Nissan 200SX News

Nissan could bring another legendary name back into its portfolio with global product boss suggesting Silvia could have a part to play in the brand's future.

The iconic Nissan Silvia, or 200SX, is poised to make a comeback as early as 2025, with recent Japanese reports pointing to the performance car being reborn with electrification.The news would completes the turning back of the clock undertaken in Japan re

The iconic Datsun 1600 could be revived as a budget-priced rear-drive sports-coupe, if this Nissan concept car from the Tokyo motor show is a guide. The IDx Nismo concept took centre stage on the Nissan stand -- ahead of the updated GT-R -- with two models: a retro-themed lime green standard car and a sports model with hints of rally versions of early Datsun 1600s.The concept car is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder engine which drives the rear wheels. Company insiders say it could fill the void left by the exit of the Nissan 200SX and be a cheaper alternative to the Nissan 370Z.Nissan says many of the designers of the IDx were people who "grew up playing racing simulation games" and fell in love with the iconic Datsun 1600, which is older than many of the people who designed the IDx.The original Datsun 1600 was a favourite among professional and amateur rally drivers because of its nimble frame, powerful engine and rear-drive chassis.Nissan has not confirmed the IDx will go into production but if early reaction to the car at the show is a guide, the Japanese company will be buoyed by the positive response.Here’s hoping the modern Datsun 1600 gets a green light faster than the Nissan GT-R did. Nissan showed the concept GT-R in 2001 but the production version wasn’t released until late 2007. Watch the desktop version of the Nissan IDx concepts video here.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling_______________________________________ 

Nissan is set to uncover two new sports car concepts at the Tokyo motor show next month, signalling the continuation of two of the brand’s most celebrated model lines.UK mag What Car reports that the more production ready of the two will hint at an upcoming successor to the hallowed 200SX/Silvia series, which would represent Nissan’s answer to the hugely successful Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ twins.Nissan’s executive vice president Andy Palmer previously implied that the second concept will preview the replacement for the 370Z. "When will you see it? Come to Tokyo," he was quoted as saying last month.While the Z concept’s styling is expected to take a new direction beyond the more recent 350Z/370Z lineage, the 200SX concept will reportedly display clear references to a previous model that does not belong to the Z family.Nissan’s most recent sports concept was the Esflow coupe shown at the 2011 Tokyo motor show, but it is unclear whether either of the new concepts will draw on its design.A new 200SX/Silvia could draw power from a version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine used in the Juke crossover and Pulsar SSS and ST-S, albeit modified to suit the model’s likely rear-drive layout.The last 200SX/Silvia bowed out in 2002, with the development of its already delayed replacement halted by the GFC in 2008.Subsequent reports have suggested that the model line would be absorbed by a smaller, cheaper 370Z replacement, but the runaway success of the 86/BRZ twins may have convinced Nissan to continue with two distinct model lines. Mazda’s upcoming new MX-5 along with the jointly-developed Alfa Romeo Spider may have also encouraged Nissan to take its slice of the budget rear-wheel drive sports car pie.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

After being a smiling model on quiz shows The Price Is Right and Temptation, McGregor has landed a gig hosting the Foxtel reality show, Blood, Sweat & Gears."It was always the next step," McGregor says. "I meet people saying they love Temptation, but it's so hard to get your personality across when you're just smiling in the background."A graphic designer by trade, 26-year-old McGregor spent the past two-and-a-half years in Nine's Temptation family with Ed Phillips and Livinia Nixon.McGregor admits he's not "the craziest car fan," but didn't hesitate when it came to auditioning for BS&G."To be honest, I got a phone call from one of the guys at Foxtel asking me if I would like to audition for it," he says. "I never knock back an audition, even if I don't think I'm suited to it."He may not be a revhead, but the Aussies on the show certainly are."They're absolute nuts. It's like a religion to them. Since I have had the gig, I have had so many people come up to me and tell me a story about their cars," McGregor says.The show pits seven guys and their beloved cars against each other.The contestants are;Andrew: Japanese Import (Nissan 200SX)Andy: American Muscle(Chevy Corvette)Dave: Classic Australian(Holden LJ Torana)Dimitri: Classic Australian(Ford GT Falcon)Dominic: Performance Rotary (Mazda RX7)Jeremy: Australian Muscle (Holden Commodore VL HDT)Mohamed: High Performance European (Ferrari 350 Modena)Official judges are Ian Luff, a former race driver, and Nathan Luck, a motoring journalist. Each week, the revheads and the cars will be put through a series of tests. While the drivers will know who wins each stage, they never find out their placing on the leaderboard. McGregor says it adds to the tension."They don't know who is doing well and the challengers get a little angry and eaten up inside," he says."These guys think their car is the best. But they find out a few things about themselves as drivers - maybe they're not as good as they thought. I think it will get people into the show."While McGregor is enjoying his debut as TV host, he is unused to seeing himself as a presenter."You're always your own biggest critic and it is still kind of strange when I see myself. But I love hearing feedback, even when it's bad. It makes you better at what you do."

