Since its introduction in 1957, the Skyline has gone through thirteen versions, initially by the Prince Motor Company and subsequently by Nissan after Prince went out of business.
Since 1957, thirteen models of the Skyline have been produced, first by the Prince Motor Company and later by Nissan after Prince was incorporated into Nissan. One of the most adored Japanese automobiles of the previous 50 years, the brand has been used on sedans, coupes, station wagons, and all-wheel drive supercars over the years. The Nissan Skyline GT-R from the C10 generation and the GT-R from the R32 generation are notable versions.
A: On August 20, 2022, a 2001 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-Spec II sold for $525,000, breaking the previous sales record.
A: On March 22, 2018, a 1986 Nissan Skyline GT Passage sold for $4,500, the lowest transaction price ever.
In This Article...
What is the price of the Nissan Skyline?
The base MSRP for the 2021 Nissan (Skyline) GT-R’s top variant is $113,540. The base MSRP for NISMO trims is $210,740.
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What’s the market price of a 1990 Nissan Skyline?
Nissan Skyline 1990 costs start at $2,200 for the entry-level Sedan Skyline GX trim level and go up to $8,140 for the top-of-the-line Sedan Skyline Silhouette GTS trim level. The 1990 Nissan Skyline is available as a Sedan and a Wagon.
In the US, is Skyline R34 legal?
10 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec II is still illegal Unless it’s an import from MotoRex, Gran Turismo and Fast and Furious fans will have to wait until 2024 to legally import the R34 Skyline to the United States because this model is still under the age of 25.
What is the value of an R34 Skyline?
Currently, the base-model R34 Skyline GT R rarely sells for less than $100,000, while the rarest models, such the V or M spec Nr’s, sell for more than $300,000.
A 1999 Nissan GT-R costs how much?
The 1999 Nissan Skyline GTR R34’s cost varies. To be precise, it sold for $315,187 at the Bring A Trailer auction. This is a significant amount for a non-luxury car. Recently, a 1999 Nissan Skyline GTR R34 that was priced just below the record-breaker was also sold. Exact price was $310,000.
In the US, which skylines are permitted?
As you can probably tell, we at Drifted are HUGE fans of the Nissan Skyline.
Numerous Skyline guides have already been released, and we’ve seen that there is a lot of misunderstanding regarding their present legal standing in America.
Our supporters have constantly questioned us about the situation, seeking the truth and explanation.
We’ve chosen to produce a comprehensive guide explaining all the fascinating details and responding to the all-too-common query, “Why are Nissan Skylines illegal in the US?” as a result.
Since the F&F brand surely contributed to the Skyline’s rise to become a cult icon in the US, we first brought up the matter and provided some clarity in our Paul Walker Skyline article.
The Fast and the Furious star was without a doubt one of the biggest R34 GT-R aficionados in the US and was also fortunate to have owned and driven several of them in Japan, including the illustrious Mine’s R34 GT-R.
But what if you don’t want to travel to Japan to satisfy your Godzilla craving? What’s holding you back from bringing your own in and becoming a renowned figure in your community on the track or in the streets?
We have some happy news for you! Any vehicle older than 25 years can avoid the absurd US legal system.
This implies that, except for California, where there are some additional obstacles, it is totally legal to import and own a Nissan Skyline R31 or R32 GT-R in the US at the moment.
You can also lawfully import any Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R that was registered before 1995 as of the time this page went online.
However, you’ll have to wait a bit longer if you want to import a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, as we’ll discuss in more detail below.
What does a used Nissan R32 cost?
The majority of sales were between $20,000 and $25,000. The greatest Nissan R32 available in America today costs in excess of $75,000. Exhibit A: A stock, low-mileage model fetched $86,900 at the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction in August 2017 during Monterey Car Week.
Do you possess a Skyline? ?
In summary, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is prohibited from being imported into the US since it does not adhere to the 1988 Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act. The Skyline was not designed with the necessary safety elements to abide by the applicable traffic safety regulations.
A vehicle is exempt from these rules once it reaches the age of 25, at which point it is allowed to be imported and used on American roads.
With California being likely the most noteworthy exception in terms of particular states where you would have difficulties importing due to tougher emissions control legislation, this means that vehicles like the R32 GTR (the original “Godzilla”) can be imported into the USA.
