Following the S110 series’ decent success at home and in international markets, Nissan started working on the next Silvia before ending the 3rd-gen production and sales in 1983. Despite being a turning point in the model’s history that led to a shift from “mildly exciting” to a proper sports car, the S12 series never really got the recognition it truly deserves, even to this day. Although to be fair, the S12’s popularity has seen considerable growth over the years.
Nonetheless, if you ask me, Nissan fans, sports car enthusiasts, JDM fans, or even car lovers in general, have the S12 to thank for cementing the Silvia name as a truly iconic sports car with a legacy that continues to inspire even today.
Background
As the outgoing S110 Series Silvia was nearing the end of production, Nissan released the newer and better S12 Series Silvia, showing that it intends to continue making exciting and somewhat affordable sports cars under this name. Just like the S110 series, the S12 was also available in two body styles, a coupe version known as the Silvia and a hatchback referred to as the Gazelle. Different versions of the car had different names depending on the geographic market, but the design remained the same.
From the S12 generation, Nissan decided to take ahead the Silvia nameplate while focusing more on the sporty side of things. From here on, every generation or body style in the Nissan Silvia line-up was available with a respectably potent engine and good driving dynamics that would result in a steady growth of admirers around the globe.
Domestic Version — Silvia S12 and Gazelle models
As mentioned earlier, the S12 version was also sold separately in hatchback and coupe form not only in Japan but also in export markets. Furthermore, several trim levels were available that included progressive changes in the powertrain and certain aesthetic upgrades.
Under the Skin
The S12 series had a host of engine options to choose from; the base and other low-end models got a selection of 1.8-liter engines from the CA series, while higher models like the RS or the RS-X got much more exciting power units. The 1.8-liter engines belonging to Nissan’s CA range had power outputs in the range of 100 to 135 horsepower. On the other hand, the RS variants were fitted with the FJ20E dual overhead camshaft engine. The 2.0-liter engine could produce almost 148 horsepower and 134 lb-ft of torque.
The range-topping RS-X variant came with a turbocharged version of the FJ20E. Dubbed the FJ20ET, this powerplant made 187 horsepower and 166 lb-ft torque. The RS and RS-X models came standard with a 5-speed manual transmission, while cars equipped with any engine from the CA series could also be optioned with a 4-speed automatic gearbox.
Styling Features
It was visually evident that the new S12 Series Silvia drew significant inspiration from the outgoing model. It broadly followed the similar western design language seen in every Silvia series but had some unique touches. For the first time, a Silvia was unveiled with pop-up headlights, a feature that is the epitome of coolness in today’s time. The pop-up headlights were also intended to appeal more to younger buyers and increase market share in that realm. The RS-X model came with a bulged hood required to create space for the FJ-series engine underneath. The hood’s exterior appearance was further enhanced by making the bulge appear as an air intake or a hood-scoop complete with “DOHC” branding.
In 1986, Nissan decided to give the S12 Silvia a mild update and released a Mark II version. The newer version changes were mostly aesthetic; it received updated bumpers, a new front grille, and other improvements to the exterior body trim.
Export Version
In North American markets, the S12 chassis was still called the “Nissan 200SX” while it was badged as Gazelle in Australia. The Silvia name was retained for Europe, except Sweden, where Nissan decided to avoid naming its car after the country’s queen and went with 180ZX instead. In Europe, Nissan decided to only sell hatchback variants while other markets received both body styles.
Under the Skin
S12 cars meant for North America were offered either with a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter engine from the CA series or a 1.8-liter turbo power unit. The former produced around 100 horsepower while the latter took the figure up to 130.
Later in 1987, Nissan introduced a 200SX Sports Edition in the US. The SE model came with a naturally aspirated V6 engine producing nearly 160 horsepower. The 3.0-liter VG30E power unit was a popular choice in the US market, with Nissan managing to sell enough SE models to qualify for homologation in the WRC, but more on that later. At first, Nissan’s top brass was rather skeptical about the S12’s success in the US, made evident by the late February launch while all other 1984 model year cars were launched nearly four months earlier.
The S12 sold in European markets was mainly equipped with the aforementioned 1.8-liter turbo engine, while certain countries also got the infamous FJ20E engine from the S110 240RS. Customers could also opt for a rally package for their new Silvia. It came with headlamp guards, a foot brace for the passenger, and headlight dust cleaners. Furthermore, in almost all export markets, the S12 was available with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission, depending on the variant.
Styling Features
Neither of the S12’s export versions featured any significant changes apart from those made in order to adhere to local laws. The SE and turbo models sold in North America and Europe were equipped with branded ground effects after the Mark II update. Moreover, there was also a hood bulge in all Mark II variants required to accommodate the massive V6 engine offered in the US.
Rally S12
The 1980s were a highly significant time in the history of the World Rally Championship. In 1986, the WRC decided to permanently ban the Group B racing category from all events due to an unprecedented increase in fatal accidents. Increasing horsepower figures and unreliability could also be considered as additional factors that led to this historic decision. However, with Group B gone, Nissan desperately needed to find a suitable rally car to replace the 240RS with a newer version that would comply with the new norms.
The Japanese carmaker’s first choice would naturally be the domestically-sold Turbo RS-X model. However, Nissan failed to sell the minimum number of 5,000 units required according to WRC homologation rules of the time. The regulations required all of the 5,000 units sold to have the same chassis and engine architecture used in the rally car. So, the brand went with the North American 200SX SE V6 model. Thanks to a V6 powertrain that carried an enormous appeal for the North American market, Nissan was confident about selling the required number of units for WRC homologation.
Dubbed the Nissan 200SX, the new rally car competed in WRC events for five years and achieved sparse success. The naturally aspirated V6 engine, a highly unusual choice at the time, was tweaked to produce 250 horsepower. The S12 rally car won the 1988 Ivory Coast rally and came in second place for two in the 1988 and 1989 Safari Rally.
Silvia S12 Grand Prix
Somewhere in or around 1986, Nissan started working on a unique special edition model for the European market. Dubbed the Silvia Grand Prix Special Edition, this model was produced in extremely limited numbers. Even though the exact production number remains unknown to this day, reports claim total cars to be somewhere between the range of 50 to 60.
The Grand Prix model was based on the S12 Mark 1 chassis powered by the FJ20E engine, also found in other Silvia models. However, a handful of GP models are also rumored to be fitted with the 1.8-liter CA18ET engine.
The features that set it apart from normal series production Silvias were limited to being purely aesthetic. The GP model had a distinctive widebody kit that seemed heavily inspired by famous rally cars of that era like the Audi Quattro, for example. One would find fiberglass fenders, front and rear quarter panels, and a set of special wheels on the Grand Prix model; these additions made did make for a rally-like appearance but had little resemblance to Nissan’s actual S12 Silvia rally car.
After the S12 Silvia Mark 2’s debut, Nissan did not take the Grand Prix model any further, making it an extremely rare and valuable collector’s item in today’s market. If you happen to own one of these special machines or come across one for sale, our advice would be to hold onto them tight as the GP model is an important yet mostly forgotten piece of Silvia history.
Last Words
There goes another Silvia model. The S12 Series Silvia was an important chapter in the S-chassis history. It marked an important turning point that led to the Silvia name becoming what it is today. Also, this series is probably one of the most popular and recognized Silvia before the S14. Be sure to stay tuned for detailed information about the next generation Silvia coming soon.
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Gallery
Read more:
• Nissan Silvia CSP311 — 1st-Generation (1965-1968)
• Nissan Silvia S10 – 2nd-Generation (1975-1979)
