1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R: It Exists
Posted by Doug DeMuro in It Exists on | 14 comments
As I was angrily berated yesterday for saying the Infiniti G20 was based on the Nissan Sentra, I decided to devote today’s post to the car that shared its engine – but not its platform – with the G20: the 1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R.
To create the Sentra SE-R, Nissan started with its base-level Nissan Sentra, which was a highly dull compact car with a 110-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It wasn’t just dull in terms of performance: its styling is actually nondescript, to the point where attempting to describe it just results in saying things like “slightly rounder than the previous model.”
Sensing this, Nissan decided to add a little spice to the two-door Sentra in the form of a performance model called the Sentra SE-R. Although this only resulted in a horsepower increase from 110 to 140, that was more than enough – the two-door Sentra only weighed 2,300 pounds. The power bump made the SE-R a veritable rocket ship, reaching 60 mph in around seven seconds. At the time, this was big news, since the Ferrari 348 wasn’t much faster – and it only reached 60 if the driver was wearing a white suit jacket.
The Sentra SE-R also did its best to correct the regular Sentra’s dull styling. That meant a rear spoiler, a cooler front air dam, and some alloy wheels. The wheels weren’t very sporty, but hey – at least they weren’t hubcaps.
Both the third-generation Sentra and its SE-R variant died after the 1994 model year. The next Sentra was larger and less bland, but performance wasn’t the same – even if you sprung for the two-door 200SX SE-R.
These days, it’s impossible to find a ’91-’94 Sentra SE-R in decent shape. A G20 might suffice in a pinch. Just remember: it’s not the same platform. Really.
14 Responses to “ “1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R: It Exists”
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This was a sweet little car. I remember reading about it and wanting to get one of these when I turned 16. Never happened. By the way, the new Sentra is quite possibly the ugliest vehicle in its class, if not the entire automotive market. Just hideous. In fact, most Nissan vehicles look like cartoon drawings of sea life (GT-R is excluded). Whatever happened to the days of the 300ZX TT and the 4DSC Maxima? Those were some great cars in their day.
The one good thing about it is at least Nissan has some uniqueness. Everyone else is starting to look fairly similar. Even I’m having trouble telling apart the compact SUVs, and I used to be able to pick out a trim level from a mile away.
The SER was a great little car, a true sleeper to the untrained eye back in the day.
Huzzah! I’ve owned a 91 & 93 SE-R in the past. Wonderful vehicles. I’ve also owned SR20DE-power in a 96 G20 and 2000 Sentra SE w/ the performance pack [so you still got the limited slip diff]. By 2000 it wasn’t quite as special due to the added weight and lower redline, but it was still a very nice little car. Truly a shame Nissan doesn’t have a small car or small engine to carry that torch.
minor triva: Car and Driver put this on their 10 best for 91-94. 100% perfect attendance!
I, too, owned one of these, about 10 years ago. I purchased it with like 150k on it, but the interior was pristine (factory recaros, damn those seats were good) and it ran great. The previous owner had cut the springs, so I did a full suspension upgrade to it. Great car, and from an enjoyment standpoint, worth so much more than I got for it. But when you’re broke, you do stupid things.
I wonder what ever happened to it. When was the last time you saw one of these things on the road?
Good question. By the time I sold it it had the dreaded 5th gear pop-out, common on these cars. I don’t think the kid I sold it to really knew what a special car he was getting, but I wasn’t really in a position to be picky.
I can, however, remember exactly the last time I saw one in the wild: 3 years ago in a Raleys parking lot. I was so excited, I complimented the guy driving it on his good taste in cars. He seemed to appreciate the hat-tip, said he bought it new.
Took a test drive, loved it but didn’t buy it. A mistake, that.
This was the car I wanted when I turned 16. The car I actually got was my mom’s 85 LeBaron GTS Turbo. Which wouldn’t have been half bad accept that my father, in his infinite wisdom. figured that a 16 year old with a turbo probably wasn’t the best idea in the world and crimped or bent or somehow managed to modify the throttle so that even when floored it wasn’t really at full throttle.
Maybe he did that after I blew the tranny, a CV joint, a timing belt, and had a run-in with that creek. I don’t remember. Either way… I still always wanted that SE-R.
Great car to celebrate Doug! These were sleepers, but well designed in an elegant sense. Perhaps the nadir of the Nissan years, with the Maxima 4DSC, 300ZX and Hardbodies all if not ruling their respective classes certainly serving notice.
I dated an nymphomaniac Korean woman when I moved to (redacted) back in ’95 and this was her whip of choice. I can assure you that anyone who knows how to have fun, no matter what the venue, would appreciate this generation SE-R. It made my tolerable Civic DX feel like an ox cart in comparison, being very sublime in its handling, ergonomics and rev happy nature. I guess her previous boyfriend missed the Sentra as he scratched “bitch” and “slut” into the red paint to protest the separation. Poor innocent car. Eventually I tired of not ever being able to catch an uninterrupted night’s sleep and moved on but upon reflection I must admit both the car and the girlfriend were more fun than most anything since then.
Maybe somebody can help me. I’m wondering if a ’98 Nissan Sentra GXE engine will be swable for my ’94 Nissan Sentra SE-R engine. I’m working on making this 94 Sentra start again.
The Sentra SE-R is fun to drive and very enjoyable. I have a low mileage 1992 Nissan SER with 48,000 orginal miles, white with blue interior non sun roof model. Don’t really drive it except to keep it running. Orginal South Carolina car.
For Sale? Do you have pictures?