D Car — November 2003
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About this issue
250 available scans from D Car — November 2003, in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 97 — English draft translation
Nissan may have overthought it… The S14 followed the hugely successful S13, but it is a classic example of how difficult it is to follow a major hit. This was a time when design trends were shifting from angular to rounded, but Nissan leaned too far toward luxury. Sales naturally suffered, and the company carried out a major facelift partway through the model’s life.
Captions and page details
S15
← In contrast to the front fascia, the rear design expresses elegance. The S15 is where these qualities come together successfully.
model
January 1999–August 2002
36-54
Lesson 3
Sport-compact Academy
Menu
File
Style
Express a sense of speed with the whole body! The S15 Silvia aimed for a sculpted, speed-filled shape. Its slim headlamps, flowing curves, and…
T
…give it a refined look. It is such a sexy design that it makes you wonder why Nissan could not have made it this way from the start!
Shinagawa 500…
36-54
A body incorporating details throughout, both elegant and sporty…
…bringing out that character.
↑ Its low stance and slim headlamps create an aggressive, predatory look.
S14
← The rear garnish is more cohesive than the front fascia. Even the facelift did not change it much…
…was not changed.
October 1993–January 1999
Nissan
Nissan
↑ The front looks more quirky than sporty. With chrome trim, you might even say it is not really sporty…
…perhaps.
Style
S
Key specifications (K’s, late model): length × width × height 4,470 × 1,690 × 1,290 mm; wheelbase 2,475 mm; weight 1,170 kg; 2.0-liter inline-four DOHC naturally aspirated engine; 205 PS at 6,000 rpm; maximum torque 28.0 kg·m at 4,000 rpm; front/rear suspension: strut/multi-link; tire size 205/60R15.
…a low hood…
Headlamp
The model-name logo is a distinctive feature.
1
S15 and…
Inside the grille…
7
…when it is…
Slim
The Toyota Soarer that debuted later happened to copy these taillights. That is how big a hit the design was.
Shinagawa 53
=74-16
74-16
Style
A clean, well-proportioned design became a model for coupe bodies. Slim headlamps and a neat rear garnish, combined with solid, carefully composed surfaces, create a textbook coupe form. The highly successful S13 Silvia’s design had a major influence on later specialty coupes.
97