Nissan 200SX S14 Coupe (1994-2000)

High performance, rear-wheel driven cars are an anachronism that will not go away. It was Audi that more than 25 years ago demonstrated with its Quattro the brutal efficiency of substantial engine output allied to all-wheel traction and no manufacturer in its right mind since that time should have contemplated pumping more than 150kW through any fewer than four wheels.

The fact that they do confirms that driving is far more than an exercise in A-B exigency and the reason cars like the Nissan 200SX continue to attract enthusiastic drivers.

A few years before the SX's Australian release, Nissan failed to convince buyers that its twin-turbo, all-wheel drive Skyline GT-R was superior to old-fashioned, rear-wheel drive Porsches at almost double the GT-R's price.

When the smaller, single-turbo 2.0-litre S14 model arrived here in late 1994 it represented the first Nissan product of its genre since the 260Z. We did see an earlier SX but that was a derivative of the execrable 200B and the least remembered the better.

Three versions of the 200SX coupe were available - the Limited at $39,990, a Sports model with standard ABS that cost $44,510 and the bells and whistle Luxury Sports at $49,995.

Buyer response was strong and immediate - more than 900 200SXs selling during 1995 and declining only slightly during the following year before bouncing back to near 1000 in 1997. Those figures don't provide a split of models but checking the current used market offerings reveals that Limited and Sports versions are far easier to find than a Luxury.

The SR20DT engine with its DOHC 16 valve head and single turbocharger is durable and understressed. In standard form it delivers 147kW at 6400rpm but modified versions of the engine are capable of reliably producing 100kW more. Five-speed manual transmission was standard with Limited and Sports versions, four-speed automatic standard on the Luxury and a $2200 option in the Sports. The Luxury also provided dual air bags; driver only in the Sports.

Aesthetically, the 200SX is most kindly described as unassuming - not a bad thing in some situations - but it is also a shape that dates slowly and remained current until local release in late 2000 of a face-lifted S15 model.

ON THE ROAD
147kW in a car weighing close to 1300kg is hardly a recipe for mayhem. Yet reading some of the 200SX's media reviews without experiencing the car itself you'd be forgiven for believing that this innocuous Nissan is more capable of serving up malevolence than a 7.0-litre Shelby Cobra.

"...like driving over roller bearings on an ice rink," was one junior journo's assessment of the 200SX's wet grip. Obviously he of tender years had never experienced a 1970s Aussie V8 on 185 section Olympic Steelflex radials, or for that matter a 1960s Morris Elite on Goodyear G8 crossplys.

Virtually anything sporty in nature with a turbocharged engine - and here I include all-wheel driven devices - can be made to behave badly on a slippery surface, but you'd need to be a gold-embossed galoot to jump on the power midway through a streaming wet bend and then blame the car for the resultant crunch. Owner of our featured and substantially modified 200SX, David Hsu, offers a more balanced assessment.

"Before I got this car I was driving front-wheel drive Corollas and Alfas so I had to adjust the way I drove it, but even with a lot more power than the standard 200SX it isn't too scary," Hsu said.

A member of the Nissan-Datsun Sports Owners' Club, Hsu strongly recommends that SX owners join the club and take advantage of its 'driver training' and track days.

"On a racetrack you can push the car and yourself to see where the limits are and that really adds to the enjoyment of owning a car like this," he said.

The "lot more power" pumping from beneath the bonnet of Hsu's 1999 model Luxury comes via an enlarged turbo and custom-built intercooler, allied to MoTeC electronics and a revised exhaust all courtesy of Melbourne specialist Nispro.

Uprated suspension including re-rated springs and Koni shock absorbers underpins 17x8 Simmons wheels with 45 profile tyres, while braking has been enhanced by DBA rotors at the front with Ferodo 2500 pads.

"One mistake people make is to lower these cars in order to make them look 'tougher'," Hsu said. "If you do that you're going to really upset the balance and make them much harder to control on wet or bumpy roads."

Blaming turbo lag for your unscheduled slide into the shrubbery won't wash either, since the SX engine management system incorporates a nifty bit of technology that goes by the name of Linear Charge Concept or LCC.

In tandem with variable valve timing, LCC's computerised manipulation of the turbo wastegate ensures that some boost is retained even at low engine speeds and helps mask the transition between on and off boost that bedevils many single turbo setups.

Helping out in this regard and other areas including engine longevity and fuel economy is turbo boost that's around 40 percent below that delivered by WRX Subes of similar vintage.

If all of this makes the 200SX sound like gran's shopping car, keep reading because the numbers that flash up after those rear wheels begin to spin are fairly impressive.

