Silvia/Gazelle's Magnificent Transformation
Motor Fan Magazine - October Special Edition. Volume 498 - October 20th, 1983.
On August 23rd 1983, a press conference was held at Nissan's headquarters in Ginza, Tokyo, to present the Silvia/Gazelle, which underwent a full model change for the first time in 4 years and 5 months.
The new Silvia/Gazelle was developed with the aim of being sportier and more fashionable, and has been reborn as a truly unique specialty car.
The presentation proceeded as per usual, with an overview of the car, an explanation using 16mm film, a Q&A session, and finally an opportunity to see the actual car. The venue, the Nissan headquarters showroom, was packed with members of the press, and the display car was so well attended that it was almost buried in the crowds.
The Nissan headquarters building is where Nissan releases new cars. Seven new Silvia/Gazelle models were on display in the showroom on the first floor. The venue is not particularly large, so it was quite crowded.
The large hall was filled with members of the press, indicating the high level of interest in the Silvia/Gazelle.
The room next to the announcement venue was a small salon, where people were chatting away in lively conversation about the new cars that had just been announced.
A display model showing the body structure and suspension.
The Miss Fairlady girls livened up the atmosphere at the venue. Naturally, they were all single. There was even a reporter from a certain magazine who was fascinated by them without even looking at the cars.
Rally drivers Toshikazu Kanmoto (left) and Yoshio Iwashita also appeared at the venue. They will likely be taking on the challenge at next years Safari Rally with the new Silvia.
The highlight of the series is expected to be the model equipped with this FJ20ET engine. It has already been installed in the Skyline and has demonstrated incredible performance, but when combined with the Silvia/Gazelle, even greater potential is expected.