Track Monsters: 𝐍𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐒 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚

The Nissan Skyline RS Silhouette Formula is a Group 5 race car designed, developed, and built by Nissan for sports car racing in 1982. It was a part of the Super Silhouette racing series, which was a Japanese touring car racing series that ran from 1979 to 1984. The Skyline RS Silhouette Formula was based on the Nissan Skyline RS R30 and was one of the most powerful cars in the Super Silhouette formula. 



The Skyline RS Silhouette Formula had a steel tubular spaceframe chassis and a rear-wheel-drive layout. It was powered by a Nissan LZ20B engine, which was a 2.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, DOHC, 16-valve, inline-four petrol engine. The engine produced over 570 horsepower and over 539 Nm of torque. The car had a Doug Nash 5-speed manual transmission.



Masahiro Hasemi competed in the 1982 and 1983 Super Silhouette races driving the Nissan Skyline RS Silhouette Formula. The Super Silhouette races started in 1979 and allowed heavy modifications to the cars. The Nissan Violet (710A10), Bluebird (910), Silvia (S110), and Skyline (R30) represented Nissan in these races. The combination of powerful engines and impressive styling attracted a large fan following. The Tomica Nissan Skyline KDR30, driven by Hasemi Masahiro, dominated the Super Silhouette formula series in 1982 and 1983, along with the Impul Silvia Turbo S110 in 1982 and the S12 in 1983, driven by Hoshino Kazuyoshi, while being backed up by the Bluebird KY910.



1984 was the final year the Gr.5 cars like this were raced in Japan. The R30 Skyline then began competing in Group C racing sporting the same Tomica colors as this car and again with Hasemi behind the wheel. What an incredible period of production-car based racing. A truly epic era.


Images from:

http://www.speedhunters.com/

http://www.speedhunters.com/2010/12/car_spotlight_gt_gt_hasemi_skyline_super_silhouette/

http://www.speedhunters.com/2008/11/retrospective_gt_gt_nissan_super_silhouette_racers/