By 2024, you should be able to start importing the R34 GTR. The oldest versions of the R33 GTR are also starting to become legal for import and compliance.
Just a word of caution
As far as we are aware, there are no laws prohibiting you from importing one as a “show piece that isn’t allowed to be driven on the road but instead sits in your garage.” We’ve heard stories of people looking to buy and store Nissan Skylines with a view of registering and complying them once they turn 25 years old in the hopes of increasing their value. While it is likely not a bad idea, there is always a chance that the government could modify import regulations, leaving you with a depreciating burden rather than an asset that depreciates over time. Although it’s unlikely, it’s nevertheless important to remark.
We would be interested in hearing from you if you are aware of any other legitimate ways to buy a Skyline GTR in the United States. Please comment down below!
thoughts on “Why Are Nissan Skylines Illegal In The United States?
Untrue in every way, 100%. A skyline can be exported and imported to the US for a pricey sum of $5,500. That doesn’t make it unlawful.
What makes skylines so favored?
One of the most renowned Japanese performance vehicles of all time is the Nissan Skyline, especially the iconic, fire-breathing Skyline GT-R “(Read more here about the origins of the Nissan Skyline GT-R’s name.)
The response could shock you.
Why, then, is the Nissan Skyline so well-liked? What is it about this car that continues to make it so coveted and adored after all these years?
How is it possible that this car has become such a cultural icon since there were only a small number of Skylines ever made, the majority of which weren’t GT-Rs but rather lower-grade vehicles without turbochargers or all-wheel drives?
What makes this car special “JDM hero and one of the greatest icons of Japanese automotive excellence throughout time?
In this episode of Car Facts, we examine why the Skyline has grown in popularity despite being illegal in the US (if you’re curious, you can read more about why the Nissan Skyline is illegal here).
Note that this article doesn’t represent scientific fact.
It’s just our perspective as to why the Skyline, despite always being a pretty specialized vehicle, has grown to be such a coveted and well-liked vehicle.
Please feel free to leave a remark at the bottom of this post if you have any further information or an opinion regarding why the Skyline is still so popular today.
Let’s dive in now to comprehend:
Cost of importing a Skyline from Japan
Fortunately, the demand for the Nissan Skyline is so high that many of them can be found for sale on American soil, and dealerships have sprung up all over the place that specialize in JDM imports. Once they have gone through the importation process, these cars can be purchased and sold in the same manner as any other domestic U.S. vehicle. However, there are a few extra requirements to meet if you wish to bring your own GT-R.
The process is substantially simplified because so many businesses that specialize in JDM are willing to handle the import snafu for you. One of the top importers in the United States at the moment is TopRank Importers, based in Cypress, California. Typically, shipping costs are fixed plus an additional import charge. Where things can become complicated is with this import tariff, as TopRank notes. As the import market for automobiles continues to heat up, the existing import duty rate of 2.5 percent may change.
There is a flat $5,500 price for export from Japan and import into the United States, said Sean Morris, owner of TopRank. Additionally, transportation to their California dealership is included in this set price.
Are skylines uncommon?
The Z-tune, R400, and, of course, Brian O’Conner’s electric blue R34 from 2 Fast 2 Furious are a few particularly uncommon Nissan Skylines. But there is only one Godzilla that is genuinely as uncommon as a unicorn: the magnificent R33 LM.
The silhouette of this squat, wide-arched R33 may be recognizable to Gran Turismo players from the opening movie of the first game. Since then, every episode of the racing franchise has featured a similar vehicle. But unlike the fantasy realm of pixels where several copies can coexist, there is only one hard copy in existence.
It is kept at Nissan’s magnificent Zama DNA garage. A carefully crafted toy box stuffed to the gills with the Japanese manufacturer’s back catalog. We also met the LM there for a brief one-on-one conversation.
We begged and begged to be allowed to drive it, but that was not possible. Even Carlos Ghosn, the biggest of all Nissan bigwigs and chairman, president, and CEO, has never been permitted to operate a vehicle.
Even still, we continued to plead, threaten, and even consider stealing it in order to experience driving without a PlayStation controller.