Nissan 300ZX (Z32) review: Bahrain's forgotten JDM twin-turbo classic
3.7/5motorssouq Editorial Team
A genuine, unmodified 300ZX Twin Turbo is a proper 1990s Japanese sports car — 300 hp, four-wheel steering on the Twin Turbo grade, and a driving experience that still holds up. Buying one in Bahrain today means buying a 25-plus-year-old car with a small, specialist-only parts and service network: budget for a pre-purchase inspection by someone who has actually worked on a VG30DETT, expect turbo and cooling-system issues on neglected examples, and treat any heavily modified car with real caution. Done properly, this is one of the more interesting classics you can put money into here.
Pros
- Genuine early-1990s 300 hp twin-turbo Japanese sports car
- Four-wheel steering (Super HICAS) on Twin Turbo grades sharpens handling
- Values are rising, making a clean example a genuine collector proposition
- Distinctive, still-modern-looking body design
Cons
- No dealer network; parts come from Japan or specialist importers only
- Turbo seals, coolant crossover pipe and timing belt are known weak points
- 25-plus years old, so mechanical condition varies enormously between cars
- Heavily modified examples are common and need especially careful inspection
Search Bahrain's classifieds for "Nissan ZX" and most buyers scroll straight past it, assuming it is a mislabeled listing. It is not. This is the Z32-generation 300ZX, sold across the Gulf simply as the "ZX" without the "300" — a genuine early-1990s Japanese sports coupe with pop-up headlights, a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and, on the range-topping Twin Turbo grade, four-wheel steering under the Super HICAS name.
What made it special
The VG30DETT engine produced around 300 hp at a time when that figure meant something, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual on the cars enthusiasts actually want. It was quick for its era — low six-second 0-100 km/h territory — and the wide, low body has aged into something closer to timeless than dated. A naturally aspirated version existed with around 222 hp and no rear steering; it is the lesser car to own today, and worth less.
Owning one in Bahrain now
Every 300ZX on the road here is now over 25 years old, and the honest state of most surviving examples reflects that. Turbo seals, the plastic coolant crossover pipe, and timing belt intervals are the known weak points of the VG30DETT, and a car that has sat unused in Bahrain's heat for long stretches needs a full cooling and fuel-system check before it is trusted on the causeway. Parts come almost entirely from Japan or specialist importers — there is no dealer network and no generic parts-counter solution.
Values have moved. A clean, unmodified Twin Turbo with a genuine service history is no longer a cheap way into a sports car; it is closer to a small classic-car investment, and priced accordingly by the handful of sellers who understand what they have. Heavily modified examples — common in any market with a strong JDM tuning scene — need an especially careful inspection, since past turbo upgrades and engine work vary enormously in quality.