Nissan announced today that it celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Z’s First National Championship win with a BRE 370Z. The car will pay homage to the year that Peter Brock”s Southern California-based Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) racing team claimed the first of its two SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) National Championships at Road Atlanta with that first iteration of the now iconic Z-car.

Based on the Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition, the BRE 370Z will be unveiled at a BRE Reunion dinner at the Classic Motorsports Mitty at Road Atlanta later next week. Brock, Morton and many of the original BRE team members will be in attendance.

The new BRE 370Z won’t just be a show car but will be built for the track as well.

Stay tuned for the final product.

Make the jump for the press release.

Check out our review of the 2009 Nissan 370Z here.

Refresher: The 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition is based on the 332-hp 3.7L V6 370Z Coupe Touring and features the SynchroRev Match system, a front chin spoiler, a rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Ray forged aluminum-alloy wheels and a viscous limited-slip differential. The special-edition model gets a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather interior. Other modifications include smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badging on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Production will be limited to 1,000 units. Prices start at $38,860.

40th Anniversary Nissan 370Z BRE:

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

Press Release:

Nissan Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Z®”s First National Championship with a BRE 370Z

““ Forty Years After Their Famous Victory in the 240Z, Peter Brock, John Morton and Brock Racing Enterprises Revisit Road Atlanta at The Classic Motorsports Mitty ““

Forty years ago, the Datsun 240Z arrived in North America and changed the sports car landscape forever. That same year Peter Brock”s Southern California-based Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) racing team claimed the first of its two SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) National Championships at Road Atlanta with that first iteration of the now iconic Z®-car. It was the first time in racing history that a Japanese production racer had defeated the long-established champions from Germany and England in head-to-head competition. That championship win, with driver John Morton at the wheel, firmly established the performance and engineering credibility of the popular Z®.

The #46 championship car carried the now famous red, white and blue BRE paint scheme designed by Peter Brock. In recognition of BRE”s multiple championships and the Z®”s first championship, Nissan North America has again teamed with Brock to create an updated rendition of the famous BRE livery, a specially modified 2010 Nissan NISMO 370Z Coupe.

The BRE 370Z will be unveiled at a special BRE Reunion dinner at the Classic Motorsports Mitty at Road Atlanta on Thursday, April 29 and will be displayed throughout the weekend along with a 40th Anniversary Edition 370Z and a large collection of the famous BRE racecars. Brock, Morton and many of the original BRE team members will be in attendance, as the BRE team is being recognized this year as The Mitty”s honored historic racing team.

“To be able to gather with many of my old BRE crew members at Road Atlanta this year is a truly special occasion,” said Brock. “There will be so many race fans of that era who will join us to celebrate, as well as modern vintage teams which will be bringing their own tribute BRE racers to compete on this fabulous circuit.”

The powerful, sculpted shape of the Nissan 370Z gave Brock a dynamic canvas to exercise his design skills and update the BRE livery. He worked closely with the painters to finalize the details and make sure it met his exacting standards. “Because the 370Z has strong, sculpted shapes, I was able to make the livery even bolder and more aggressive,” said Brock. “It was good to be in the paint booth working out the details of the design. I look forward to seeing it in a race track setting at The Mitty.”

The new BRE 370Z is not just a show car, however, it”s built for the track as well. As is appropriate to commemorate the championship car, it was built to current SCCA T2 racecar regulations and will see track duty later this year. It will also be on display at multiple Z® Club events around the country, including ZCon 2010, the annual Z convention, from July 28 to August 1 in Nashville.

About the Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition
The 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition starts out as a 370Z Coupe Touring model equipped with manual transmission and Sport Package (including SynchroRev Match™, front chin spoiler, rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Rays forged aluminum-alloy wheels and viscous limited-slip differential) and adds a premium “40th Graphite” exterior color and red leather-appointed interior.

Additional exclusive equipment includes a high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badges on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Inside, along with the red leather-appointed seats are red door panel inserts, 40th Anniversary seatback and floor mat embroidery, red stitching on the center stack, shift boot and kneepads, smooth leather steering wheel with red stitching and a plaque of authenticity. Only 1000 examples of the 40th Anniversary 370Z will be available in the U.S.

- By: Omar Rana

Before its world debut at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show tomorrow, Nissan today released some brand spankin’ new images of the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition for us to enjoy.

Check out the updates high-res gallery after the jump.

