Nissan 200SX | Spotted
The Z Proto isn't coming to Europe, but there's no shortage of Japanese sports cars in the classifieds
It'll probably take a while for us to get over the fact that Nissan's Z Proto won't heading to Europe. For reasons related to predicted demand and local regulations, Nissan has decided that the GT-R will remain its only high-performance offering to the region. That's a real shame, not least because the PH forums suggest the new Zed car has a lot of fans. Alas, it's to the classifieds we must turn for a Nissan fix. At least there's plenty to choose from.
Who remembers when Nissan was brave enough to sell two sports cars in Europe? In the nineties, Brits were treated to both the 300ZX and 200SX, two different takes on the two-door, front-engined Japanese performance car, meant to satisfy different budgets and tastes. The 300ZX was there to worry the supercar establishment while the 200SX, even when rounded off with its 1994 facelift, remained the more delicate enthusiast offering.
We say delicate, this car still packs a turbocharger and sends 200hp to the rear wheels via a four-speed auto (urgh) or five-speed manual, making for a seven second 0-60mph time and 146mph top speed. The blown 2.0-litre is traditional in its delivery, in that the power supply is far from linear, with noticeable lag before a slab of torque lands at 4,800rpm. It keeps on powering to that peak at 6,400rpm, so there's room to play with.
The four-cylinder is renowned for being tough, too, so you can enjoy the motor's labours often, and make the most of a rugged 2+2 chassis. These were not hunkered down, out and out sports cars, but rather more grand tourer-ish in their character with plenty of give in the damping (although the back seats are miniscule). They're not heavy at 1,270kg though and the balance was good enough for the 200SX to relish being driven quickly. It's old school stuff, obviously.
Of course, by today's standards the car is not actually fast. A hot hatch would leave one for dead and unless you're on the motor's boil, so too would your average diesel rep mobile. A lot of examples have, of course, been extensively modified (many saw the car and its bigger Z-badged brother as starting points, rather than the finished products), but that only means those to have survived in standard trim all the more special. Which brings us to today's Spotted.
The red paint is blemish free and actually still red, the silver wheels look spotless and even the exhaust tips look factory fresh. It's all said to be there in working order (this is a Nissan, after all), and as a one owner car from new with only 15,000 miles on the clock, it might just be the best example in Britain. It comes with everything that was originally supplied with the car, including the booklets and paperwork; it's about as close as you're going to get to time travelling back to 1999 for real.
True enough, £24,950 is steep to vertical, and virtually what you'd have paid for the car back in its day. But as a faultless throwback to Nissan's glory days, it's hard to resist. It might even appreciate now that a modern day replacement is off the table...
NISSAN 200SX | SPECIFICATION
Engine: 1,998cc, turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 200@6,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 195@4,800rpm
MPG: 27
CO2: 227g/km
Recorded mileage: 15,000
Year registered: 1999
Price new: c. £25,000
Yours for: £24,950
The main thing was to get it breathing better - the turbo lag (or "boost threshold" as I keep being told to say) was annoying in stop start traffic so on went an HKS intake kit and cat-back exhaust. Job jobbed. I also wanted to firm it up a bit so treated it to some springs & dampers. Then bigger wheels, poly bushes & quick shift and so on.
They were both great in their day. They held their own against mates' Corrado VR6's, Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo's, Prelude V Tecs etc. The first one took me to the south of France a couple of times and, once, all along the Pyrenees from east to west. The second one round the Highlands, amongst many other memorable trips. Sometimes a bit sideways, which was one their party tricks.
Of all the mainstream coupes at the time (and there were loads), this was the pick.
Got to be honest, it was rubbish as standard.
Very soft suspension, understeered, poor brakes, little traction.
However, as has been said, if you are prepared to throw some money at it and replace the suspension, brakes, fit an uprated anti roll bar, decent tyres and tune a little, they can be made into pretty decent drivers cars.
I tuned mine to 290 bhp, at which point it ate its gearbox the first time i launched it hard.
Gave up at that point
I do have fond memories of it though, particularly as it gave me the taste and lead to me buying better jap performance cars further down the line.
Had it for 4 years and 40k miles and I still miss it, even driving to collect my Cerbera 4.5 when I traded it in I was still questioning why I was getting rid of it. I love them.
Mental pricing.
Not the best cars as standard but great fun with a few tweaks and a bit more power.
Agree that they are pretty tame as standard, but once you fettle with them it transforms them for certain.
Had two S13s, SR20DE then DET as here but with the smaller T25G turbo. With this it was more like a modern engine, power came in pretty low down, very useable torque. In some ways a mildly tuned SR20DET had too much torque too soon for the chassis, although obviously handy if you want to go sideways.
Really nice cars to own/drive - dependable, torquey, economical, narrow bodies and tight turning circles so wieldy in town and touge alike, plenty of space inside for a coupe (especially the S13 hatch), a nice connected feel, good visibility. Not the best handling balance, but can learn to work with it. A super alternative to a hot hatch.
My £25k would be going on importing a clean S15 Silvia from Japan and rustproofing it, for the better rigidity, torsen diff and general JDM cool factor ;-) but I can see these following the Mk1 Escort progression of ubiquitious, sideways, rusty, rare.
Had two S13s, SR20DE then DET as here but with the smaller T25G turbo. With this it was more like a modern engine, power came in pretty low down, very useable torque. In some ways a mildly tuned SR20DET had too much torque too soon for the chassis, although obviously handy if you want to go sideways.
Really nice cars to own/drive - dependable, torquey, economical, narrow bodies and tight turning circles so wieldy in town and touge alike, plenty of space inside for a coupe (especially the S13 hatch), a nice connected feel, good visibility. Not the best handling balance, but can learn to work with it. A super alternative to a hot hatch.
My £25k would be going on importing a clean S15 Silvia from Japan and rustproofing it, for the better rigidity, torsen diff and general JDM cool factor ;-) but I can see these following the Mk1 Escort progression of ubiquitious, sideways, rusty, rare.
Try finding another one with low mileage on for much less
Even high milers are going for five figures.
Like it or not, some people do like the older modern classics and when even a normal hot hatch is 25k plus new I can see why a car like this might fetch big money
Plus it even has a diff cooler as standard! That’s a statement of intended use if ever I saw one
I'm into my Mazda MX6's, a similar type of two door coupe from the era, but they are wrong wheel drive so don't attract anything like the same kind of prices, RWD seems to be the big draw with the 200SX.
Some of my mates refused to go out in it with me in...because I'd scared them to death!
Everyone that had a go in it couldn't believe how quick it felt to drive. I'd imagine one running around 400bhp must be completely mental, because mine was no slouch with only 250bhp. Some of my mates refused to go out in it with me in...because I'd scared them to death!
Everyone that had a go in it couldn't believe how quick it felt to drive. I'd imagine one running around 400bhp must be completely mental, because mine was no slouch with only 250bhp. I remember getting through an Exedy organic clutch in only 9 months too, so I reverted back to the standard clutch after that and that lasted well enough in comparison.
Great memories.
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