Nissan Silvia S110 – 3rd-Generation (1979-1983) | Japanese Legends

The Nissan Silvia S110 wasn’t particularly fun to look at, but it provided good performance and an entertaining drive, laying the foundations for future models.

After revisiting the first two generations, we now come to the third-gen Silvia, the S110 series, a car that had a massive impact on how people perceived the model. It was the turning point that started Silvia’s path toward becoming a truly iconic Japanese sports car. Although Nissan didn’t spend much time in development, the S110 still plays a pivotal role in the Silvia legacy. Notably, it marks the point where the meaning of the Silvia nameplate changed from dull and slow to dull and fast.

Advertisements

Background

Following the somewhat moderate success the S10 series Silvia experienced not only in Japan but also in other markets, like the US, Nissan did not waste much time before coming up with a replacement to keep the momentum going. Nissan launched the new S110 Series Silvia in 1979 to replace the outgoing S10 series.

The new car had different names in various markets and was also available in two body forms. Nissan had high hopes for the S110. Just like the S10, this model also used Nissan’s S-platform, albeit with some minor improvements. Namely, Nissan offered different engine options depending on the market, but domestic versions always got the better end of the deal.

Base Model — Silvia and Gazelle 1800 LS

The Domestic Version was Better than the Global Counterpart

The JDM version of the S110 had two names: Silvia and Gazelle. This was done to enable different dealership networks to sell different variants of the car. The Gazelle models were akin to a more premium offering. Moreover, Nissan reserved the Silvia name for the coupe versions while using Gazelle for the 3-door hatchback body style. Interestingly, even with such a dull design, this Silvia managed to maintain its reputation as a specialty car.

Nissan offered two body styles on the Silvia S110 for the first time. The idea was to cover a wider market area and sell more cars. Besides, just like the S10 series, this iteration came in different trim levels with the same engine options and subtle interior differences.

The S110 Finally Received a Turbocharger

Although the S110 series may not have been the most beautiful Silvia yet, it was certainly the most powerful. Notably, under the hood is the only place where it managed to generate some excitement among the masses.

Curiously, Nissan originally planned to fit a Wankel engine but later scrapped the plan due to reliability issues. As a replacement, Nissan fitted its Z18 engine. Depending on the version, this 1.8-liter engine produced between 103 and 113 hp.

Nissan also introduced the first-ever turbo in the Silvia and Gazelle or any S-platform car, for that matter. The 1.8-liter turbocharged Z18ET engine also featured fuel injection, producing 133 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, giving the Silvia serious street credibility. However, it didn’t have any special gauges to indicate the boost pressure or other parameters that differentiate it from non-turbo variants.

Nonetheless, in 1982, Nissan released an even more powerful engine – the 16-valve FJ20E. The Japanese company originally designed this engine for the DR30 Skyline, but the brand’s top brass did not want to develop an entirely new engine for use in just one car.

The FJ20E was a 2.0-liter fuel-injected unit that produced 148 hp and 133 lb-ft torque. As a result, the Silvia made the 0-60 mph sprint in just 8 seconds and reached a top speed of 121 mph.

Styling Features or Lack Thereof

The Silvia S110 brought with it a new design language that would shape future Silvias. Although previous generations were widely criticized for having western styling, Nissan did nothing to change that here. Perhaps the only change was that the S110 was plain boring to look at. In an attempt to change Silvia’s usual design cues, the designers made it overly serious. Needless to say, it’s not very pleasing to look at. Obviously, the classic car appeal of the S10 also didn’t carry over.

For the first time in the Silvia’s history, the S110 was available in both 2-door coupe and 3-door hatchback forms. This not only catered to more people but also gave buyers more options to choose from. In Japan, the hatchback Gazelle design was only sold at Nissan’s Bluebird stores, while the coupe was exclusive to Prince Stores and sold alongside the Skyline.

The front fascia featured a compact grille and dual headlights on each side, just like the first-gen CSP311 Silvia. Also following along the lines of both previous generations, the S110 also had side mirrors on the fenders. Overall, the styling of the S110 was similar to Nissan’s Leopard sedan, also available in coupe and sedan form. Nonetheless, buyers preferred the S110 hatchback as it featured a fastback-like sweeping rear, giving it a sporty look.

Two years after launch, Nissan gave the S110 a mid-life facelift in 1981, including new bumpers and redesigned front fascia.

Datsun 200SX

Export Version

Thanks to the oil crisis, the previous Silvia was a massive success in export markets due to its fuel-efficient small displacement engine. Wanting to capitalize on the momentum, this time, Nissan even gave the car different names for different markets. For example, Mexican versions were badged as Datsun Sakura (Japanese for cherry blossom), and some parts of Europe know it as the Datsun 180SX, while the 200SX nameplate was retained for the US and Canada.

Different Under the Skin

The export versions of the S110 series initially featured Nissan’s L20B engine from the outgoing 200SX. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit produced 97 hp and 102 lb-ft of torque.

Fast-forward a year to 1980, where Californian versions were fitted with the 2.0-liter Z20 engine that was good for 100 hp and 112 lb-ft of torque. However, come 1981, and the Z20 engine was the only option available for the 200SX. The engine sent all power to the rear wheels via either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic transmission.

From 1982 onwards, Nissan offered the Z22E engine for the facelifted 200SX in the United States. The Z22E was a 2.2-liter unit with fuel injection, good for 103 hp and 129 lb-ft torque. As a result, the 200SX could make a 0-60mph sprint in 10.9 seconds with the manual and reach 109 mph; pretty impressive considering the fact that these cars weighed just over 2425 pounds (1100 kg).

The 200SX Looked Perhaps Even Worse

In terms of the design, all export versions were quite similar to the Japanese versions apart from minor differences required to meet local regulations. Moreover, as the domestic version was updated in 1981 with fresh styling, Nissan also followed the move with similar updates to the export models.

Just like the S10 series, the second-gen 200SX also featured 5 mph bumpers that further deteriorated the dull looks.

Coming to the interior, the coupe and hatchback models were strategically aimed at different markets. For example, the coupe was more focused on luxury, with the top trim level having features such as a removable sunroof and remote-operated trunk, hood, and gas cap. Meanwhile, the hatchback leaned towards sportiness.

Nissan 240RS

The Unsuccessful Rally Silvia S110

In 1983, Nissan produced a homologation special car based on the S110 series Silvia to meet the FIA’s requirements to compete in the World Rally Championship. The car had boxy flared fenders, higher ground clearance, and a very special engine under the hood. Moreover, the 240RS featured Nissan’s FJ24 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produced 237 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque. The power then went to the rear wheels via a manual transmission.

As the name suggests, the FJ24 engine was part of Nissan’s FJ line of engines that usually maxed-out at 2 liters. Nissan designed this engine specifically to give the 240RS a better chance of winning, but its competitors were running 500 hp supercharged/turbocharged engines. So naturally, a carbureted 2.4-liter engine had little to no chance of performing. As a result, the 240RS was not very successful, and its best result was second place in New Zealand before Nissan ditched it after three seasons in 1985.

Nissan made more than 200 of these cars, out of which over 150 were left-hand drive.

Last Words

The S110 laid the foundation for the Silvia madness that exists today with its range of potent engine options that make it such an awesome driving experience. Once you find a way to look beyond the exterior styling, it does not take long to appreciate the S110 for its advantages. Besides, there might be some people that prefer such styling.

Specifications

Gallery

Download your Nissan owners manual here!

Read more: