5 Reasons Why Nissan's S Platform Cars Have become JDM Heroes

There are few cars in the drift scene that are more iconic than Nissan’s range of S platform models. Built from 1976 to 2002, the S cars were rear-wheel drive sports cars that would go on to become heroes. Today, you can’t attend a grassroots drifting event without being bombarded with S13s, S14s and S15s.

But what makes them so popular? We’ve rounded up the five key reasons why the road to becoming a drift king is paved with Silvias.

Rear-wheel drive, perfect size for drifting

The S cars are best known for their drifting exploits, but it’s a decent sports car when you’re not going sideways. Still, most people who buy one will be wanting to drift it, and for that it’s got the perfect recipe; rear-wheel drive, low centre of gravity, and a decently long wheelbase make it the perfect starting point for a drift car.

If you’re serious about getting your drift on, you’ll want to be hacking out any unnecessary weight, but the 200SX is pretty light to start with. Furthermore, that weight is well balanced, with both the S13 and S14 having near 50/50 balance - check out these two copies of old Car and Driver articles about the S13 and S14 for some really interesting analysis.

Couple these traits with those mentioned above, and it’s easy to see why this car just loves kicking the rear out and keeping it there.

The engine can take a heavy dose of horsepower

Those SR20DET engines (introduced in the S13 in 1993 and enduring until the end of the S15 in 2002) can take a beating, so when you’re bouncing off the rev limiter you know your car probably won’t blow up.

Depending on which model you get, your S will have anywhere between 180bhp and 250bhp, however thanks to its strength, it can also take a decent power hike; slap a bigger turbo under the bonnet and you’ve got quick and easy power gains. Also, the huge popularity in the tuning community means parts are everywhere; if you can think of it, someone’s done it, so any installation guides you might need will no doubt be somewhere on the interweb.

It's easy to swap panels

Body panels are interchangeable. This might sound like a minor thing, but it’s actually a big appeal to tuners and drifters alike. First of all, drifters will constantly be looking for replacement panels after a little bump and grind; knowing you can just swap that rear end for a different model year is really helpful.

It’s also cool from an aesthetic viewpoint. Love the S13 shape but prefer the PS13 nose? Just swap ‘em out!

Never underestimate the importance of cost in these things. Unfortunately prices at the moment have taken a small hike thanks to the ‘drift tax’ - basically everyone knows the cars are great drifters so they’re in demand, hence it’s easier to sell at a higher price - but you can still get S14s for little more than £1000.

For that cash you’re getting a reliable sports car that looks great and is a brilliant way to learn drifting, should you wish. That alone justifies its place as a JDM hero in my eyes.