Nissan Skyline C110 and C210

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, 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)

C210

C210
Overview
Also called	Skyline Japan Datsun 180K/240K/280K Datsun Skyline
Production	1977–1981 539,727 units sold
Assembly	Musashimurayama, Japan
Designer	Shinichiro Sakurai
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupé 5-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Related	Nissan Laurel
Powertrain
Engine	1,595 cc L16T I4 1,595 cc Z16S I4 1,770 cc L18T/L18E I4 1,770 cc Z18/Z18E I4 1,952 cc Z20E I4 1,998 cc L20E I6 1,998 cc L20ET turbo I6 2,393 cc L24/L24E I6 1,952 cc LD20 diesel I4 2,792 cc LD28 diesel I6
Transmission	3-speed automatic 3-speed manual 4-speed manual 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,515 mm (99.0 in) (C210/211) 2,615 mm (103.0 in) (GC210/211)
Length	4,315 mm (169.9 in) (Wagon) 4,400 mm (173.2 in) (C210/211) 4,600 mm (181.1 in) (GC210/211)
Width	1,625 mm (64.0 in)
Height	1,385–1,425 mm (54.5–56.1 in)

The succeeding C210/211 and GC210/211 of 1977 continued to split the Skyline range into basic and six-cylinder models, the latter with a longer wheelbase and front end. This line continued through 1981. A rare variant would be the wagon version, which had a unique styling treatment behind the rear doors, of a much smaller window than usual between the C and D pillars. The Skyline received an internal and external facelift in late 1978, which led to a change of the model code from 210 to 211. This was also when the Skyline first appeared in several European export markets, such as Germany.

C210 2000 GT-EX Skyline.

 

The GT-EX replaced the discontinued GT-R with a turbocharged engine, the L20ET. As installed in the recently renewed Nissan Cedric/Gloria, this had been the first turbo engine to power a Japanese production vehicleOne notable aspect of the turbo versions was that they were not intercooled and there was no form of blowoff valve, only an emergency pressure release valve. As usual with Japanese cars of this period, there were four- or five-speed manuals and a three-speed automatic, with a column-shifted three-speed manual available on lower end cars and vans.

C211 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-EX (Hardtop)

 

The "T" designation on the L16T and L18T does not signify a turbocharger was included; it denotes that those engines came with twin carburetors. The L-series engines were all switched to the cross-flow Z-series in late 1978. The larger 2.4 litre inline-six was never offered in the domestic Japanese market; having been reserved for export. Export engines were rated in DIN horsepower, so while a Japanese-spec L24 promised 130 ponies, European market cars with the same engine only claimed 113 PS (83 kW). On the other hand, European buyers could also get the fuel injected L24E with 127 or 130 PS (93 or 96 kW) DIN, about on par with what the turbocharged GT-EX offered. Originally marketed as the Datsun 240K-GT in Europe, the fuel injected version was sold as the Datsun Skyline in most markets where it was available. It has a claimed top speed of 186 km/h (116 mph).
In June 1980 the two-liter, fuel injected inline-four Z20E engine was added to the lineup, as was the 2.8 liter straight-six GT-Diesel with 91 PS (67 kW).