One of my favorite 1980s Japanese cars is the one you’re looking at right here: the 1988 Nissan 300ZX Shiro Special. There was an interesting period among Japanese makes in the 80s where a certain color scheme became synonymous with a variety of special editions, and several models were clad in white-on-white combos as part of a strategy to move some models out of the showroom. Today’s car is the 300ZX Shiro Special shown here on Facebook Marketplace for $12,800, and it’s one of just 1,002 Shiros ever offered for sale.
The Shiro Special wasn’t just a case of pearl white paint and color-matched white wheels: it received a variety of other upgrades, starting with the unique front air dam and then adding a viscous limited slip differential and a Recaro interior. It also got the top motor in the Z31 lineup, which was the turbocharged 3.0L V6. This engine was quite respectable performance-wise at the time, making a healthy 197 horsepower and 227 lb⋅ft of torque. Put it all together with a 5-speed manual gearbox, stiffer springs, and performance shocks and you end up with an incredibly well-equipped performance car that is loaded with factory upgrades.
I have a deep connection with these seats: years ago, when a guy could still find an old-time salvage yard without having to drive 5 hours into the wilderness, a junkyard near me had a wrecked Shiro Special. I didn’t know what it was at first but then found an old Lycos-era website that kept track of each car via a rudimentary database. When I mentioned on the message board I had found a Shiro Special, they took down the VIN number and one of the members literally knew the guy that last owned it before it was wrecked. Even before the internet truly “blew up,” car enthusiasts were working together to track special models like this. Of course, I removed the Recaros and eventually sold them on eBay; in hindsight, I wish I had kept them for myself.
The seller’s car is priced for a reasonable number, far lower than I’ve seen other Shiros go for. I believe the reason for this is because the car has a few flaws and it hasn’t been kept as a time capsule like other examples. Mileage is listed at 164,500, which means this particular Z31 will never be a truly collector-grade specimen – and that’s OK. You can drive this Shiro Special without fear of some road rash. If I was in a position to start an all-Japanese car collection, I’d find the similar white-on-white models that existed at the same time – namely, the Nissan Maxima, Acura Integra, and Isuzu Impulse Turbo – and put them all together with a 300ZX Shiro Special, just like this one.
Nice Shiro Special 🇯🇵 never driven one, but assume it makes a nice touring automobile as equipped. 🏁
Nice, mileage is to high for that price but overall nice fun toy
In the mid ‘90’s in Reno, I traded my ‘84 300 ZX Turbo (digital dash) for a low mileage, all white ‘88 300ZX. Wasn’t real sure I liked the white wheels, but didn’t change them. I subsequently moved to South Carolina where I discovered at the Nissan parts department that it was a Shiro Special. Several years later I rolled it in a hydroplaning accident after a downpour.
Within three months, I found another Shiro ZX for sale in the same city.
Years later moved to Denver, then Durango with the Shiro. Ultimately it was stolen, then wrecked (but not totaled) in a police chase. I eventually sold it to a guy there for $900 in 2016. Had it not been wrecked I might still be driving it today.
Car was smooth, fast and actually quite comfortable for road trips. Never had any mechanical issues. Only difference in the two was the bottom of the interior door panel materials. As far as I kknow ‘88 was the only year for these.