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When Nissan's 32Z was withdrawn from the United States market in 1996, the company wanted to find a way to keep the Z name alive. This line of cars has been in existence since 1970 when the first Datsun 240Z was produced and sold, and has been a popular sports car since those first days. The 350Z is the result of years of design and effort on the part of Nissan, and was first sold in late 2002 for the 2003 model year by the Nissan Motor Co, Ltd.
The first attempts to save the Z name involved the recreation of the original 240Z; however, the designs were dubbed too retro and too backwards for the company. The original engine was not high powered enough for the modern version of the car, and the original designer of the 240Z was displeased as well. Several redesigns later, a new car was fitted with a VQ35DE engine, thus the name of the Nissan 350Z.
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