Small-town dealer has immaculate S12 that you NEED to own

6 June, 2017

 

It ain’t every day that you stumble across perhaps one of the best examples of Silvia rarity, and it sure as hell ain’t everyday that it’s located at a Chevy dealership in middle of nowhere USA. But here is that exact gem, a first-year-only colour, super-low kilometre, and triple pedal example of ’80s radness — a left-hook 1984 Datsun 200SX Turbo hatch.

While we know the Silvia range well down under, it’s a somewhat unknown and ‘foreign’ term to most of the American public — bar the hardcore Japanese-tin fans that will know of the  S13, S14, and maybe S15. I mean, its even still badged as a Datsun …

Perhaps that’s why this particular example hasn’t already become a drift missile and still represents the sophisticated sport coupe-era of the ‘80s. It’s powered by a SOHC CA18ET heart, premiering the ultimate in era technological advances like turbos and the magnificences of  multi-port injection.

It has only seen 58,692km of driving duties, which is rather impressive for it’s age, and the seller claims it has been stored indoors for its entire existence. It has also recently undergone a serious amount of maintenance to bring it back to health after sitting for some time. 

If you fancy getting your hands on this near-on museum condition piece of automotive goodness, there is still time on the eBay auction — it will set you back approximately $14,705 NZD for buy cost alone at the moment and no doubt will shoot up in the last minutes (then you need to factor in the rest).

Will we see it on our shores? Probably not, still pretty awesome though.

 

Luxury by design

How do you define luxury? To some it is being blinded with all manner of technological wizardry, from massaging heated seats to being able to activate everything with your voice, be it the driver’s side window or the next track on Spotify. To others, the most exorbitant price tag will dictate how luxurious a car is.
For me, true automotive luxury comes from being transported in unparalleled comfort, refinement, and smoothness of power under complete control. Forget millions of technological toys; if one can be transported here and there without the sensation of moving at all, that is luxury — something that is perfectly encapsulated by the original Lexus LS400. It was the first truly global luxury car from Toyota, and one that made the big luxury brands take notice.

NZ Classic Car magazine, January/February 2026 issue 403, on sale now

Morris’ ground-breaking, world-beating, Minor
It was Britain’s biggest small car, and it got Britain mobile again.       Morris Motors celebrated its millionth Minor in December 1960, a car that defined the British motor industry, and was in production for 10 years alongside the iconic Mini of 1959.
Whakatane dentist John Twaddle has a passion for Morris Minors going back to 1982, and he still has his first example. There are now three ‘Morries’ in his garage. One, however, is quite special, a rare ‘Minor-Million’. 
One of just 350 made commemorating the millionth Morris Minor produced, the first British car to hit a million units, the well-rounded little Brit’ would end production in 1971with a tally of over 1.6 million units.
John finished his Minor Million six years ago, resplendent in lilac, its official factory colour. He calls it his ‘Minor Resurrection’, and it has won numerous awards.
This summer edition also comes with our annual FREE classic car calendar, a must for every garage wall.
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, our poster is of a couple of garage mates, a 1957 Ford Ranchero and a 1968 Lincoln Continental.