I can see the logic behind launching a 2-seater and a +2 at the same time, but what would be the reasoning behind the 260? Why would you launch two (superficially) similar cars at the same time? Was it something to do with different markets, taxes, emissions or ???
The point I was making was not in relation to the '260'. It was in relation to people calling the "240" (whatever
that means...) "the origin of the species" / "the original" etc etc.
At the Tokyo Auto Show on 24th October 1969, Nissan launched a
family of S30-series Z models. The list of what they had conceived, designed, engineered and produced at that point runs as follows:
*S30-S 'Fairlady Z' Standard model (L20A engine, 4-speed)
*S30 'Fairlady Z-L' Deluxe model (L20A engine, 5-speed)
*PS30 'Fairlady Z432' Sports model (S20 engine, 5-speed)
*PS30-SB 'Fairlady Z432-R' Super Lightweight Sports model (S20 engine, 5-speed)
*HLS30 'Datsun 240Z' LHD Export model (L24 engine, 5-speed)
*HLS30-U 'Datsun 240Z' LHD Export model - north American market (L24 engine, 4-speed)
*HS30-U 'Datsun 240Z' RHD Export model (L24 engine. 5-speed)
....so, as you can see, the '240' (in at least three variants, with more to follow) was only half the story. The '240' is not "
the original". It is
one of the originals...
It's handy to pigeonhole models by terms such as '240', but it means more than one thing. There's a whole spectrum of difference between early production versions and late production versions, and there were major differences depending on market. All of this has an impact on the character, dynamics and drivability of a particular car. Nebulous terms like "better" are all but meaningless without taking this into account.