Now reality television will enter the world of car lovers, with a new series that goes in search of Australia's best car and driver. Blood, Sweat & Gears is a new show which will debut on FOX8 next month, with seven finalists competing for the title of the best driver and the best car, not to mention the bragging rights that come with it. Advanced driver training instructor Ian Luff is a judge on the reality show, which he describes as a motoring version of Survivor, even featuring a car council and a whole series of challenges. “It's a show about people and their cars in a competitive environment where everyone wants to win, but naturally, there's only going to be one winner,” Luff says. The seven finalists, who come from all over Australia, previously had their cars featured in car magazines and were selected by people in the industry to take part in the series. And there is a diverse range of machinery on show, from Japanese imports, a Nissan 200SX and a 800hp Mazda RX7, to classic American and Australian muscle cars, such as a 540-cubic-inch Chevy Corvette, an original VL Brock Commodore, an LJ Torana and a classic Ford GT. And you can't have a competition about the best and fastest cars without a Ferrari. “The cars were supposed to be the stars, but you have to remember people drive cars, they own these cars, the people and personalities tend to overshadow the cars,” Luff says. “These cars are their passion, they built them, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on them and you're dealing with male egos here.” And it seems putting seven rev-heads together with their prized possessions is a recipe for disaster generating some fairly heated moments making for, of course, some great TV. “It was all about egos, big boys and big toys,” Luff says of the contestants, who were put through a series of tests, from navigating their own powerful cars through slalom courses, accelerating and suddenly braking on skid pans, to testing the engine on a dyno or on the quarter mile at an air strip. On one challenge, Luff jumped into a Hyundai i30 and set a time he expected the seven competitors to beat. Not surprisingly, Luff says most were a little too confident and eager. Six of the seven drivers spun out. Ferrari owner Mohamed Ibrahim, in particular, was not happy as his “very powerful” car began to lose control around the bend, and went into safety mode, turning itself off. The Mazda RX7, a car Luff calls a “stealth bomber” was the only car to make it through successfully, beating Luff's time by two-tenths of a second. “When you see enthusiasm exceed ability it's just the most amazing thing, where testosterone and ability don't work together,” he laughs. And it wasn't just the car against car, with all seven drivers having a turn in the i30 for one challenge, to see who could do the best. It then came time to jump into an old Ford Fairlane, which lacks the benefit of modern technology. Ibrahim says although car fanatics can get competitive both behind the wheel and when talking of their cars, the program was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “It was excellent, the best week of my life,” he says. “We were working with a team we never met before and at the end of the series you miss them. Straight away we became like best friends in a matter of a couple of days.” Having rebuilt more than 500 cars in the past six years at his smash-repair business in Condell Park, Ibrahim has the credentials. In four days, he got his 2003 350 Modena ready for the show. Having spent $350,000 on the car, including enhancements such as 22-inch wheels, a twin turbo, a paint job and red leather interior, Ibrahim was ready to show Australia he and his 5.6-litre V8 car really are the best in the country. “I know pretty much everything to do with cars,” Ibrahim says. “My one is definitely the best, there were a lot of old cars but I like the later models.” Ibrahim says he loved taking part, but didn't learn anything new from Luff. “I reckon I could give him a lesson,” he jokes.  

