Nissan Skyline C210 (1977–1981)

Back to sharp lines after the Kenmeri

Nissan's heritage notes say the C210 returned to the crisper styling of the C10 after the softer C110. It kept the four round tail lamps on the GT, and the Japanese market gave it the nickname "Japan", taken from the advertising slogan that called it a great car made in Japan.

The bigger change was the way the range was organised. The C110 had already used a longer nose for its sixes; the C210 made the split explicit. TI models had four-cylinder engines on a 2,515 mm (99.0 in) wheelbase, while GT models had straight-sixes, a longer front end and a 2,615 mm (103.0 in) wheelbase. German Wikipedia adds that the two lines had different grilles and tail lamps.

The C210 arrived when Japanese emissions limits were among the strictest in the world. Nissan's own description says performance gains stalled in this period, and the range was revised in 1978 to comply, with the model code changing to C211. That context explains why the C210 has no GT-R and why its most important engine was a turbo rather than a twin-cam.

For the full timeline, the Nissan Skyline overview of all generations shows the C210 between the C110 and the FJ20-powered R30.

Saloon, hardtop and estate bodies

The C210 came as a four-door saloon, a two-door hardtop coupé and a five-door estate or light van. Transmissions were four- and five-speed manuals, a three-speed automatic and, on basic models and vans, a column-shift three-speed manual.

Equipment rose with the trim letters. According to German Wikipedia, the top GT-E S and TI-E S had disc brakes on all four wheels, a rear wiper and headlamp washers, with the L and X trims below them. Nissan's data for the 2000GT-E L lists front discs, rear drums and 185/70HR14 tyres.

The C211 revision

Dates for the update vary between sources. Nissan's heritage pages and English Wikipedia place the change to C211 in 1978, when the four-cylinder L-series engines gave way to the cleaner Z-series. German Wikipedia records a facelift in July 1979 that gave the GT rectangular headlamps and a new grille, while the TI kept round twin lamps.

L20ET, L20E and the four-cylinder range

The table lists the main engines. Outputs are rated figures in kW, followed by the metric PS figure quoted by the source; Japanese figures of this period are usually gross ratings.

Nissan's page on a 1980 2000GT lists the GT-E at 92 kW (125 PS) for the C211, while its 1979 car and Wikipedia give 96 kW (130 PS), so the GT-E output appears to have dropped with the later emissions update. A 2.0-litre Z20E four and an LD20 diesel for the van (48 kW, 65 PS) completed the line-up, according to English Wikipedia.

How the L20ET worked

The turbo version used the existing single-cam L20 six with fuel injection and a turbocharger, but no intercooler and no blow-off valve. The aim was more mid-range pull rather than a high peak: torque rose from 167 Nm (123 lb-ft) in the L20E to 206 Nm (152 lb-ft). English and German Wikipedia both record it as the first turbocharged Skyline, and Nissan's heritage data lists the Turbo GT-E at 145 PS. Its successor, the R30, kept the turbo idea and added an intercooler in later years.

Dimensions of the TI and GT

Figures for the six-cylinder 2000GT saloon (HGC211) come from the Nissan Heritage Collection; the four-cylinder values are from English Wikipedia.

Brakes and equipment by trim

Formal crash testing did not exist for cars of this age, and no independent safety rating was found for the C210. The useful distinction is between trims: only the S versions had rear discs, and the lower L and X grades relied on rear drums. When comparing cars, the trim letter on the badge is therefore a reasonable guide to the braking hardware fitted at the factory.

The Datsun Skyline in Germany

The C210 is the generation that brought the Skyline name to German showrooms. German Wikipedia records the coupé as the top Datsun model there from October 1978 to July 1981, with a 2.4-litre six fitted with Bosch L-Jetronic injection, 96 kW (130 PS), and a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic. English Wikipedia lists a 240K-GT version with 83 kW (113 PS DIN), a claimed 180 km/h (112 mph) and 0 to 100 km/h in 13.5 seconds, and notes that the 2.4-litre six was never offered in Japan.

Which C210 versions to look for

• 2000GT-E Turbo (from April 1980): the historically significant one, as the first Skyline turbo. Its role in the Japanese police drama Seibu Keisatsu added to its fame, and replicas of those cars exist.
• 2000GT-E S: the best-equipped non-turbo GT, with four-wheel discs and the 130 PS fuel-injected six.
• 2000GT: the carburettor six with 85 kW (115 PS), simpler and lighter than the injected versions.
• Datsun Skyline coupé (Germany): the European-market car with the 2.4-litre injected six.

Buyers looking at period rivals might compare it with the first Toyota Supra, which also paired a straight-six with a sporting coupé body. The Nissan model catalogue and the overview of Japanese cars list related models, and the maker's story is in the history of Nissan.