text: Power steering became standard equipment with a new rack-and-pinion system, rather than recirculating ball. Changes were made to the rear suspension layout, which also meant the exhaust pipe now exited from the left, rather than right-hand side. The rear brake calipers and rotors were also changed and the drive shafts (half shafts) were upgraded from universal joints to constant velocity joints on certain models.
  As in 1981 both turbo and naturally aspirated engines were offered, but non-turbo cars now used the uprated L20E for the Japanese market or the L28E for the export market, which on the 2.8 L version, due to increased compression, were rated at  rather than the earlier engine's . The naturally aspirated 1982 Datsun 280ZX boasted a 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds, 1.2 seconds slower than the Corvette of the same year. The 280ZX Turbo manual had a 0-60 mph time of 7.4 seconds while the automatic managed to turn out 7.1 seconds. That compares to the Aston Martin Volante, which had a 0-60 mph time of 8.9 seconds at almost seven times the cost and the Ferrari 308GTSi which had a 0-60 mph time of 7.9 seconds. The only US-market car in 1982 to beat the Turbo ZX' acceleration figures was the Porsche 911SC, which was considered by most to be an exotic car. This information can be referenced in the R&T Guide to Sports & GT Cars (1982).