Pimped, blinged, modified or simply done up. They all add up to the same thing: the process of altering a car. It's easy for outsiders to dismiss some of the more extravagant ventures as kitsch or simply a waste of money, but the influence of such films as Pimp My Ride and The Fast And The Furious is growing.For devotees, spending $30,000 on pimping a car is a way of self-expression, of forging a distinct identity and, most important, having fun.Albert Lahood has this sense of pride and enjoyment in abundance.After buying a new Subaru WRX two years ago, the 21-year-old business marketing student transformed it from a run-of-the-mill Soob to a unique show car.“I've added TV screens and had it retrimmed in suede and leather from Italy,” he says. “The wheels are custom-made, and I painted them the same colour as the car.“I've done the interior, the audio, done the wheels, exhaust, engine modifications — the list goes on.“A DVD player, an MP3 player. The engine's got an intercooler, and a special air-flow system, blow-out valve and and engine computer.”That adds up to an estimated $30,000 to $35,000, including the cost of adding no fewer than 12 television screens, some of which can be seen from outside of the car — one is in the boot lid.“It's more of a disease now. Once I had four TVs, but I just added and added,” Lahood says.His parents, and many others, may scratch their heads, but he doesn't need to search for an explanation.“It's unique; I do it to be different. You see many, many WRXs on the street, but I don't want to see many like my car.“That's what makes it. It's out there, wild. I express my thoughts in my car. It makes a statement.”That's something Tony Doran, the boss of Doran Pro Audio, has identified, particularly in the past three years.Doran, who carried out the audio and interior additions to Lahood's ride, says owners are sick of the norm.“They don't want to drive down the street and see an identical vehicle. They want to show their character.“They've evolved into being individual characters as such — and generated a name for themselves.”Mick Taleb, of Tempe Tyres, says this trend encompasses both genders from all economic and ethnic backgrounds. He's also ideally placed to notice that wheels keep getting bigger.Clive Wasserman, the owner of SunGard Window Tinting at Rockdale, says a lot of younger car owners get tinting on their windows, especially as it's a more affordable element of pimping.“They can spend anywhere between $295 and $495, depending on the size and quality,” Wasserman says.“Older people are more concerned about the protection and glare; youngsters are more interested in the appearance of their car.”Cars most likely to get the big makeover treatment include Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Nissan 200SXs and Skylines and, of course, Subaru WRXs.Taleb says customers spend anywhere from $1000 to $30,000 on pimping at his company alone, and that doesn't include such items as wheels and tinting.Says Doran: “Before he did up his car, Albert was still Albert, but not noticed. Now he's known — he's a somebody.“It's a world of its own. These fellows can go a few different ways.“Some get into drugs, make a lot of money, but meet their demise abruptly, or they get into work, make a future.“Other fellows blow it all on their cars. A large majority blow it all on their cars to get recognised.”For Lahood, pimping his car has become a hobby — one he can share with 30-odd friends who have the same passion and attend car shows together.“It's more of a reality instead of an impossible thing. As if you'd think you could have 15 TV screens in a car like that. Whoever would have thought 10 years ago they'd have TVs in a boot?”Lahood has funded his automotive hobby by working part-time for his parents' fruit and vegetable wholesale business.Having spent close to $80,000 all up on his car, he'd be lucky to get the $45,000 he paid for the WRX in its original condition if he were to sell.“I didn't build it to make money. I built it as a hobby, and you can't make money off a hobby,” Lahood says.“It's become a part of me. Selling it would be like selling one of the family.”Lahood is equally straight up about the car's downsides. He says police pull him over at least once a week.“They just have a look, see what's going on, see who's driving the car. They're generally OK.“The car's been re-engineered, and I've got a certificate to prove it. I have to carry that.”Security is another factor. Lahood drives his WRX only on weekends and can't take it any place where he won't be able to keep an eye on it all the time.Then there's the big question of insurance premiums.Tony Doran believes the modified-car craze is just getting under way.“It seems as if it's growing at a very steady rate. Every day, we get more and more calls regarding this,” he says.“I'd say this scene is here to stay.”And if Albert Lahood's car is anything to go by, Doran may be right.“There's plenty more to do,” Lahood laughs. “Maybe a colour change, more motor modifications, more TV screens — as many as the battery can handle.”

