Nissan NX
Encyclopedia
The Nissan NX is a car
produced by Nissan Motors
. The Nissan NX was essentially a B13 platform Nissan Sentra
or Sunny
with a different body shell. The NX was, loosely, an evolution of the Nissan Pulsar NX/Nissan EXA sold from 1987–1990, and it also replaced the Nissan Sentra
hatchback
.
(mainly competing with the Mazda MX-3 and Honda CR-X del Sol). Also, it was produced for a few more years in other countries.
The NX2000 model had some mechanical improvements over its SE-R sibling. It had larger brakes and more aggressive tires on wider 6" wheels (195/55VR-14 with 14x6" wheels vs. the 185/60HR-14 with 14x5.5" wheels and tires in the SE-R). The NX2000 brakes are a common aftermarket upgrade for B13 Sentra SE-Rs. The NX2000 also had a center armrest, a larger two core radiator, and slightly lower ride height compared to the SE-R. However, the T-top roof in the NX2000 along with the mechanical upgrades made it slightly heavier than the SE-R.
The NX2000, with its light weight, stiff chassis, and limited-slip differential, was considered one of the best-handling front-wheel-drive cars of the time. In 1992, Road & Track
magazine included the NX2000 in a test of the world's best handling cars against such competition as the Acura NSX, Porsche 911
, Nissan 300ZX
, Mazda Miata, and Lotus Elan
.
The 1.6 liter, made from 1990 to February 1993 had a carburetor
fitted which tended to consume excessive fuel as it aged. From April 1993 to 1996, the 100NX was sold with a more efficient fuel injected setup.
The 1.6 liter fuel injected version achieved 0 mile per hour in 10.5 seconds and had a top speed of 121 mph (195 km/h).
The 100NX was mainly sold with a T-bar removable roof in Europe.
, power steering, electric mirrors and central locking which locked the doors automatically at 18 km/h whilst driving.
, the 1991-96 Nissan NX was assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing "significantly worse than average" protection for its occupants in the event of a crash.
Turbo (defending SSB champion Gerald Alaimo and others), its B13 cousin the Nissan Sentra
SE-R (David Daughtery and others), and the sole second-generation the Toyota MR2
(driven by Dane Pitaressi). The NX2000 posted several National wins throughout the year, and garnered much attention from competitors. The 1992 SSB SCCA Runoffs championships saw two podium finishes for the NX2000, with the gold medal taken home by Mark Youngquist, followed by Ken Payson in a Mirage then the Greg Amy (tGA) in his NX2000 taking home third place.
The 1993 season proved it wasn't a fluke, as David Daughtery took home yet another SCCA Runoffs championship for the NX2000. However, by that time the 1993 MR-2 with its updated suspension and the much-improved S14 version of the Nissan 240SX
came along; while the NX2000 continued to be campaigned nationally and sporadically posted wins throughout subsequent racing seasons, it never again won a Runoffs championship (Tony Suever won in '94 with the MR-2, and the '95 and '96 SSB championships were won by Daughtery in the S14 240SXh.) The car soon thereafter timed-out for eligibility for SSB racing.
category. At the time of its initial classification - due primarily to their larger (2.0-liter) displacement - they were dropped into the ITS, or Sports, class. This pitted them against other larger-displacement, GT-class cars such as the Mazda RX-7 and BMW 325. The cars languished in ITS for several years; despite a few sporadic oddball wins in ITS ("Crazy Joe" DiMinno in his Sentra SE-R at Watkins Glen International
in the rain in 2003) due to its very low chances of winning it garnered very little interest from competitors. Further, despite numerous requests from SCCA competitors it was never re-classified into a lower class (such as ITA, with the Acura Integra, Honda CRX Si, Saturn SC, etc.).
In 2001, Kakashi Racing from Connecticut
began to prepare both a Nissan NX2000 for former SSB driver tGA and provide support for DiMinno in his Sentra (the NX of tGA was the same exact chassis he used in the '92 Runoffs). At the same time they began an effort to convince SCCA that the car belonged in ITA. They coordinated efforts with Kirk Knestis to form a sub-group called "Improved Touring 2" to bring attention to the "orphaned" 2-liter front-wheel-drive cars languishing in ITS. In 2004 SCCA announced a complete re-vamp of the IT classification process, placing both Nissan B13 cars into ITA for the 2005 racing season. The end result was a 2006 American Road Race of Champions (ARRC) ITA win at Road Atlanta
for tGA and Kakashi Racing.
