2000 Nissan Silvia S15 by Top Secret Tuning (2004 D1 Drifting Champion 1st Place)

• 2004 D1GP Championship First Place Winner.

• Built on one of the most versatile and sought-after JDM chassis.

• Utilizes several factory components.

Nissan Silvia is best known today for its last three generations — the S13, S14, and S15. Due to their adaptability for motorsports and their popularity among famous Japanese tuners and drivers, they have developed a cult following. Raised on the racing pedigree of their predecessor, the S12, the models that followed reaped the benefits of what was learned during its vast and successful racing career. Appearing in WRC, Touring Car Championships, Japan Supersports Series, and Silhouette Formula, the S12 served as a testbed for technologies and equipment that would be implemented into later Silvias. Multi-link suspensions strengthened chassis components, a variety of limited-slip differentials, and small yet potent turbocharged four-cylinder engines, all eventually accumulated in Silvia’s final generation — the S15.

This particular S15 was built by Top Secret to compete in the D1 Gran Prix drift series. The track-based motorsport evolved out of illegal mountain pass racing known as Togue, or Tōge which translates to “pass” in Japanese. Wanting to offer people a safe means of enjoying drifting, Daijiro Inada, founder of Option Magazine and the Tokyo Auto Salon, created the first professional drifting competition called Ikaten. This series then became the All-Japan Professional Drift Championship, and a year later in 2001 was rebranded as D1 Gran Prix (D1GP). The competition remained based in Japan for the next two years, but in 2003 made its way to the shores of America. Japanese tuning companies such as Signal Auto and Top Secret had already established a presence on US soil and were shoo-ins as builders and team sponsors for the racing series.

Unlike the professional drift cars of today which are built on custom chassis and are extremely different from their road-legal counterparts, D1GP cars were essentially street cars with moderate modifications. This S15 retains its factory e-brake and 6-speed manual transmission — components heavily abused in drifting but proven through this car’s successful career. Under the hood are ingredients common among Top Secret builds. An

HKS stroker kit takes the stock SR20 to a punchy 2.2 liters. From there, a pair of short-duration Tomei camshafts, a highly aggressive HKS turbocharger, and a custom exhaust are added on. This all works together to produce approximately 530 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.

The Top Secret S15, in the capable hands of Ryuji Miki, slid its way to victory and became the 2004 D1GP champion. It was retired as a drift car but would go on to compete in legal togue and track racing challenges for the Best Motoring video series. Reiterating the accomplishments of the car built by Top Secret, 14 other S15s have captured D1 Gran Prix trophies. Put clearly, in the 22 years of D1GP’s tenure, S15s account for nearly 70% of all championship wins.

It is through the S15’s numerous victories in drifting and Nissan’s success with the S15 in the Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) that the S-chassis has established itself as extremely versatile and dominant. To this day, S-chassis cars from all three generations (S13, S14, and S15) are extremely sought after by JDM enthusiasts, collectors, and those wishing to utilize it in racing applications — a testament to the platform Nissan introduced in 1988.

Specifications

Engine: 2.2L HKS Stroker SR20DET

Horsepower: ~ 530 hp

Torque: 380 lb-ft

Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Manual

Weight: 2,557 lbs