Providing you can control the shrieking rear rubber, a factory-stock 200SX manual should reach 100km/h from a standstill in under 7.0secs and crack the 0-400m in 14.7-15.0secs. Use the gearchange intelligently and overtaking is equally rapid - 60-90km/h in third slot taking 4.0secs with 80-110km/h just 0.2 slower.

Fuel economy is simply marvelous for a car with this level of potential performance. Tests using the 147kW to its full extent recorded around 12L/100km, while less frenetic driving improved the return to better than 10L/100km. Those figures are for manual cars - autos likely to use 15 percent more.

Accommodation isn't overly luxurious but seek and ye shall find every device that's considered essential in today's motoring environment. All versions provide air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors plus alloys and an alarm. Tall drivers should avoid the Luxury as its standard sunroof gobbles a fair amount of the already marginal headroom.

Those forced to occupy the rear compartment need to be very young or extremely short of leg. Preferably both, since most drivers will leave less than a 20cm gap between their backrest and rear squab. Boot space is decent for a car of this genre but couples who take their SX on holidays will treat the rear seat purely as extra luggage space.

BUYING
Despite competition from 'grey' import 180SX coupes and the more powerful Skyline GTS-T, local 200SXs perform strongly in the used market.

While early, high kilometre cars are available in the $10,000-12,000 bracket it's advisable to budget at least $15,000 and minimize the chances of choosing a wallet-bending bomb.

Modified cars need to be approached cautiously and after considerable research. Cars that have been professionally improved are the best bet and always insist on seeing receipts to confirm that the work has been undertaken by a contactable specialist.

Cars with dubious history are an absolute no-no. One reason for the 200SX's high insurance costs is theft and a car that comes without verifiable service records or other documentation needs to be treated with utmost suspicion.

Insurance is itself a significant factor in the purchase equation, especially for younger buyers. Many mainstream insurers and some specialists simply refuse to cover these cars, while those that do may demand high excesses and upgraded vehicle security.

BUYERS CHECK POINTS

BODY
While 200SXs aren't necessarily crash prone, the same can't be said for some of the people that own them. Check bonnet and bootlid fit, mismatched paintwork and misaligned bumpers for clues to a poorly repaired car. The doors are large and will drop with age and frequent use. Rust shouldn't be an issue but check for dampness under the boot carpet. Stone damaged headlamps and fog lights are costly to replace.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION
The 2.0-litre Nissan engine is remarkably durable and cars that have travelled up to 180,000 still have plenty of mechanical life left - providing they have been diligently serviced. While Nissan specifies 10,000km service intervals, David Hsu says 5000km should be the absolute maximum between oil changes. Any hint of exhaust smoke is reason enough to find another car. Constant whistling from around the turbo is likely to stem from a manifold leak due to stretched bolts and easily rectified. Clutch shudder in manual cars is common and uprated clutch components are freely available. Shuddering upshifts from the auto 'box are more serious and costly to rectify.

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES
Brake performance is marginal and budgeting $1000 to upgrade rotors and pads is recommended. Rear wheel camber problems manifest in sometimes savage oversteer and the standard shock absorbers have limited life if subjected to harsh use. Steering should be precise and evenly weighted and the front end should deal silently with all but the roughest roads. Cars showing more than 150,000km should come with receipts for some front-end maintenance.

INTERIOR AND ELECTRICS
The cloth-covered seats wear in patches and high km cars may need some retrimming. Ensure that the Luxury model's sunroof operates smoothly and shows no signs of water entry.

FAST FACTS:

NUMBER BUILT - N/A (4104 sold in Australia 1994-2000)

BODY: all-steel, integrated body/chassis two-door coupe

ENGINE: in-line four-cylinder with double-overhead camshafts, 16 valves, fuel injection and single turbocharger

POWER AND TORQUE: 147kW @ 6400rpm, 265Nm @ 4800rpm

PERFORMANCE: 0-100km/h - 6.6secs, 0-400m - 14.5secs (five-speed Limited)

TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual, four-speed automatic

SUSPENSION: Front - independent with struts, coil springs and anti-roll bar. Rear - independent with multi-link location, coils springs, telescopic shock absorbers and anti-roll bar

BRAKES: Front - ventilated discs. Rear - solid discs, power assisted. ABS on Sports and Luxury Sports

WHEELS AND TYRES: 16 X 6.5 alloy, 205/55/R16

PRICE RANGE: $8000-22,000 (excludes modified cars)

CLUB: Nissan-Datsun Sports Owners Club

WEBSITE: www.ndsoc.com.au