Check out our review of the 2009 Nissan 370Z here.

Refresher: The 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition is based on the 332-hp 3.7L V6 370Z Coupe Touring and features the SynchroRev Match system, a front chin spoiler, a rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Ray forged aluminum-alloy wheels and a viscous limited-slip differential. The special-edition model gets a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather interior. Other modifications include smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badging on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Production will be limited to 1,000 units. Prices start at $38,860.

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

- By: Kap Shah

Just before the end of last year, Nissan unveiled the stateside version of the 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Nissan will once again celebrate 40 years of the Datsun 240Z with the Euro version, known as the 370Z Black Edition.

The 2010 Nissan 370Z Black Edition, available only as a coupe and gets two metallic shades including black and quartz, dark grey 19″ aluminum forged RAYS wheels, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary emblem on the back door. Inside, the 370Z Black Edition gets red leather & suede trim on the seats and doors with 40th Anniversary logo seats. It also gets a leather wrapped steering wheel with red stitching and red stitching on the centre cluster, centre console and knee pads.

The Black Edition 370Z comes standard with Nissan’s next generation audio and navigation system and a 9.3 gig hard disk drive (HDD).

2010 Nissan 370Z Black Edition:

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

Press Release:

370Z: BACK TO BLACK

Just over 40 years ago a motoring icon was born. As the sixties moved into the 1970s, the Datsun 240Z was launched on the US market. American drivers instantly fell in love with the car and sales in that one market alone regularly topped 50,000 units annually. The Z legend had begun.

Now four decades, six generations and well over a million cars later, Nissan is introducing a special celebratory version of the newest two-seater to wear the famous Z badge – the 370Z.

The 370Z Black Edition marks the 40th anniversary in style. Available from April as a coupé only, and in a limited edition run of just 370 units in Europe, it comes in two distinctive metallic shades: black and quartz. Both paints use Nissan’s pioneering Scratch Shield technology, ‘healing’ the finish in the case of stone chip damage.

Inside the 370Z Black edition there are:

* Unique red leather & suede appointed interior (seats & door trim) with embossed 40th Anniversary logo seats
* Smooth leather wrapped steering wheel with red stitching
* Red stitching on the centre cluster, centre console and knee pads
* Nissan’s Connect Premium state-of-the-art combined touch-screen satellite navigation and audio system with USB connectivity

The exterior of the 370Z Black can be identified thanks to:

* Dark grey 19″ aluminium forged RAYS wheels
* Eye-catching red brake callipers
* 40th Anniversary emblem on the back door

Standard specification means it already has a bespoke BOSE premium audio system, 19-inch forged alloy wheels, Stop/Start button with Nissan’s Intelligent Key and a sporting six speed manual transmission with unique Synchro Rev Control technology. The electronically controlled rev matching system ensures perfect “˜heel and toe’ gear changes every time. A seven-speed automatic version with column-mounted paddle shifts is available as an option.

The Black Edition comes as standard with Nissan’s next generation combined audio and navigation system, offering improved ease-of-operation, new and updated features.

At its heart is a high performance Hard Disk Drive (HDD) navigation system that offers customer audio storage capacity of 9.3GB.

Among the many benefits are vastly extended mapping which now includes Turkey, Eastern Europe and Russia, as well as a new easy to follow 3D navigation guidance with improved graphics and a more realistic depiction of the road and landmarks ahead for many of Europe’s principle cities. The resolution of the new 7 inch screen is up to four times better than the previous generation system.

Real time traffic information is supplied via RDS-TMC, but quicker operation allows the system to offer re-routing in a fraction of the time.

The new generation system uses a touch-screen interface, maximising both ease of use and safety not only for the navigation, but also for other functions such as Bluetooth phone connectivity and entertainment. It is also possible to operate the system using voice recognition.

On-screen instructions can be displayed in eight different languages including English, French, German, Spanish and Italian – while voice recognition is supported in seven – English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.

The new generation navigation system also allows USB connectivity for portable audio devices. Furthermore, DVDs can be played on the centrally mounted navigation screen (when the car is stationary), while external audio and video devices can be connected via the VTR connections that are found in the central storage box.

In terms of its mechanical specification, the Black Edition matches the standard 370Z. That means a 3.7-litre 24-valve twin cam V6 developing 328PS and a limited top speed of 155mph and a 0-62 mph time of 5.3 seconds (5.6 seconds for the automatic version). The 2010 model year update means the 370Z is now fully compliant with forthcoming Euro 5 emission legislation.

