Start with what the Nissan 240SX is: a 2-door coupé / 3-door hatchback / 2-door convertible with 2.4 L KA24E/KA24DE I4, built from 1988 to 1998, in the age of turbocharging and the first electronic engine management. What it meant takes a little longer.
Where it came from
The Nissan 240SX is a sports compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the 1989 model year, replacing the outgoing 200SX (S12) model. Two distinct generations of the 240SX, the S13 (1989–1994) the S14 (1994-1998) were produced, based on the Nissan S platform. All 240SXs were equipped with the 2.4-liter KA inline-four engine series (the KA24E from 1989 to 1990 and KA24DE from 1990 to 1998). The KA24E has a single overhead cam while the KA24DE has dual overhead cams.
The 240SX is closely related to other S platform based vehicles, such as the Japanese-market Silvia and 180SX, and the European-market 200SX. Although their names are similar, the 240SX is unrelated to the 240Z or the 280ZX, which are sports cars based on a different platform than the 240SX. The 240SX is known for its popularity within drifting and tuner culture. However, due to the popularity of the S-chassis in drifting and related competitions, prices for vehicles and parts have greatly increased due to higher demand. This problem is sometimes known as "drift tax".
Under the skin
The engine is 2.4 L KA24E/KA24DE I4. On the scales it comes to 1224 kg. Drive goes through a 5-speed manual / 4-speed automatic. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 2474 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
In context
In the Nissan line-up the Nissan 240SX has a clear place: it replaced the Nissan 200SX; the factory was Kanda, Fukuoka (Nissan Motor Kyūshū), Japan. The cars a buyer would have weighed it against include the Mazda MX-5, the Ferrari F40, the Subaru Legacy. Nearby in the Nissan catalogue sit the Nissan N6 and the Nissan N7.
Owning one today
MotorJury scores cars on the United States complaint and recall record, and the Nissan 240SX has none: too old, too rare, or never sold there. Its value today is a collector's question, decided by provenance and condition rather than by a class average.