How Much Did The Nissan 300ZX Z32 Cost New?

When Nissan launched the Z32 300ZX in 1989 it was easy to see that it was an altogether different beast than the outgoing model, the Z31. The new Z32 was far more sophisticated and modern with a completely new exterior design to match.

Car journalists and enthusiasts loved the new car, with Motor Trend naming it their “Import Car of the Year” for 1990 and Car and Driver placing it on their ‘Ten Best Car’ list for seven consecutive years.

Part of the reason for the massive amounts of praise for the Z32 was how it combined a powerful engine with an excellent aerodynamic body that was almost supercar-like in appearance.

Nissan’s new engine options included a 3.0-litre VG30DE engine and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre VG30DETT power unit. The twin-turbo model would be the first car to be marketed under Japan’s ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’. This new law limited power of Japanese production cars to 276 horsepower (206kW), however, many sports cars including the Z32 300ZX were found to produce significantly more power than this figure.

Despite all the new technological updates, features and improvements, the Z32 300ZX was still fairly competitively priced when compared to the competition. The base model car was available for ¥3,450,000 in Japan or US$51,131 in today’s money, while the top-end twin turbocharged model was priced at ¥4,400,000, which comes in at $65,210 today.

During the course of its production, the price of the 300ZX Z32 would fluctuate depending on the year and spec level. Below you can see the updates to the pricing and range of the Z32 300ZX from 1989 until its final major update in 1998 (production continued until 2000, however, we could not find data for the final two years of the car’s life).

Nissan 300ZX Z32 Original Price in Japan

1989 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from July 1989)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 141.6 (taken from July 1989).

1992 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from August 1992)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 126.3 (taken from August 1992).

1993 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from October 1993)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 107.05 (taken from October 1993).

1994 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from October 1994)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 98.17 (taken from October 1994).

1997 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from January 1997)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 118.88 (taken from January 1997).

1998 Nissan 300ZX Z32 (from October 1998)

Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 119.58 (taken from October 1998).

How Much Does a Nissan 300ZX Z32 Cost Today?

As with many Japanese sports cars from the period, the 300ZX Z32 is starting to become a bit of a classic, with immaculate condition examples fetching upwards of US$50,000 (and in some cases more).

However, most Z32s do not reach this incredible sum. According to data on Bring A Trailer, most 300ZXs sell for around $10,000 to $20,000 dollars. This makes the 300ZX one of the most affordable top-end Japanese cars from this period when compared to the likes of the Toyota Supra Mk4, the Mazda RX-7 FD and the Nissan Skyline GT-R models.

If you would like to know more about buying a Nissan 300ZX Z32 or its history and specifications, check out our “Nissan 300ZX Buyer’s Guide – Ultimate Z31 & Z32 Guide” here.