For The Love Of The Z: Watch Datsun 240Z Get Modernized Design

Before Nissan became what it is today, it manufactured sports cars with the "Z" nameplate in the United States. The first of the many was the Datsun 240Z. With its sleek styling, fine engineering, and affordable price tag, the Z car was Nissan's ticket to growing as a brand in America. And it didn't take long before Nissan dealerships had to deal with long waiting lists for the new halo car.

The sketch above isn't a real car, nor it is something that Nissan has revealed for a modern-day Datsun 240Z. It's a fan render and a bittersweet story of the famous Z car's history. In the world of JDM classics, the Skyline GT-R may take the most popular vote but the 240Z was the one who started it all in 1970.

Marouane, also known as The Sketch Monkey, is among those who fell in love with the 240Z, and he shared the process of doing a photoshop sketch of the modern-day version of the Z car.

With a gray 240Z as his base, Marouane applied what he learned in his master's degree in automotive design that he got from Italy, in collaboration with the design team from Audi and Lamborghini. With that, he pretty much knows the basics in designing cars for big companies, such as keeping in line with the company's design language, which can be seen in his modernized take on the 240Z.

He was also generous to share some stories and tips if you're considering a career in automotive design, so make sure that you go through all 14 minutes of the sketching process.