Exemplary levels of handling and grip are assured by the focused rear-wheel drive chassis which features fully independent suspension, powerful upgraded brakes and precise speed sensitive power steering.

Since its launch in June 2009, more than 1,050 examples of the 370Z have been sold across Europe, an exceptional achievement for a niche product in extremely challenging market conditions. The car’s largest market to date has been the UK, followed by France and Germany.

“The “˜story of Z’ is full of positives, with success not just in the sales charts all over the world but on racetracks and at award ceremonies, too. The 370Z Black Edition is a fitting tribute to a great car,” said Vincent Wijnen, Nissan’s European Vice President for Marketing.

Customers can order the 370Z Black Edition from all Nissan High Performance Centres and throughout the dealer network with deliveries starting in April.

Prices start from – £33,645 for the manual and £35,045 for the automatic transmission (prices include £750 showroom tax which comes into effect on 1 April 2010).

- By: Kap Shah

Going on sale early spring 2010, the 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will carry a starting price tag of $38,860 with a Sport Package and 6-speed manual transmission.

The 40th Anniversary Edition 370Z is based on the 332-hp 3.7L V6 370Z Coupe Touring and features SynchroRev Match system, a front chin spoiler, a rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Ray forged aluminum-alloy wheels and a viscous limited-slip differential. It also gets a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather interior. Other special touches include a high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badging on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace.

Production of the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will be limited to just 1,000 units.

Check out our review of the 2009 Nissan 370Z here.

Click through for the press release.

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

Press Release:

NISSAN ANNOUNCES U.S. PRICING ON THE 2010 370Z 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

““ Limited Production Z® Coupe, Set for Early Spring On-sale, Priced at $38,860 USD ““

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced pricing for the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition, which is scheduled to go on sale in early spring 2010. Created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original Datsun 240Z, the 40th Anniversary Edition starts with the 370Z Touring model equipped with Sport Package and 6-speed manual transmission then adds unique special equipment. The Manufacturer”s Suggested Retail Price* (M.S.R.P.) is $38,860 USD. The 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will be limited to 1,000 units.

Along with the standard 370Z Touring and Sport Package features ““ including SynchroRev Match™, front chin spoiler, rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Rays forged aluminum-alloy wheels and viscous limited-slip differential ““ the 40th Anniversary Edition adds a unique, premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and special red leather-appointed interior.

Other exclusive 40th Anniversary Edition equipment includes a high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badges on the rear hatch and front shock tower brace. Inside, along with the red leather-appointed seats, are red door panel inserts, 40th Anniversary seatback and floormat embroidery, red stitching on the center stack, shift boot and kneepads, smooth leather steering wheel with red stitching and a plaque of authenticity. Every 40th Anniversary Edition Z® also comes with a special certificate of ownership and commemorative premium satin car cover.

Along with the 40th Anniversary Edition, the 2010 Nissan 370Z Coupe is available in two well-equipped models: 370Z and 370Z Touring and in a special edition NISMO 370Z ““ starting at $29,990 (6MT), $34,660 (6MT) and $39,190 respectively. A 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster, with fully automatic cloth convertible top, is also offered, starting at $36,970 (6MT). All prices are USD.

All 2010 Nissan 370Z models are equipped with a standard 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control (VVEL). The engine is rated at 332-horsepower for the 370 Coupe and 370Z Roadster, while the NISMO 370Z Coupe is tuned to produce 350 horsepower. Buyers also have a choice of 6-speed manual transmission with an available SynchroRev Match™ synchronized downshift rev matching system or a 7-speed automatic transmission (NISMO 370Z and 40th Anniversary Package are available with 6-speed manual transmission only). Crisp handling is once again provided by a 4-wheel independent suspension.

Available technology features for 2010 include the enhanced Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with 7-inch VGA touch-sensitive display, 9.3GB HDD Music Box, USB connectivity and iPod® connection, XM NavTraffic® with Real-Time Traffic Information and XM NavWeather™ (XM® subscription required, sold separately), automatic phonebook download (select phones) and Bluetooth® Streaming Audio; Nissan Intelligent Key™ and a Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System.

- By: Omar Rana

Forty years ago on Oct. 20, 1969, the Datsun 240Z arrived in North America as an affordable sports car that could be driven by anyone with $3,626. Nissan today is celebrating the 40 years of sports car leadership with the new limited edition 370Z “40th Anniversary” model; of course, pricing is no longer set at $3,626.

The Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition is based on the 332-hp 3.7L V6 370Z Coupe Touring model equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and a Sport Package, which includes are favorite SynchroRev Match system, a front chin spoiler, a rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Ray forged aluminum-alloy wheels and a viscous limited-slip differential. It also adds a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather interior.

Additional features include a high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badging on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Inside it gets 40th Anniversary seatback and floormat embroidery, red stitching on the center stack, shift boot and kneepads, smooth leather steering wheel and with red stitching and a plaque. It also comes with a 40th Anniversary Z commemorative premium satin car cover.

Pricing details will be announced closer to launch date next spring.

Check out our review of the 2009 Nissan 370Z here.

Click through for the high-res image gallery.

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

Press Release:

Nissan Celebrates Four Decades of Sports Car Leadership With New, Limited Edition 370Z “40th Anniversary” Model

Forty Years After the Debut of the Original Datsun 240Z, the Iconic Z® Continues to Capture the Imagination and Passion of Sports Car Enthusiasts Worldwide ““

The 25th anniversary is silver, the 50th is gold. And the 40th? Another precious metal, or more correctly metal, rubber and glass ““ the Nissan Z®. Forty years ago, on October 22, 1969, the Datsun 240Z arrived in North America, heralding a new era in sports car design.

Where previous sports cars were primarily a.) imported from England or Germany b.) expensive c.) fragile or unreliable or d.) all of the above, the new import from Japan offered the performance of a Porsche, the looks of a Jaguar and the price and reliability of, well, a Nissan. The 240Z was a revelation to the automotive world ““ an affordable sports car that could be driven every day and was accessible to anyone with the $3,626 base price.

And though the price of a new Z® might have changed a little in the past 40 years, its unmatched value, style, performance and segment leadership remains stronger than ever. To celebrate, Nissan has created a special, limited production version of the current 2010 Nissan 370Z Coupe, the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. It will be available at select Nissan dealers nationwide beginning in spring 2010.

“Throughout the history of the automobile, a rare handful of cars stand apart as vehicles that not only capture the imagination of the world but also embody the essence of the automaker”s brand, engineering and ideals. The Z® is just such a vehicle,” said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc.

Changing Times ““ Literally
When the original Datsun 240Z debuted as a 1970 model, its design and performance were considered state-of-the-art: a 150-horsepower 2.4-liter single overhead cam inline 6-cylinder engine, 4-wheel independent suspension, 14-inch wheels, choice of a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission, and a quarter-mile acceleration time of 17.1 seconds at 84.5 miles per hour. The 240Z was conceived as a closed coupe body, rather than the typical open-top sports cars of the age, to enhance body rigidity and, therefore, improve handling and durability.

Needless to say, a lot has changed. Today”s definition of state-of-the-art, as expressed in the sixth generation Nissan 370Z, includes a 332-horsepower 3.7-liter dual overhead cam V6 engine with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift), lightweight 4-wheel independent suspension with extensive use of aluminum components, available 19-inch super lightweight forged alloy wheels, choice of 6-speed manual transmission with innovative SynchroRev Match™ or refined 7-speed automatic and independent quarter-mile acceleration times of 13.5 seconds at 106.6 miles per hour. And today, the recently introduced 370Z Roadster ““ with its automatic-operation fully lined cloth top, offers nearly the same body rigidity and performance as the rock-solid 370Z Coupe.

Also, where the 240Z offered what many considered “luxuries” in a sports car ““ including roll-up windows and radio, today”s 370Z is offered with items such as Nissan Intelligent Key™ with Push Button Start, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, XM® Satellite Radio and an advanced Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with touch-screen, XM NavTraffic® Real-Time Traffic Information and NavWeather® (XM® subscription required, sold separately), Zagat® restaurant guide, 9.3GB Music Box hard drive for digital music storage and playback and a USB fort for iPod® connectivity.

About the Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition
The 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition starts out as a 370Z Coupe Touring model equipped with manual transmission and Sport Package (including SynchroRev Match™, front chin spoiler, rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Rays forged aluminum-alloy wheels and viscous limited-slip differential) and adds a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather-appointed interior.

