1965 Nissan Silvia CSP311 (1st gen)The Nissan CSP311 was the first generation of the Silvia, and it kicks off our list with a quarter-mile time of 17.9 seconds. This model was launched in 1965, and most people from the U.S. will remember it as the Datsun 1600 Coupe, as Nissan was still producing cars under the brand name Datsun in the U.S. at the time. Powering this rear-wheel drive model is a 1.6-liter engine, which produced 89 horsepower and 98 lb-ft of torque. This was enough to push the CSP311 to 60 mph in 11.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 103 mph.This model was born after Nissan split from German industrial designer Count Albrecht von Goertz. Nissan took the fragments of what its engineers had been working on with Goertz and created the CSP311. It's safe to say the two-door coupe's design stood the test of time and is sure to turn heads to this day, but finding one to turn your head is a considerable task, as just 554 were made. This is a spectacularly low number for a model that was in production for three years, but it makes sense when you consider that all the bodywork was handmade by Yamaha. Hand-building the CSP311 also made it expensive, with a price tag close to double that of comparable models in Nissan's range at the time. However, perhaps the most interesting fact about this hard-to-find car is that two CSP311 were used as the first highway patrol car in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture.1977 Nissan S10 (2nd gen)Nissan took a seven-year hiatus from producing the Silvia before launching the next generation in 1975. The second generation Silvia was named the S10, and the pick of the litter is the LSE Type-S five-speed manual transmission model. In this guise, the S10 will run the quarter mile in 17.1 seconds, achieve a top speed of 112 mph, and accelerate to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds. Nissan upped the ante under the hood for the S10, plopping in a 1.8-liter engine that produced 113 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque. However, in the U.S., this model was paired with a 2.0-liter engine.Fortunately for consumers, Nissan used modern methods to mass produce the S10, which resulted in more models and a relatively low price tag, at least when compared to the previous generation. This also meant that, unlike the first generation CSP311, the S10 was available in the U.S., much to Paul Newman's delight, who picked up multiple IMSA wins behind the wheel of his Datsun branded 200SX. Newman's success in the car didn't go unnoticed, and it even helped the Japanese coupe to garner attention on an international level. Honestly, was there a better endorsement for a car in the '70s than Paul Newman racing and winning in it?1983 Nissan S110 (3rd gen)Nissan launched the third generation of the Silvia in 1979, otherwise known as the S110. This model was in production for four years. If you're looking to get out of Dodge as fast as possible, pick up the 1983 Silvia Hatchback Turbo ZSE five-speed manual, which will burn through a quarter mile in 16.4 seconds. The Silvia Turbo ZSE came with a 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, which put out 133 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque and got the S110 to a 112 mph top speed and a zero-to-60 mph time of 8.5 seconds. To put this into context, the entry-level 2023 Nissan Altima, which has a 2.5-liter engine, is just half a second faster to reach 60 mph than the 1983 Turbo ZSE.In Japan, the Turbo ZSE is known as the Gazelle and is seen as a more exclusive model than the regular, albeit still sporty, Silvia. Originally, this model was supposed to be paired with a rotary engine. Unfortunately for those who love nothing more than a high-revving Wankel engine, it was deemed too unreliable. Although we didn't get a rotary engine, there was also a Group B Rally version — the Nissan 240RS – which helped the Gazelle to live up to its name.1984 Nissan Silvia S12 (4th gen)The fourth generation of the Silvia, the S12, was built from 1983 until 1989, although there were changes made to the S12's exterior in 1986, meaning all models made from '86 onward are known as Mark IIs. The trim we'd pick is the 1984 Silvia Hatchback Turbo RS-X five-speed manual, which we think embodies the best features of '80s sports cars — including pop-up headlights.This model came with Nissan's FJ20 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, which featured the brand's Electronic Concentrated Engine Control System (ECCS), an intercooler, and double overhead cams, all of which contributed to the Turbo RS-X's output of 188 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque. This model completes the standing quarter mile in just 15.3 seconds on the way to its electronically governed top speed of 112 mph. However, without the governor, the S12 will keep pushing to 140 mph.One of the most interesting things about the S12 is its zero-to-60 mph time of just 6.8 seconds, which is less than a second off the 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole. Still, arguably, the coolest feature available for some Turbo RS-X S12s was a functional hood scoop, which made space for the larger 2.0-liter engine and its turbocharger.1997 Silvia S14 (6th gen)Nissan's sixth generation of the Silvia, the S14, was produced between 1994 and 1998, although it continued to be sold internationally until 2000. The fastest model from this generation was the 1997 Silvia Autech Version Ks Aero with a five-speed manual transmission. This example used the same SR20DET engine as the S13 but featured N-VCT, Nissan's variable valve timing system and a T28 turbocharger. These upgrades meant that the S14, although heavier, was faster than its predecessor in almost every way.The result was a 2.0-liter inline-four turbocharged engine that spat out 247 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. These figures led the S14 to cover a standing quarter mile in 14 seconds flat, get to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 159 mph without a speed governor. This model was also available with Nissan's Electric Super-HICAS four-wheel steering.The S14 continued to be loved by drifters, especially in its new lower, wider, and rounder guise, so you'll be hard-pressed to find one that hasn't been modified in some way to help it go sideways. It got a facelift in 1996, resulting in a more aggressive, sleeker look. Silvia enthusiasts refer to the pre-facelift model as the "zenki" (before) and the post-facelift model as "koui" (after).
