The SilEighty is what everyone thinks of when you mention legendary Nissan hybrids. But its more obscure brother—the Onevia—has taken a back seat even though it’s just as cool.
However, the SilEighty was a necessity-of-the-time streets-of-Japan combo, the Onevia was an actual factory produced model in North America, which means it is one of the most underrated, unknown, and overlooked JDM-style cars in automotive history.
What is the Nissan Onevia?
The Onevia is basically the opposite of the SilEighty—it’s a Nissan Silvia S13 with the front end of a 180SX. The name follows that same blending strategy:
“one” symbolizes the 180SX front.
The “via” comes from Silvia, a name that refers to the coupe body style.
Combine those two visually, and you have an unusual appearance. And while the SilEighty threw pop up headlights to the side for a flashy Silvia front end, the Onevia paired the rest of the non-aero bits with the same, more aggressive July style, retractable headlights as the 180SX for a marginally more menacing front end.
A Factory Onevia? Why Every 240SX Coupe is a 240SX Coupe, Technically
Strangely, however, Nissan never actually offered the Onevia to customers in Japan as a separate model. In fact, every Nissan 240SX Coupe (S13) sold in North America was equipped from the factory with this exact set up. Essentially, Nissan made the Onevia for the American market long before Japanese car fans began assembling their own.
In Japan, aftermarket conversions were available, but far less so than the SilEighty. For style or function, some owners exchanged the 180SX front for a Silvia coupe—the pop-up headlights made it visually more aggressive, and some drifters thought the weight balance was improved.
The Kids Heart Connection
The development of the SilEighty was heavily influenced by the Japanese tuning house Kids Heart, and they had an impact on the Onevia, too. Although they never mass-produced Onevias like they did with the SilEighty, they were known to build high-performance Silvia-based grads that commonly sported a 180SX nose. This gave rise to his small but loyal following among the drift set and street racers.
Performance & Powertrain
Much like the SilEighty, the Onevia was based on the Nissan S13 platform, thus, it had plenty of engines and transmission options available including:
1.8L CA18DE I4 (N/A)
1.8L CA18DET Turbo I4
2.0L SR20DE I4 (Non Turbo)
2.0L SR20DET Turbo I4
4-speed automatic / 5-speed manual
The Onevia, equipped with the SR20DET engine, could produce 200+ horsepower, making for a great base for modification. It became a popular choice with many drift teams, due to its distinct appearance and superb handling characteristics.
Onevia vs SilEighty: Onevia Never Became as Popular as the SilEighty
Thing is, the Onevia never earned the cult status of the SilEighty, despite its similar concept. Here’s why:
No Official Production, The Onevia Was Mainly A DIY Conversion: Where the SilEighty had limited production runs in Japan, the Onevia was mainly a DIY conversion.
Factory Availability In North America: Given that the 240SX Coupe was already available in this configuration, the too-cool-for-school SilEighty didn’t have the exclusitivity potential that made it special.
Flip-Flop: Some fans of JDM would even prefer the more aerodynamic fitted Silvia over the 180SX’s pop-up headlights.
Limited Major Media Exposure: due to its relative rarity, the Onevia never featured heavily in the mainstream pop culture like the SilEighty did in Initial D or Gran Turismo, playstation enthusiasts stayed well away from it.
Influence of Onevia on the Drifting Culture
Of course, with it being a relatively obscure car, the Onevia naturally has a niche audience, especially in drifting. The then relatively unheard of combination of balanced chassis, RWD and engine options that were easily tuned made the Onevia a favorite among drifters seeking something different from the usual Silvia or 180SX build.
Some drifters even claimed that the weight from the pop-up headlights helped with front-end grip, and that the Onevia was a capable drift machine, particularly in technical courses that required finer weight transfer.
Today’s Onevia: An Overlooked Japanese Classic
And while the SilEighty has become the poster child of DIY Nissan hybrids, the Onevia is in the process of being rediscovered by the JDM crowd. But as S13 chassis cars become rare, people are beginning to appreciate the oddball nature of the Onevia, with some taking special efforts to convert Silvias into Onevias to be different.
Since JDM nostalgia is at an all-time high, maybe now is finally the time to stop associating the Onevia with the SilEighty and give it the time in the spotlight it deserves.
