IT MIGHT not have started life on Datsuns and not Nissans, but the Z badge is synonymous with Japanese sportscars, nonetheless.

You’ve got to go way back to 1969 for the launch of the original, the Datsun 240Z, while the Nissan 370Z continues its legacy to this day.

Half a century is no mean feat in the automotive industry, even if there were a few years in between when no Z-badged model was in production.

What better way to celebrate this achievement than with a customary 50th Anniversary special? Read on to find out how the latest 370Z stacks up.