Nissan Skyline : C10, 2000GT-X, GT-R, C110

C10

C10
Overview
Production	1968–1972 310,447 units sold
Assembly	Musashimurayama, Japan
Designer	Shinichiro Sakurai
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Related	Nissan Laurel
Powertrain
Engine	1.5 L G-15 I4 1.8 L G-18 I4 2.0 L L20 I6 (2000GT) 2.0 L S20 I6 (GT-R)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,640 mm (103.9 in) (sedan)
Length	4,430 mm (174.4 in) (sedan)
Width	1,595 mm (62.8 in)
Height	1,405 mm (55.3 in) (sedan)

The C10 series of 1968, which began its development under Prince at the company's Ogikubo R&D centre in the suburbs of Tokyo, was marketed with a Nissan badge. By the time the C10 went on sale, the Prince nameplate had been completely phased out on cars and trucks. The dealer network selling the cars became the Prince channel of Nissan, and the marketing group stayed at the Prince headquarters in Mita instead of moving to Nissan's headquarters in Ginza. The C10 Skyline was launched with Prince's 1.5 L OHC G15 I4 like the S57. A 1.8 L G18 version was also available. A station wagon variant, known previously as the Prince Skyway, was offered with this generation. A hardtop coupé was introduced in October 1970.

The brake- and tail-lights were modified to square units, but now included dual units for both the left and right side of the vehicle. As the Skyline was now a Nissan product, it was repositioned above the Bluebird as a more sport-oriented sedan and coupe, while the Bluebird remained more economical.

2000GT-X

Skyline 2000 GT-X (sedan)

In 1971, the KGC10 2000 GT-X received a 2.0 L (1,998 cc) L20 straight-six engine instead of the Prince G-7 engine. The chassis was already designed to fit a straight six, to avoid the S54 extension problem. 120 PS (88 kW) was available from this new engine. In March 1972 expanded the lineup to include a four-door GT-X sedan.

2000GT

The following year, the GC10 2000GT received a 2.0 L (1998 cc) L20 I6 engine like the Nissan Cedric instead of a Prince G-7 engine. The chassis was already designed to receive a straight six, to avoid the S54 extension problem. 105 hp (78 kW) was available from this new engine, in 1970 Nissan production Skyline 2000GT Automatic, in October 1970 Nissan introduced 2 Door Coupe.

GT-R

Nissan Skyline KPGC10 

 

GT-X (L20 engine)

The first GT-R Skyline appeared in February 1969.^[12] Called the PGC-10 (KPGC-10 for later coupé version) internally and Hakosuka (ハコスカ) by fans. Hako (ハコ) means Box in Japanese, and suka（スカ） is short for Skyline (スカイライン; Sukairain). It used the 2.0 L (1998 cc) S20 I6. This new DOHC engine (which was designed by the former Prince engineers) produced 160 hp (118 kW, 180 N m), and was similar to the GR8 engine used in the Prince R380 racing car.

Rear view of 71' Skyline 

 

GT-X

The GT-R began as a sedan, but a 2-door coupé version was debuted in October 1970 and introduced in March 1971. The cars were stripped of unnecessary equipment to be as light as possible for racing, and performed well at the track. The sedan racked up 33 victories in less than two years, and the coupé stretched this to 50 through 1972.^[12]
The C10 raced against many cars including the Toyota Corona 1600GT (RT55), Isuzu Bellett GTR, Mazda Familia (R100) & Capella (RX-2) – even Porsche. In late 1971 the new Mazda RX-3 became the GT-R's main rival. The GT-R managed a few more victories before the RX-3 ended the GT-R's winning streak.
Models:

• 1500 – 1.5 L G-15 I4, 88 hp (71 kW, 128 N m)
• 1500 – 1.5 L G-15 I4, 95 hp (71 kW, 128 N m)
• 1800 – 1.8 L G-18 I4, 105 hp (78 kW, 150 N m)
• 2000GT – 2.0 L L20 I6, 120 hp (90 kW, 167 N m)
• 2000GT-R – 2.0 L S20 I6, 160 hp (118 kW, 180 N m)

Body styles

• C-10 4-door sedan or 5-door wagon 1968
• GC-10 4-door 2000GT 1969
• PGC-10 4-door GT-R Skyline 1969
• KPGC-10 2 Door GT-R Skyline 1970
• KGC-10 2000GT-X 2-door 1971
• KGC-10 2000GT-X 4-door 1972
• HGLC10 2000/2400GT 4-door Left Hand Drive

C110

C110
Overview
Also called	Datsun 160K Datsun 180K Datsun 240K
Production	1972–1977 670,562 units sold
Assembly	Musashimurayama, Japan
Designer	Shinichiro Sakurai
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupe 5-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Related	Nissan Laurel
Powertrain
Engine	1.6 L G16 OHC I4 1.8 L G18 OHC I4 2.0 L L20B OHC I4 2.0 L L20A OHC I6 2.0 L S20 DOHC I6 (GT-R) 2.4 L L24 OHC I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,610 mm (102.8 in)
Length	4,460 mm (175.6 in)
Width	1,625 mm (64.0 in)
Height	1,395 mm (54.9 in)

C110 Nissan Skyline 

 

2000GT

The C110 generation was produced from 1972 through 1977.
For export in the 1970s, the C110 and GC110 Skyline was sold as the Datsun K-series, with models such as the Datsun 160K, 180K and Datsun 240K.

The body styles were, once again, four-door sedan, two-door hardtop coupé, and five-door station wagon. The C110 was more fussy in its styling than its predecessor, particularly so in wagon form, where unusually for a wagon design, no windows were fitted between the C and D pillars. Its appearance seems to be influenced by the 1970–1975 Citroën SM. The C110 was the first version to return to the round rear tail and brake lights introduced in 1963 albeit with dual units from the previous generation, and the appearance has become a traditional Skyline feature. The styling also influenced a smaller, more affordable two-door coupe, called the Silvia, introduced in 1975. Nissan introduced its emission control technology, primarily consisting of fuel injection on trim packages ending with an "E", using the moniker Nissan NAPS also in 1975.

The C110 Skyline was better known as the "Ken & Mary" or "Kenmeri" (ケンメリ) Skyline, stemming from the advertisement campaign in Japan at the time which featured a young couple (Ken and Mary) who relaxed and enjoyed the countryside in Ken and Mary's Skyline (ケンとメリーのスカイライン). The ads were highly successful and perhaps as a result the C110 was sold in very large numbers in Japan. It sold just as well in Australia (in a 2.4L 6-cylinder form, badged as "Datsun 240K"), though few survive today. There, the 240K was about the same price as a Ford Falcon GT or BMW 5 series, around $5000.

GT-R

C110 Nissan Skyline Hardtop 2000 GTX-E ( KGC111 )

The Nissan Skyline GT-R hardtop arrived in September 1972 but only lasted until March 1973, when Nissan ceased its production. The oil crisis saw many people preferring economy cars and high-performance sports cars were looked down upon. Nissan pulled out of Motor Racing, so there was no purpose to the GT-R. It was not officially exported anywhere, although Nissan contemplated exporting to Australia. Only 197 KPGC110 GT-Rs were ever sold in Japan,^[13] through specialist Nissan Performance shops (before it was called NISMO). This was the last GT-R for 16 years until the BNR32 in 1989.
Models:

• 1600 – 1.6 L G16 I4
• 1800 – 1.8 L G18 I4
• 2000GT-X – 2.0 L L20A I6, 130 hp (96 kW, 172 N m)
• 2000GT-R – 2.0 L S20 I6, 160 hp (118 kW, 180 N m)