1980 Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Black and Gold
Explore the 280ZX 10th Anniversary Black and Gold: history, verified identity, specification references, rarity evidence and real credited photos.
The black-and-gold 1980 Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition marked a decade of the Z with a visibly richer grand-touring specification. Nissan confirms 2,500 cars in this colour group, within a 3,000-car anniversary programme. The contrast between gold panels, dark paint and special cabin details makes it immediately recognisable, while the numbered dashboard plaque gives an individual example a documentary starting point. Its count must remain separate from the rarer red-and-black allocation.
Celebrating ten years of the Z
The anniversary belonged to the Z model line, not Nissan's corporate founding. By the S130 generation, Nissan was describing a more luxurious interpretation of the sports coupe, with leather upholstery and a stronger audio offering. This edition makes that shift tangible. The appeal is not simply a colour scheme applied to an anonymous model: it records the point at which the Z's identity comfortably included long-distance refinement alongside performance and the familiar six-cylinder layout.
Nissan USA: Z anniversary edition history
The 2,500-car colour allocation
Nissan's 2019 retrospective gives 3,000 anniversary cars in total, divided into 2,500 black-and-gold and 500 red-and-black examples. The first figure is a parent total, not another group to add to the two colour allocations. The profile therefore uses 2,500 for this colour subset and retains 3,000 only as context. It does not turn the ratio into a claim about survivors, transmission splits or vehicles remaining in original paint.
Mechanical and cabin reference
The same retrospective describes a 2.8-litre straight-six rated at 132 hp and 144 lb-ft, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual reference. Anniversary equipment included a tinted T-bar roof, leather seats, a 40-watt four-speaker audio system and special exterior identification. Those details show how the package was positioned. Market-specific equipment still needs to be checked against the individual car rather than assuming every anniversary item was identical in every country.
Nissan USA: Z anniversary edition history
The visual identity of black and gold
Gold carries much of this edition's character: it creates a strong contrast with the black body and makes the special badges and wheel treatment feel coherent rather than incidental. Nissan identifies anniversary wreath decals, a golden Z bonnet badge and numbered dash plaques among the package details. A restoration should preserve the relationship between those elements. Reproduced graphics may be entirely reasonable, but their replacement should be recorded so that presentation and originality are not confused.
Nissan USA: Z anniversary edition history
Reading the plaque and market evidence
A numbered plaque is useful evidence when it agrees with original paperwork and the vehicle's early history. It is not a complete authentication method on its own. Nissan notes a Maple Leaf emblem for Canadian cars, an especially useful reminder that North American anniversary coverage includes a market distinction. Keep delivery country, original paint and plaque information together. That allows a particular car to be described accurately without borrowing another market's specification or serial history.
Specifications and identity reference
| Model year | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Family | S130 / Datsun 280ZX |
| Colour allocation | 2,500 black-and-gold cars |
| Parent programme | 3,000 anniversary cars across two colour groups |
| Engine reference | 2.8-litre inline six; 132 hp |
| Torque reference | 144 lb-ft |
| Identification | Numbered dashboard plaque; anniversary graphics |
| Cabin reference | Leather; tinted T-bar roof; special audio equipment |
Rarity and production scope
Manufacturer-reported allocation of 2,500 black-and-gold cars within the shared 3,000-car 10th Anniversary series. The other 500 are the red-and-black subset. These figures are not additive with a separate 3,000 and do not describe survivors or a global S130 total.
What the photograph represents
Black-and-gold 1980 Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition in Nissan’s historical anniversary article. Manufacturer edition reference, not an individual chassis authentication. Source: Nissan.
Related Nissan heritage profiles
Frequently asked questions
Were 3,000 black-and-gold cars made?
No. Nissan gives 2,500 black-and-gold and 500 red-and-black within a total of 3,000.
Was this Nissan’s fiftieth anniversary?
No. This edition marked ten years of the Z; the 1984 300ZX celebrated Nissan’s corporate anniversary.
What is the production-count boundary for this profile?
Manufacturer-reported allocation of 2,500 black-and-gold cars within the shared 3,000-car 10th Anniversary series. The other 500 are the red-and-black subset. These figures are not additive with a separate 3,000 and do not describe survivors or a global S130 total.
Sources and further reading
Research checked 16 October 2026. Manufacturer records support identity and the specifically attributed historical figures. Photographic descriptions identify the illustrated subject. Design analysis and suggested authentication steps are editorial interpretation.
Built in limited numbers
Manufacturer-reported allocation of 2,500 black-and-gold cars within the shared 3,000-car 10th Anniversary series. The other 500 are the red-and-black subset. These figures are not additive with a separate 3,000 and do not describe survivors or a global S130 total.
Gallery
Specifications
Factory specifications may vary by model year, market and configuration.
Identity & production
- Official model
- Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Black and Gold
Sources and verification
Source citations are being prepared for this profile.
