The Nissan 280ZX was a sports

Sports car

A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....

 coupe

Coupé

A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...

 produced from 1978 to 1983. It was the second generation Z-car, replacing the Datsun 280Z in late 1978. The 280ZX was the first time where the "By Nissan" subscript was badged alongside the Datsun

Datsun

Datsun was an automobile marque. The name was created in 1931 by the DAT Motorcar Co. for a new car model, spelling it as "Datson" to indicate its smaller size when compared to the existing, larger DAT car. Later, in 1933 after Nissan Motor Co., Ltd...

 logo, along with the Nissan trucks. The 280ZX was Motor Trend

Motor Trend

Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...

s Import Car of the Year

Motor Trend Car of the Year

The Motor Trend Car of the Year is an award given by Motor Trend magazine, an American monthly that is published since 1949.- Background :...

 for 1979. The 280ZX was replaced by the Nissan 300ZX

Nissan 300ZX

The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...

 in 1984.
The 280ZX was a complete redesign, retaining only the L28 inline-6

Straight-6

The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...

 engine and other driveline components from the 280Z.