Photo by Josue Misael via Pexels
Forget polished showroom queens. The Nissan 240RS (BS110) was born with mud in its veins. In the early 80s, as Group B monsters like the Audi Quattro and Lancia 037 rewrote rally history, Nissan crafted a raw, rulebook-exploiting weapon to storm the World Rally Championship. This is the story of Japan’s underdog challenger.
Built for Battle, Not Boulevards
The FIA’s homologation rules demanded 200 street-legal soldiers for Nissan to field their rally weapon. So between 1983-1985, Nissan crafted these rare beasts – S110 Silvias stripped, caged, and cranked to eleven. Forget cup holders. This coupe came with roll cages, stripped interiors, and rally-spec suspension bushings. Every street-legal 240RS was essentially a WRC prototype in disguise.
Heart of a Samurai: The FJ24 Engine
Under that boxy hood lived Nissan’s secret weapon: the 2.4-liter DOHC FJ24.
- Naturally Aspirated Fury: No turbos here – just 204hp of screaming, high-revving aggression at 7,200 RPM.
- Rally-Bred Toughness: Forged internals, sodium-filled valves, and a dry-sump system built to survive airborne landings.
- Five-Speed Symphony: Paired with a rifle-bolt manual gearbox, it howled like a banshee on rally stages from Greece to New Zealand.
Conquered Terrain, Not Podiums (But Came Damn Close)
The 240RS wasn’t just fast – it was brutally reliable where fragile Group B cars crumbled:
- Debut Glory: 1983 New Zealand Rally – Shekhar Mehta takes 2nd overall, humbling factory teams.
- Torture-Tested: Survived the car-crushing 1984 Acropolis Rally (5th place) and the icy 1985 Swedish Rally.
- Giant-Killer Reputation: Became a privateer favorite for its indestructible suspension and neutral handling on gravel, snow, and tarmac.
The Violet GTS: The 240RS’s Grittier Older Sibling
Before the 240RS, Nissan tested the waters with the Datsun Violet GTS in 1982:
- Homologation Hack: Used the same LZ20B twin-cam engine, homologated under the Violet nameplate.
- Safari Proven: Finished 3rd at the 1981 Safari Rally before homologation.
- Heartbreak in Portugal: Team leader Timo Salonen’s suspension “snapped like dry twigs” on Lisbon’s cobbles in ’82. Proof rally rewards the ruthless.
Why the 240RS Still Matters (And Why Collectors Crave It)
This Nissan isn’t just nostalgia – it’s a symbol of pre-GT-R Japanese rally ambition:
- Rare as Hen’s Teeth: Only ≈200 ever made. Finding one? Like uncovering buried samurai steel.
- The Last N/A Warrior: Final WRC contender without forced induction – a screaming relic of purist rally.
- Nissan’s Rally DNA: Direct ancestor to the pulsating GT-R Group A monsters of the 90s.
- Underdog Legend: Proof you don’t need 500hp to be heroic. Just grit, balance, and an engine that won’t quit.
Today, when a dusty 240RS fires up that FJ24 at a historic rally, the sound isn’t just noise – it’s the war cry of Japan’s forgotten Group B gladiator. A homologation hero that punched above its weight and left tread marks on rally history.
