Auction Car of the Week: 1986 Nissan Silvia S12

Introduced in 1983, the S12 was the fourth iteration of Nissan’s small sports car. Except for a pause in the early 1970s, the Silvia was made in various guises from 1965 until 2002. The S12 is regarded as one of the best of the breed.

Taking on – and very much resembling – the Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86, the S12 has styling typical of its era. Pop-up headlights, boxy angles and compact dimensions make it a case study in 1980s car design.

The particular car’s orange paintwork and black plastic trim enhance its throwback quality. Read on to discover why it’s our Auction Car of the Week.

The past is orange

The Silvia’s cabin echoes its bright exterior. Its retro dashboard features a two-spoke steering wheel and orange dials, with more tangerine on the fabric seats. These is no more wear than you’d expect for a modest 55,986 miles, while even the original cassette player remains present and correct.

To drive, the S12 offers a traditional sports car experience. Its 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine is mounted at the front and sends power to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox.

With a kerb weight of just 1,170 kg, you can expect brisk performance and lively handling. No doubt you will turn plenty of heads, too.

Now up for auction

The Silvia’s paperwork is equally well presented. With just one former owner, the service history – always important when considering a classic car – is very complete. Also included are the 1986 sales book and brochure, plus plenty of invoices in the original Nissan document wallet – and an advisory-free MOT that runs until June 2024.

An S12 with higher mileage recently sold on Car & Classic for £8,000, while a younger S13 model achieved £12,000 at auction. This S12 is expected to sell for somewhere between the two.

Car & Classic’s auction for the 1986 Nissan Silvia S12, in association with Retro Motor, is live now and runs until 28 November 2023.

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