Nissan Z-car preceded it, the first-gen 300ZX was thought by enthusiasts as more GT than true sports car. It had improved handling, acceleration, and refinement than any previous model Z-car. Nissan made various changes and claimed improvements to the Z31 model through its entire production. In 1983 Nissan first offered the 300ZX in Japan. It was introduced in the US one year later. All US-market 1984 model Nissan vehicles carried both Datsun and Nissan nameplates. Along with the arrival of their new flagship sports coupe, Nissan launched an aggressive marketing campaign to promote the brand name change from Datsun to Nissan. The
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group from use of Chrysler Group vehicles with hope to better diversity their rental fleet. It was announced the fleet would now include Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, and other vehicles. This fleet expansion helped Dollar Thrifty shares on the New York Stock Exchange rise to a 52-week high of $27.50 before closing at $26.33 - up 0.57 percent. Gary L. Paxton was elected President and CEO of Dollar Thrifty Automotive in October 2003 in response to Joseph E. Cappy's retirement after ten years with the brand. Paxton's career with Dollar Thrifty Automotive began after working for