Younger readers would associate Nissan sporting heritage with circuit racing and of course, the ubiquitous Skyline GT-R. But on the international stage, Nissan’s earliest motorsport successes were in the rallying arena. In the late 60s, Datsun had very successfully campaigned the 510 sedan in the European rally championship. And while the 510 never actually won any championships, it won enough events to make a name for itself and the (then) fledgling Datsun brand.
So when the 240Z was introduced, Datsun immediately pressed it into action in European rallies with full factory support. Its first event would be the 1970 RAC Rally in Britain, and so keen were Datsun to show off their new car, that its rally appearance was before sales of the roadcar actually began, so as it rolled onto stage, nobody knew exactly what it was…Datsun was nothing if not determined.
