Story: Phillip Pratt. Shots: Tony Proenza
When someone says the term “legendary car”, depending on your taste, a couple of dozen vehicles should come to mind; the Toyota Supra, 64’ GTO, Nissan Skyline GT-R, 67 Fastback Mustang, the Chevelle SS, and a bevy of six-figure supercars. But again – that depends on what you’re into.
On the open market, there are some cars floating around that are not nearly as expensive as the above examples – but can easily be just as, if not more elusive. Those are what we will be talking about in this segment we’re calling The Ruff. Car’s that are obtainable on the surface, but are rarely seen up for sale. They are also often over-priced due to their scarcity and pesky sentimental value.
Just about any car model has its community of nutty enthusiasts and gurus – but out there are cars that go beyond “popular”. They have cult followings. Ravenous die-hard fanatics that at times own several versions in various conditions ranging from inoperable doner, to daily, to dedicated race car.
Now, that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s move onto our first hidden gem. The Infinite G20 – also known overseas as the Nissan Primera or Primera Camino, a special version bred for Touring Car Championships where the 1999 GT model secured 13 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) wins, out of the 26 in which it participated. That’s half…
The first generation of the mid-size sports sedan (known as the P10) was produced between 1990 and 1996. The platform received a sleek refresh in 1998 after it was relaunched following a 2-year hiatus – the line ran through 2002 (P11). Throughout its stateside availability, the G20 was blessed with Nissan’s famous SR20DE – a 2.0L, I4 engine pumping out a healthy naturally aspirated 140-145hp with around 130lb.ft of torque, to the front wheels.
Key phrase: naturally aspirated.
While the line never received a factory turbocharged version of the P10 or the P11 – it already had much of what it needed. In terms of performance, the SR20DE was quite prolific. It found its way into several other Nissan platforms with FWD, AWD, and RWD setups, in both NA and turbocharged configurations. This made the task of, at least, mounting the more powerful SR20DET (take notice of the ‘T’ at the end) inside of the G20 a fairly straightforward process.
Although not as sexy for the P11, there is also the option of using the older CA18DET engine found in many platforms including the Nissan Auster, Bluebird, 200SX, and Silvia. Wiring purgatory notwithstanding. Though plentiful worldwide – the engine never made it into any production models in the States. Like most great JDM things in this life – a CA18 engine must be shipped in or purchased here second, third, or even forth-hand. Its aftermarket support is also, arguably, not great. So, good luck with that.
Ignoring engine swaps, altogether, it’s more common to see enthusiasts just build what’s already in the car – it is an SR20, for goodness’ sake. When talking about interest (at least in America) – the most sought-after model of the two is the 1999-2002 G20t. Other than having an improved suspension system and an extra 5hp from a newer version of the SR20DE engine – the drivetrain also possessed a limited-slip differential.
At the end of the Primera’s run, the P11’s updates were mostly focused on comfort and aesthetics. Because of that, it became longer, taller, and heavier which altered its center of gravity versus the more spartan P10 platform. While not the easiest to locate unmolested and equipped with a 5-speed transmission – the G20 is still a solid platform to build today. With innate good looks and a proven track record, there’s surely still some juice left to be squeezed. Or, you know – you can just be a douchebag, and K-swap it.