Due to this success the car has again garnered a lot of attention from competitors, and a resurgence of entries for both the NX2000 and Sentra SE-R in Improved Touring is expected
1992: Richard Laporte, Pierre Desmarais and others. Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship class T, 3rd and 4th overall.
1993: Mark Youngquist. World Challenge C, Sentra SE-R, 9th overall final standings.
1994: Thomas Thorman, Jose Luis Pombo. SCCA World Challenge World Challenge Super Production.
1995: Thomas Thorman. SCCA World Challenge World Challenge Super Production.
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
produced by Nissan Motors
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
. The Nissan NX was essentially a B13 platform Nissan Sentra
Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra is a compact car produced by automaker Nissan Motors and is generally a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny. The name "Sentra" is not used in Japan....
or Sunny
Nissan Sunny
The Nissan Sunny is a small car from Nissan. It was launched in 1966 as the Datsun 1000 and although production in Japan ended in 2004, it remains in production today for the African, American and Sri Lankan markets. In the US, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny...
with a different body shell. The NX was, loosely, an evolution of the Nissan Pulsar NX/Nissan EXA sold from 1987–1990, and it also replaced the Nissan Sentra
Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra is a compact car produced by automaker Nissan Motors and is generally a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny. The name "Sentra" is not used in Japan....
hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
.
NX1600/NX2000 (North America)
The NX1600 was based on the standard 1.6L Sentra (engine code GA16DE), and the NX2000 was based on the 2.0 L SE-R model (engine code SR20DE). It was produced from 1991-1993 in the USUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(mainly competing with the Mazda MX-3 and Honda CR-X del Sol). Also, it was produced for a few more years in other countries.
The NX2000 model had some mechanical improvements over its SE-R sibling. It had larger brakes and more aggressive tires on wider 6" wheels (195/55VR-14 with 14x6" wheels vs. the 185/60HR-14 with 14x5.5" wheels and tires in the SE-R). The NX2000 brakes are a common aftermarket upgrade for B13 Sentra SE-Rs. The NX2000 also had a center armrest, a larger two core radiator, and slightly lower ride height compared to the SE-R. However, the T-top roof in the NX2000 along with the mechanical upgrades made it slightly heavier than the SE-R.
The NX2000, with its light weight, stiff chassis, and limited-slip differential, was considered one of the best-handling front-wheel-drive cars of the time. In 1992, Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
magazine included the NX2000 in a test of the world's best handling cars against such competition as the Acura NSX, Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
, Nissan 300ZX
Nissan 300ZX
The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...
, Mazda Miata, and Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...
.
100NX (Europe)
The 100NX came with two engine options, a 1.6 L and a 2.0 L.The 1.6 liter, made from 1990 to February 1993 had a carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
fitted which tended to consume excessive fuel as it aged. From April 1993 to 1996, the 100NX was sold with a more efficient fuel injected setup.
- 1.6 carbureted — 90 bhp
- 1.6 fuel injected — 105 bhp
- 2.0 fuel injected — 150 bhp North American version
- 2.0 fuel injected — 143 bhp
The 1.6 liter fuel injected version achieved 0 mile per hour in 10.5 seconds and had a top speed of 121 mph (195 km/h).
The 100NX was mainly sold with a T-bar removable roof in Europe.
NX Coupe (Japan)
The Nissan NX was also sold in the Japanese domestic market as the Nissan NX Coupe. Some models were fitted with T-Tops, whilst others were hardtop. The Japanese domestic NX Coupe's came with either a 1.5 DOHC carburetted engine (GA15(DS)), a 1.6 DOHC EFI engine (GA16(DE)), a 1.8 DOHC EFI engine (SR18(DE)) or the rare 2.0 DOHC EFI engine (SR20DE)of the NX-R (Aus). The model was available in automatic or manual transmission. The 1.5 DOHC models were all fitted with digital speedometers, whilst all other engine versions had the standard analogue gage. All Japanese domestic models were fitted with electric windows, air conditioningAir conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, power steering, electric mirrors and central locking which locked the doors automatically at 18 km/h whilst driving.
