Seiko Prospex Speedtimer x Datsun 240Z limited editions land in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR:Seiko has rolled out a new batch of Prospex Speedtimer models that lean into classic Japanese rally culture, headlined by three limited edition pieces created with the Datsun 240Z nameplate. Alongside these, a few regular production Speedtimer models quietly join the range as permanent fixtures.

The three Datsun 240Z collaboration watches

The headline act is a trio of Prospex Speedtimer references that borrow colours, logos and details from the early 1970s Datsun 240Z rally cars.

Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical – SPB517 (RM6,000, 2,500 pieces worldwide)
SPB517 is the most straightforward of the three, a time and date automatic running the 6R55 movement. It gets up to 72 hours of power reserve, 39.5 mm case, 20 bar water resistance and a rotating bezel that functions as a countdown timer, something that actually makes sense in a motorsport context.

On the dial, you get the period Datsun logo, red circle over a blue rectangle with white lettering. The Arabic numerals are styled to mirror the gauges in the 240Z cabin, and the watch comes on a perforated leather strap that plays up the rally car vibe.

Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph – SRQ057 (RM16,500, 500 pieces worldwide)
SRQ057 sits at the top of this mini range. It runs Seiko’s 8R48 automatic chronograph movement with a vertical clutch and column wheel, so the timing feel is a step up from basic cam-lever chronos. You get a 30 minute counter, a 12 hour counter and running seconds, along with a tachymeter on the bezel that, like the original 1969 Speedtimer, is calibrated around realistic road speeds.

The dial carries the cursive Datsun script instead of a block logo, again matched with numerals that look lifted from the 240Z’s instruments. Case size is 42.0 mm, thickness 14.6 mm, water resistance 10 bar, with sapphire crystal and a screw case back. Pricing in Malaysia is RM16,500, reflecting the limited run of just 500 units worldwide.

Prospex Speedtimer Solar

Chronograph – SSC957 (RM4,500, 4,000 pieces worldwide)
SSC957 is the solar option. It uses the V192 solar chronograph movement that can run for up to six months on a full charge even if it does not see any light in between. The layout is familiar, 60 minute chronograph, 24 hour subdial, plus date.

Here, Seiko uses block letter DATSUN branding on the dial. The case back is the most literal tribute of the three, featuring an illustration of the Datsun 240Z itself. Malaysian pricing is RM4,500, and production is capped at 4,000 pieces worldwide.

All three collaboration models share the same core aesthetic language, black and red accents pulled from the 240Z rally car livery, along with numerals that look more like dashboard graphics than typical watch indices.

Regular production Speedtimer models and Malaysian prices

Alongside the Datsun trio, Seiko is also adding a few non-limited Speedtimer references to the Prospex catalogue. These are not tied to the 240Z, but share much of the same hardware.

Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical – SPB513 and SPB515 (RM4,700 each)
SPB513 and SPB515 are the standard 6R55 time and date models that sit under the SPB517 Datsun edition. They use the same 39.5 mm case, around 12.0 mm thick, rated to 20 bar, with a curved sapphire crystal that has anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. Their design is loosely based on a 1972 Speedtimer chronograph, with compact cases and multi-row bracelets shaped to sit more securely on the wrist.

In Malaysia, both SPB513 and SPB515 are priced at RM4,700 each.

Prospex Speedtimer Mechanical Chronograph – SRQ055 (RM13,000)
SRQ055 is the standard 8R48 mechanical chronograph that sits just below the Datsun limited edition. It uses the same movement, vertical clutch and column wheel, but with a black bezel that matches the dial and a tachymeter scale around the edge.

Like SRQ057, it comes in a 42.0 mm case with 10 bar water resistance, sapphire crystal and a screw case back. The Malaysian price is RM13,000.

Straps, finishing and small details

For the models on leather, Seiko is using hides sourced from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group, part of its push towards more traceable and environmentally conscious materials. The inner lining is designed to better deal with sweat and moisture, which matters on a watch that is meant to be worn, not stored.

SPB517 is the most obviously motorsport-leaning on the wrist, with its perforated strap and countdown bezel that can be used to keep an eye on stage start times or pit-lane chores, even if most owners will probably use it for everyday timing.

How Seiko and Datsun ended up on the same car

The collaboration is not a random pairing. Seiko and Datsun have shared space on a rally car before.

In 1969, Seiko released the original Speedtimer, an automatic chronograph with both a vertical clutch and a column wheel, built to time races down to one hundredth of a second. Around the same period, Datsun launched the 240Z, a relatively simple sports car that would go on to punch above its weight in motorsport, particularly in world rallying.

By 1971, the two brands met on the side of a car. The Seiko logo appeared on the No. 11 Datsun 240Z that went on to win the East African Safari Rally, a 6,200 km route that was regarded as one of the toughest events of the calendar. That bit of shared history is what Seiko is tapping into here, instead of just slapping a retro logo on a dial for the sake of it.

The font used for the numerals, the specific Datsun logos chosen for each model, even the way the bezels are marked, are all meant to call back to that moment.

The Datsun name predates the 240Z by decades. It traces back to 1932 and the company DAT Jidosha Seizo, which later evolved into Nissan Motor. “DAT” came from the initials of three original investors.

When the firm built a smaller car, it was first called “DATSON”, quite literally the son of DAT. The name did not last long, because “son” in Japanese sounds like the word for loss. The company shifted to “DATSUN” instead, swapping “son” for “sun”, which carried a more positive image in a country whose flag is built around a rising sun.

So these Prospex Speedtimer Datsun 240Z editions are not just colour swaps. They sit at the intersection of two strands of Japanese automotive and watchmaking history, dressed up as modern, usable sports watches with prices and specs that are clearly laid out for buyers who know exactly what they are getting.