Nissan 300ZX Targa Twin Turbo

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Launched in 1983, the Nissan 300ZX was a hairy-chested 3-litre V6 powered sportscar that continued the famous Datsun Z car range that had first seen the light of day in 1969 with the iconic 240Z.

Available in either normally aspirated or turbo-charged forms, the car received a major revamp in 1989 with the launch of the new Z32 chassis, a highly sophisticated platform that featured Super HICAS four-wheel steering.

The top of the range model now had a potent twin-turbo engine producing 300bhp and 283lb/ft of torque, sufficient to hurl the car to 60mph in just 5 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Build quality was outstanding and the cars had a typically Japanese reputation for bullet-proof reliability. They were also easily chipped to 400bhp and beyond. Plenty quick enough as standard, the influential US magazine Car and Driver placed the twin-turbo on its Ten Best list for each of the seven years it was in production, making this a sure-fire classic of the future.

First registered in November 1992, this UK market Targa top ZX cost £35,000 new and has clearly been cherished, not just by its current owner of 15 years, but by the previous ones too. Totally original and unmessed about with, its white factory paintwork still gleams and its luxury grey velour interior hides its 103,000 miles amazingly well, with the carpets protected by Nissan overmats. The engine bay and the underside are equally impressive.

It comes with a massive history file documenting years of careful maintenance and was last serviced only 3,500 miles ago when the cambelt, water pump and auxiliary belts were also renewed (documented by both invoices and photos). Other fairly recent work includes new Brembo brake discs and pads front and rear, computerised four wheel alignment (with print-out), wheel refurbishment and four new tyres.

The vendor states that: “Other than the digital clock, everything works as it should including the electric aerial and ice cold air conditioning. The car drives as well as it looks, the performance is fabulous and it attracts lots of attention wherever it goes.”

The history file includes the original owner's handbooks and wallet, copies of every V5 from new (showing the first owner as Nissan Motor GB Ltd) plus 14 old MOT certificates, the current being valid until July 2016 with no advisories recorded. Due to be driven some 250 miles to the sale, the icing on the cake is the distinctive registration number, a set of show plates in the boot reading K300 UK.

As anyone who has been following Toyota Supra Twin Turbo and Nissan Skyline R32 prices will confirm, Japanese road burners from this era have been shooting up in value of late, and this equally potent Z-Car could yet prove a shrewd investment at the modest guide price suggested.