So putting my life in the hands of two guys I had never met before, as they took me around a racetrack sideways, was a little challenging, to say the least.It all started when I saw the film, Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, and jokingly said that I would like to try it. The next thing I knew, I was preparing to go drifting.I arrived at Eastern Creek Raceway this week feeling surprisingly few butterflies — but they were there. Watching my two drivers for the day, Andrew Parissis and Fernando Wiehrl, do warm-up laps, left me just about ready to head to my own car for a quick getaway.But these guys are professionals, and to be honest, I kind of wanted to experience that rush.So, I jumped (well, it was more like a crawl) into Parissis' Nissan 200SX S15, with my helmet and seatbelts strapped very tightly.With my left hand clenching the roll cage and my toes curling in my shoes, we were off.The first lap had me thinking, "this isn't so bad", but then Parissis put his skills into action.Quick manoeuvring and what seemed like a routine run-through of technique, left the rear of the car flinging from left to right. I felt like I was in a movie, with the car heading sideways towards a barrier, almost in slow motion, anticipating the collision, not to mention the ensuing carnage.But my reliable driver gained control and sent us flying in the other direction. And after the first slide, I knew I was in good hands, with the manner of control and skill that Parissis demonstrated.While the older generation may see this sport as simple hooning, sitting in that passenger seat proved it was so much more. These drivers know what they're doing, and I'd be willing to trust my life with them ... oh, hold on, I did.We went out on a smaller warm-up track and only reached speeds of about 60km/h. But that was enough for me. In competitions, such as the Australian drift series these guys will be competing at Eastern Creek next weekend, drivers reach speeds of up to 160km/h.And in a competition, two cars will hit the track in a cat-and-mouse scenario, where one car leads and performs slides and handbrake entries through a series of turns and the second car follows. In a second battle, the follower takes the lead and the judges award points for speed, the angle of the slide and the car's ability to produce tyre smoke.But I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll build up to that for next time.I smiled hugely as I was flung from side to side, while my drivers performed feint drifts, handbrake entries and clutch kicks. You're strapped in so tightly, but your body still gets thrown around and the rush even led to a couple of embarrassing "Woo-hoos".Despite my apologies in advance for screaming, I didn't feel the need.After a few laps of jolting round the track, my hands made their way from their tight squeeze of the roll cage to almost above my head and flowing in motion with my body. A little "uncool" perhaps, but, hey, I was enjoying the ride.We headed for the gate, so I could make a swap into a Nissan 180SX, where my next talented driver, Fernando Wiehrl, awaited.So excited by my first dabble in the sport, I jumped into Wiehrl's car, ready for him to show me what he could do. Also a very capable driver, he gracefully spun us from left to right and even spun us round in a circle, just like in a scene from Tokyo Drift.Wiehrl seemed to create more smoke than Parissis, which seeped through into the cabin, and left me choking just a little. But even that couldn't wipe the smile off my face.These guys go through about 20 tyres in one competition and after our hour or so at the track, Wiehrl's tyres were completely bald.So, I'm hooked. I'm now a drifting fan. The feeling was just incredible as I allowed the excitement to take over. The force at which the car moves, and the angles in which they slide around the corners while following what would normally be considered the traditional racing line, felt truly amazing and it was an unforgettable experience.The cars felt like they were almost dancing on the track. I can see this taking off as a celebrity reality program a la Drifting With The Stars.So, what's next? Skydiving? Bungy jumping? Becoming a drift driver myself? Well, I think I'll live off this high for a while and let my mum sleep a little easier at night. Fast factsToyo Drift Australian Series, Round 3When: Next weekend (July 29, 30) 9am-5pm both daysWhere: Eastern Creek RacewayPrice: Saturday, $15; Sunday $25; weekend pass $35; children under 12, freeDrifting techniques include:Feint drift: Flicking the car from one side to the otherHandbrake entry: A pull on the handbrake on the way into a corner to initiate a slideClutch kick: When a driver turns into the corner and clicks the clutch to give a sudden jolt and break the traction.