The Nissan Silvia is a series of compact sports cars produced from 1965 through 1968, then brought back for a second round from 1975 to 2002.
Nissan Silvia Design and Introduction
The vast majority of Nissan buyers have been geared toward a smaller, fuel-efficient vehicle. Multi-purpose vehicles have also been a traditional Nissan endeavor. And then there's the Nissan Silvia. What happens when you align a highly-refined carmaker with the ability to burn rubber and conquer twisting roads? You get the spirited Nissan Silvia, which has gone through two production runs and has one of the most enthusiastic followings you can imagine. And for good reason. In 1964, the Nissan Silvia CSP311 was unveiled. It was constructed on the widely-popular Nissan Fairlady platform, but was hand-built and offered wildly different driving dynamics. Only 554 were produced, featuring a 1.6L inline-4 engine with 94 horsepower. Most examples were sold in Japan, with some incorporating modified suspension to serve as a Japanese police vehicle. It was the fastest production vehicle in Japan with a 103 mph top speed. Thankfully, it also had disc brakes to make sure it could slow down.
The Resurrection of the Nissan Silvia
After a lengthy hiatus from 1968 to 1975, the second-generation Nissan Silvia (S10) was released. It used the new Nissan S platform, providing an excellent rear-wheel drive performance matched with a two-door hardtop fastback body style. Since this reinvention, the Silvia was hard to stop. And still remains a desired vehicle to this day. It was sold in Japan at the Nissan Prince Store dealership locations. While Nissan had intentions to use a rotary engine, the 1970s oil crisis put that idea on the back burner. Instead, it turned to a 1.8L L18S inline-4 engine, also used on the Datsun 610 and Bluebird models. A 2.0L engine was used in the North American exports, with larger bumpers due to regular requirements and a left-hand drive layout. While the first generation didn't have dramatic following due to lackluster handling, it set down the roots for what was to come. But even then, it received acclaim as Paul Newman's choice for the 1978 IMSA Class C, winning 19 of 22 races.
Second Generation Updates
In 1979, the Silvia came back in the second generation (S10) design. It was sold in North America as the Datsun 200SX (US and Canada) or Sakura (Mexico). In Japan, it was sold under the Gazelle model name at Nissan Bluebird Store dealerships. Once again, Nissan wanted to put a rotary engine under the expansive hood. The S10 actually shares the same chassis code as the first Japanese production car to have a rotary engine. But that was the Mazda Cosmo. The engine choices for this generation of the Silvia ended up being a selection of inline-4, including the Z-series lineup. They ranged from 1.8L to 2.3L and were paired to a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. The Z18ET engine was turbocharged, introducing forced induction into the lineup.
1980s Nissan Silvias
In 1983, the S12 Nissan Silvia hit the market. A distinctive feature was the pop-up headlights, coming in the era for more luxurious sports cars. It was available as a coupe and hatchback body style. The Japanese domestic market received both the Silvia and the Gazelle, with the Silvia being sold from Nissan Price Stores as a smaller sibling to the Skyline in Coupe body style, and the Gazelle offered at the Nissan Bluebird Store, only in hatchback. The engines now included 1.8L and 2.0L options, both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged, plus a fairly mastic 3.0L V6 with 160 horsepower.The widespread popularity of the Silvia began to grow, now being offered in many European markets and going through a mid-generation design change to the Mark II variant, plus Group B motorsports usage and JSS competitions. In 1988, the Nissan Silvia S13 was released. This canonic generation won the 1988 Car of the Year Award in Japan. This generation model was exported under the Nissan 240SX and 180SX monikers, with the Silvia remaining at Nissan Price Store dealerships in Japan. The engines for this generation included both 1.8L and 2.0L naturally-aspirated and turbocharged choices. It included Nissan's four-wheel steering design, the HICAS-II or SuperHICAS, as well as multi-link rear suspension and a viscous limited slip differential in select models.
S14 Nissan Silvia Improvements
In 1993, the Japanese domestic market received the S14 Nissan Silvia. It stretched the dimensions, making it more streamlined with a lower roofline and wider stance, while also increasing the wheelbase and track, resulting in worse road tax treatment in Japan. Engine displacement sizes now bumped up to 2.0L and 2.4L, with the 2.0L receiving a turbo option. You could also add on unique options like large rear spoilers and ground effects. It was turning into the enthusiasts car that many had dreamed of, but also hit some barriers as many buyers turned toward larger SUV offerings in the era.
Japanese Exclusive S15 Model
Nissan released the Nissan Silvia S15 model in 1999, now with a 2.0L inline-4 in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged variants. It could produced up to 247 horsepower with 203 lb-ft of torque, cranking up the power while also improving the design to be aggressive and stylish. This model was only available in Japan, mainly due to regulatory issues, which transformed it into a widely sought after model that is still in many dreams today. In the US, people would have to wait up to 25 years to import this vehicle. The Spec-R had a six-speed manual transmission and four-piston calipers. It also had a larger brake booster and sway bars. Today, you'll find the Nissan Silvia is not just any car, it's one that people absolutely adore. The S13 through S15 models are well-known as being an incredible platform for many racing series, including drifting, and offer a wide selection of aftermarket products to allow for incredible performance plus insane customization. In fact, the S15 Nissan Silvia was used in a Fast & Furious movie, despite it never being offered in the North American market. Now, some of these are getting ready to pass the 25-year mark, making them possibly to import into the US.