Safety
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the 1991-96 Nissan NX was assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing "significantly worse than average" protection for its occupants in the event of a crash.
SCCA Showroom Stock B
Soon after its import into the United States, the NX2000 was classified by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) into its Showroom Stock B category for the 1992 year, pitting it against such cars as Mitsubishi MirageMitsubishi Mirage
Mitsubishi launched the Mirage as a three-door front wheel drive hatchback in 1978, as a response to the first fuel crisis some years before. It had a distinctive design with large windows and Mitsubishi's Super Shift transmission . A five-door joined the range in 1979...
Turbo (defending SSB champion Gerald Alaimo and others), its B13 cousin the Nissan Sentra
Nissan Sentra
The Nissan Sentra is a compact car produced by automaker Nissan Motors and is generally a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny. The name "Sentra" is not used in Japan....
SE-R (David Daughtery and others), and the sole second-generation the Toyota MR2
Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan...
(driven by Dane Pitaressi). The NX2000 posted several National wins throughout the year, and garnered much attention from competitors. The 1992 SSB SCCA Runoffs championships saw two podium finishes for the NX2000, with the gold medal taken home by Mark Youngquist, followed by Ken Payson in a Mirage then the Greg Amy (tGA) in his NX2000 taking home third place.
The 1993 season proved it wasn't a fluke, as David Daughtery took home yet another SCCA Runoffs championship for the NX2000. However, by that time the 1993 MR-2 with its updated suspension and the much-improved S14 version of the Nissan 240SX
Nissan 240SX
The 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. Most of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-liter inline 4 engine . The KA24E being single over-head cam and KA24DE being dual...
came along; while the NX2000 continued to be campaigned nationally and sporadically posted wins throughout subsequent racing seasons, it never again won a Runoffs championship (Tony Suever won in '94 with the MR-2, and the '95 and '96 SSB championships were won by Daughtery in the S14 240SXh.) The car soon thereafter timed-out for eligibility for SSB racing.
SCCA Improved Touring
The Nissan NX2000 and the Sentra SE-R were soon approved for SCCA's Improved TouringImproved Touring
Improved Touring is a category of classifications for cars in amateur road racing defined by the Sports Car Club of America. The class is used by other sanctioning bodies with compatible rules, such as the International Conference of Sports Car Clubs....
category. At the time of its initial classification - due primarily to their larger (2.0-liter) displacement - they were dropped into the ITS, or Sports, class. This pitted them against other larger-displacement, GT-class cars such as the Mazda RX-7 and BMW 325. The cars languished in ITS for several years; despite a few sporadic oddball wins in ITS ("Crazy Joe" DiMinno in his Sentra SE-R at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
in the rain in 2003) due to its very low chances of winning it garnered very little interest from competitors. Further, despite numerous requests from SCCA competitors it was never re-classified into a lower class (such as ITA, with the Acura Integra, Honda CRX Si, Saturn SC, etc.).
In 2001, Kakashi Racing from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
began to prepare both a Nissan NX2000 for former SSB driver tGA and provide support for DiMinno in his Sentra (the NX of tGA was the same exact chassis he used in the '92 Runoffs). At the same time they began an effort to convince SCCA that the car belonged in ITA. They coordinated efforts with Kirk Knestis to form a sub-group called "Improved Touring 2" to bring attention to the "orphaned" 2-liter front-wheel-drive cars languishing in ITS. In 2004 SCCA announced a complete re-vamp of the IT classification process, placing both Nissan B13 cars into ITA for the 2005 racing season. The end result was a 2006 American Road Race of Champions (ARRC) ITA win at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
for tGA and Kakashi Racing.
Due to this success the car has again garnered a lot of attention from competitors, and a resurgence of entries for both the NX2000 and Sentra SE-R in Improved Touring is expected
Professional Race Series
1991: Richard Laporte and others. Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship class T, 5th overall.1992: Richard Laporte, Pierre Desmarais and others. Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship class T, 3rd and 4th overall.
1993: Mark Youngquist. World Challenge C, Sentra SE-R, 9th overall final standings.
1994: Thomas Thorman, Jose Luis Pombo. SCCA World Challenge World Challenge Super Production.
1995: Thomas Thorman. SCCA World Challenge World Challenge Super Production.