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
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