Alex Ducoulombier
Carrollton, Georgia’s Z1 Motorsports has been a Nissan Z car enthusiast’s paradise for the last twenty years.
The specialty auto parts manufacturer supplies Nissan owners around the world with the parts they want to push their cars to their full potential. However, the company has become much more than just a parts supplier.
The company now records a few million dollars in revenue each month from e-commerce, car service, and installations. Though this was not always the case, as Z1 Motorsports came from relatively humble beginnings.
Russell Floyd started what is now Z1 Motorsports in 2000 on a farm in Temple, Georgia. Stemming from his passion for the Nissan 300ZX, Floyd began his journey by selling used parts to other enthusiasts that he connected with through internet forums.
Using his engineering degree from The Georgia Institute of Technology, he began designing and building his own custom parts around this time. In addition to their own aftermarket parts in-house, they offer a number of services including part installation and tuning.
With this large-scale operation, Z1 employs over 100 people from the surrounding area to design, manufacture, and install Nissan performance parts.
“It provides a place for enthusiasts and passionate people to come and be employed and get into the industry,” said Mathew Davis, the director of sales, marketing and customer service for Z1 Motorsports. “It can be a launchpad for people for other opportunities both within and outside Z1, and I think it brings a lot of fresh talent and new people for growth in the area.”
Along with designing and selling their own custom parts, Z1 has developed relationships with other companies such as HKS, Stillen as well as Nissan in order to supply customers with the world’s largest selection of original and aftermarket Nissan parts.
Though an uninsured fire in 2003 led to the complete loss of a 16,000 sq ft warehouse full of parts, Z1 bounced back a year later with the acquisition of a 15,000 sq ft location on Bankhead Highway with more parts than ever. The headquarters for Z1 Motorsports has been there ever since 2004.
It currently boasts an eight-bay shop, an in-ground DynoJet dyno to measure power and torque, parts inventories, a car showroom, a customer lounge, and offices for its numerous employees.
With the car community constantly growing in the southeast, Z1 knows that it can attract more business and recognition in other ways besides just selling parts online.
This is why Z1 Motorsports hosts car meets for the community, such as Z Nationals, one of the largest gatherings of Nissans in the world, which has been held annually since 2005.
The current format for the event will see two days of fun for Nissan fans in the Atlanta area, with Sept. 29 being designated as a track day at the renowned Atlanta Motorsports Park and a car show on the following day at their location in Carrollton.
The show on Sept. 30 will be free to the public, with building tours, giveaways, and countless modified Nissans on display.
From a barn in rural Georgia to a multi-million dollar operation, Z1 Motorsports has become a leader in the car performance market and will continue to provide Carrollton with job opportunities for talented car lovers.