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.