Additional exclusive equipment includes a high-luster smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badges on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Inside, along with the red leather-appointed seats are red door panel inserts, 40th Anniversary seatback and floormat embroidery, red stitching on the center stack, shift boot and kneepads, smooth leather steering wheel with red stitching and a plaque of authenticity. Every 40th Anniversary Z® also comes with a commemorative premium satin car cover.

Pricing of the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition will be announced closer to its on-sale date next spring.

A Brief History: Six Generations of Z®
The journey from the original 240Z to the current 370Z, of course, made a number of interesting stops along the past 40 years. Interestingly, the 240Z might not have made the journey to America in the first place, if not for the efforts of one man.

Though many, many people were responsible for the design and engineering of the first generation 240Z, its success in North America can be attributed to Yutaka Katayama, who was president of Nissan”s U.S. operations at the time. Known affectionately as “Mr. K,” he was convinced that the company”s new sports car design would be a hit in the U.S. There was just one problem ““ the vehicle”s name: the Fairlady Z (which is still used in the Japanese market today).

With a name change for this market to “240Z” and some aggressive marketing, including early motorsports success, the Z® became an instant hit ““ bringing attention and buyers not just to Z®, but also to the entire brand.

After overseeing Nissan”s growth in the U.S. in the “˜70s, Katayama returned to Japan and remains, to this day, linked to the Z®”s success here and around the world. On September 15th, 2009, Mr. K celebrated his 100th birthday and received cards and birthday greetings from Z® lovers everywhere.

In 1974, as the engine displacement climbed to 2.6 liters the name changed to 260Z. The 2+2 model with an extended roofline and tiny back seat also appeared. In 1975, engine size increased again to 2.8 liters and the name changed to 280Z. Z® cars continued to dominate on the racetrack, with Pete Brock, John Morton, Bob Sharp and P.L. (Paul) Newman among the many talented drivers.

Z® sales continued to climb with the introduction in 1979 of the new second generation 280ZX. Now priced at just under $10,000, the 280ZX was named Motor Trend “Import Car of the Year” and sales passed 86,000 units. T-tops and a turbocharged engine followed in the early “˜80s.

In 1984, Z® engine displacement increased again, with a 3.0-liter V6 replacing the classic Z® inline-6, and the 300ZX was born. Also, a specially equipped model celebrating the company”s 50th anniversary and priced at $25,999 was introduced. The 1984 Z® was the best selling sports car in America.

The next breakthrough in Z® history came in 1990 with the arrival of the totally redesigned, fourth generation 300ZX. Offered in two-seat and four-seat 2+2 models, it offered an unheard of 222 horsepower and a top speed of 150 mph. A few months later, the 300ZX Turbo followed ““ with 300 horsepower, a 160-mph top speed and a $33,000 price tag.

The 1990 300ZX captured the Z®”s second Motor Trend “Import Car of the Year” award, along with a spot on Car and Driver and Road & Track “10 Best” lists. The 300ZX also captured Automobile”s “Design of the Year” and the first of four “All-Stars” awards.

By the mid-”˜90s, however, sports car sales in general were slowing and the Z® had lost its “affordable” sports car positioning. With Z® sales declining sharply and the core “value” positioning no longer part of the “Z® DNA,” sales of the Z® in the U.S. slumped and sales were stopped following the 1996 model year. The last 300ZX imported into the U.S. was inducted into the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

The next chapter of the Z® history came just before the end of the century. In 1999, Nissan and Renault formed what has become the highly successful Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Mr. Carlos Ghosn was assigned by Renault to head the new management team. Among his first tasks was not just to look at the business aspects, but to find the “soul” of the company. In interview after interview, people inside and outside the company brought up one model to him, one letter: Z®.

Development of the new Z® began later that year, with the return to the values of the original 240Z ““ a car that sports car enthusiasts would look forward to driving everyday; quick, inspiring and affordable.

In summer 2002, the Z® was reborn with the introduction of the 2003 350Z. It was delivered, as promised, with an MSRP of under $30,000.

Following the 350Z”s unprecedented success, the sixth generation Z®, the 2009 370Z was launched last December. Now the little sports car that could comes full circle with the announcement of the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition.

“It”s almost inconceivable that it has been 40 years since the original 240Z changed the course of Nissan and the concept of affordable, everyday sports cars,” said Castignetti. “In a year, 1969, marked by the first man to walk on the moon, the 240Z made a remarkable first step of its own. Happy anniversary, Z®.”

- By: Omar Rana