride, but the handling performance mostly makes up for it.
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