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If you love drift cars, then you know the Nissan Silvia. Find out what made this JDM sports car so beloved by the car community.
Nissan S-Chassis: A Drifter’s Dream
Nissan had some big hitters in the ‘90s that have become staple cars among JDM enthusiasts. You of course had the Nissan Skyline GT-R and Nissan 300ZX at the top of the list, but we can’t forget about the awesome drift missile known as the Nissan Silvia. It was a sleek sports car sold for a great price. This left owners with a bit of extra cash to modify the car to their heart’s content. Over in the states, we technically knew this sports car as the 240SX – at least in terms of chassis designation. It was a sweet little two-door featuring pop-up headlights and a great price.
However, the 240SX wasn’t the first time the S-Chassis was available in the USA. Nissan’s first S-Chassis car made its North American debut in the 1976 as the Datsun 200SX. This S10 generation of the Silvia wasn’t well received unfortunately as it was outclassed by similarly priced models due to its leaf spring rear suspension hampering its handling. Despite this, the S10 gained the attention of actor Paul Newman who raced the Nissan in 1978 IMSA competition.
Following this model was the S110 in 1979. Still referred to as the Datsun 200SX, it failed to generate any substantial buzz despite having found moderate success in the World Rally Championship. Nissan replaced that model with the S12 generation, a sportier looking Silvia that introduced better performance under the hood via available turbocharged four-cylinders and even a 3.0L V6. Japanese and American audiences didn’t fully appreciate the S12 for its unique engine options or its ‘80s style that was heavily inspired by the Toyota Corolla of the same time.
Nissan again utilized the Silvia in WRC competition, but more importantly even produced a Super Silhouette version of the S12 for the Japan Supersports Series (JSS). It’s here at the JSS events that the Silvia started to gain some traction with the tuning audience. There weren’t a ton of aftermarket components tailored for the S12, but it managed to gain the admiration of now famous tuning brands like HKS in the racing series.
Regardless of the growing interest from tuners, this S12 generation also didn’t garner the public perception Nissan was after. The affordable sports car they’d been after seemed out of reach – until the S13.
Nissan Silvia S13
Nissan revealed the S13 Silvia in 1988, just as the S12 was being booted out the door. The “Art Force Silvia” had been designed to offer a sleeker package that sat lower to the ground than previous S-Chassis models. This lowered stance coupled with the front engine, rear-wheel drive setup, and its newly developed multi-link rear suspension made it an ideal drift car. Shoppers also had the choice between liftback, coupe, or a limited run of convertibles.
Initially, Nissan only offered the S13 with carryover engines from the S12. The base Silvia J and intermediate Silvia Q models received naturally aspirated CA18DE 1.8L four-cylinder. The flagship Silvia K trimmed models gained the CA18DET, a turbocharged variant of the base engine that was also given an intercooler. 168 horsepower from the turbocharged unit was nothing to scoff at, but Nissan thankfully returned with a better powerplant for the 1990 model.
The SR20DE 2.0L four-cylinder was introduced under the hood of the S13 Silvia producing 132 horsepower in its naturally aspirated form or 202 horsepower on the Garrett T25G turbocharged SR20DET variant. This larger engine coupled with the Silvia’s lowered and improved suspension made it easy to swing around turns – and its cheaper price made it a great for not worrying too much if you bumpered a wall.
People loved what Nissan did so much with the S13 that the 180SX version, a pop-up headlight installed strictly liftback iteration of the model sold at Nissan Bluebird Stores, continued to be produced well after the S13 Silvia had been discontinued. The Silvia had fully transitioned to the S14 generation after 1993, but the 180SX S13 continued until 1998.
Nissan Silvia S14
With the S13 Silvia entering its fifth year of production in 1994, Nissan decided it was time to introduce the S14 model during the tail end of the S13 while popularity was still hot. The S14 Silvia featured a smoothed-out, wider body design over its predecessor that gave it rounder proportions. Nissan also lengthened the Silvia’s wheelbase, widened its track, and lowered it even more than the S13. The liftback and convertible options were done away with, leaving the lone Silvia body style a coupe.
The SR20DE 2.0L four-cylinder was carried over, but the turbocharged SR20DET version of the engine gained some updates. Nissan’s variable cam timing system (N-VCT) was added to the intake cam and a larger Garrett T28 turbocharger was installed. These updates pushed the engine up to 217 horsepower.
In 1996, just two years after the S14 started production, Nissan instituted a refresh for the Silvia. The front facia was given a more aggressive look, projector headlights were installed (previously optional equipment), the taillights were tinted, and the turbocharger was updated to use a ball bearing center cartridge. This version of the S14 Silvia acted as the second generation 240SX in the United States – the last time we’d see the S-Chassis here.
Nissan Silvia S15: The Limited & Last
As the S14 ended in 1999 globally, Nissan introduced their latest Silvia – the S15. This iteration was slimmer than the S14 and was given more pronounced body lines that added to its aggressive nature. The ball bearing turbocharger toting SR20DET 2.0L four-cylinder continued in this model, but had been given a revised ECU tune that helped it produce 247 horsepower.
New to the Silvia lineup were the Spec-S and Spec-R models. Previous models had available “Club” or “Aero” packages that tacked on some new wheels, side skirts, and a rear spoiler. These new packages went beyond the aerodynamic addons and wheels. Silvia Spec-S models paired the naturally aspirated SR20DE with a 5-speed manual, front 2-piston brake calipers, a larger brake booster, big rear spoiler, new side skirts, and a revised front bumper.
Silvia Spec-R models gained some of those same additions while utilizing the SR20DET paired to a 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic as well as additional updates that pandered to circuit use rather than drifting. Larger anti-roll bars were also installed and there was additional bracing for the struts. Spec-R models also gained 4-piston front brake calipers and an even larger brake booster than the Spec-S. Nissan’s HICAS four-wheel steering advancement was optional on this version. The most important addition though was the added limited-slip differential that helped it corner with less loss of traction when cornering.
The S15 Silvia was the epitome of the S-Chassis, but Americans never got a taste of the action. This generation was limited to Japan, New Zealand, and Australian markets. To make matters worse, Nissan only produced this model up until 2002 furthering its scarcity. We haven’t had anything as fun to whip around a winding track since, but the nameplate may not be gone for long.
Will the Nissan Silvia Make a Comeback?
Back on September 5th, 2024, Nissan’s Vice President of Global Product Strategy had confirmed plans for reintroducing the Silvia name as a cheaper sports car option positioned below the new Nissan Z and the Nissan GT-R. It remains to be seen if Nissan will remain around long enough to see this plan to fruition given recent shortfalls on profitability and the cancelled Honda merger. It is least good to know that Nissan hasn’t completely discarded the idea of bringing back one of our favorite JDM sports cars.
