1983 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
By Lorenzo Bianchi September 22, 1983
The 3.0-liter turbo V6 produced 200 hp and 227 lb-ft, with manual or automatic transmissions.
Nissan built 5,148 examples for the U.S. and another 300 for Canada.
Anniversary cars added turbine-style alloy wheels, digital instruments and unique exterior and interior details.
The 1983 Nissan 300ZX Turbo arrived at an important point in Nissan's history. Its 50th Anniversary Edition celebrated five decades since the company's founding in December 1933, while also capturing a period when digital displays, electronic chassis controls and turbocharging were becoming part of the Z-car story.
It was a limited-production model. Nissan manufactured 5,148 examples for the U.S. market and another 300 for Canada, giving the anniversary car a relatively small footprint within the broader 300ZX range.
Anniversary Details Changed The 300ZX Shape
The special edition was distinguished by more than commemorative badges. Nissan fitted unique front fenders and rear fender flares, adding visual width around the car's wedge-shaped sports-car proportions. “Nissan 50th Anniversary” badging identified the model separately from a regular 300ZX Turbo.
Turbine Wheels Added Gold Accents
One of the anniversary model's more recognizable exterior features was its turbine-style alloy wheel design. Gold accents were applied to the wheel fins, tying into the special-edition treatment without changing the basic character of the Z.
Wheel diameter, tire dimensions and braking specifications are not listed in the supplied Nissan material.
Digital Instruments Filled The Cabin
Inside, the 300ZX Turbo reflected the technology-heavy side of 1980s performance cars. Steering-wheel audio controls were fitted alongside digital readouts and electronically controlled sport suspension.
The 50th Anniversary Edition added embroidered identification to the leather seats and floor mats. Its digital instrument cluster featured a prominent multi-LED sweeping tachometer, digital speed display and G-force indicator.
Then there was the Bodysonic Amplifier. Drivers could adjust its intensity, allowing the system to transmit vibrations through the front seats according to the music being played through the audio system. It is a detail that firmly places the cabin in its period.
Turbo V6 Produced 200 HP
Under the hood, Nissan fitted a 3.0-liter V6 producing 200 hp and 227 lb-ft of torque. Buyers could choose between a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic.
The source does not provide acceleration, top-speed or fuel-economy figures, so those remain outside this overview.
The anniversary edition also arrived during a significant year for the Z itself. Nissan notes that 1984 marked the Z as the best-selling sports car in America, placing this limited 300ZX Turbo at a notable point in the model's history.