Nissan Silvia: Fast, furious ... and illegal in the United States?

An Ocean Springs man a few weeks ago pleaded guilty for smuggling a Nissan Silvia into the United States. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

That seems steep for a car that can be purchased online for less than $20,000 (Australian). Some things to consider ...

What is a Nissan Silvia: The Nissan Silvia refers to the Japanese car maker's line of sports cars, which all share a similar chassis. The Nissan 240sx is the closest thing to a Silvia in the United States.

Why is this car so special: It has a unique aerodynamic frame, chrome detailing, and turbo-charged engine. In other words, it's very fast. They have low platforms, rounded upper bodies, and sloping hoods. The Nissan Silvia S15 has a slim front end, complete with a low front bumper and integrated grill. According to one website, the wide headlights slope inward from the sides and combine with lower fog lights to give the driver high visibility in sub-par conditions.

Why is this car illegal in the United States: This particular vehicle was declared illegal because it did not meet federal safety and pollution standards and it had a right-hand steering column, similar to cars in England. However, some Silvia cars have been modified for U.S. regulations and registered in the United States.

Why risk bringing it into the United States: First, only the defendant (Kendall Noble) can say his reasons for bringing this particular vehicle into the country. But many car enthusiasts purchase the Nissan Silvia S15 because it has had great success in local drag racing (street classification), drifting competitions and street racing. In drifting, the car has won 7 D1 Grand Prix championships with 5 different drivers driving the S15 (Nobuteru Taniguchi:2001; Ryuji Miki:2004; Yasuyuki Kazama:2005; Masato Kawabata:2007; Youichi Imamura:2009,2010,2011)