The Nissan Skyline was first created by the Prince Motor Company in 1957, and after the two businesses combined in 1966, Nissan began producing it under the name “Nissan Skyline.” The Skyline had a 1.5L GA-30 engine and was offered as a four-door sedan or a five-door station wagon.
In This Article...
What does Nissan’s Skyline mean?
The word “skyline” in English, which denotes an outline of mountains against the sky, is where the word “skyline” originates. Regarding the naming process, there are two theories. The first theory holds that developer Shinichiro Sakurai is responsible for the name SKYLINE. This moniker was chosen to honor the Northern Alps’ snowy mountains and clear skies that the author experienced while skiing in Shiga Kogen, Japan. The second idea holds that Fuji Precision Industry’s top management, which was Nissan’s forerunner, named the SKYLINE brand. First, “Sky” was taken out of the titles of the golf balls made by Fuji Precision Industry called “Blue Sky” and “Skyway.” Finally, one of the internal submissions, SKYLINE, was chosen.
Nissan’s declaration in support of the second theory above came in December 2020, when the name SKYLINE won the Good Naming Award.
The letters “GT” in the GT-R stand for “Grand Touring” in English. R380’s initials and the word “race” in English are combined to form the letter “R.”
A Nissan GTR is it a Skyline?
A sports automobile built on the Nissan Skyline platform is known as the Nissan Skyline GT-R (Japanese: Ri Chan sukairainGT-R, Hepburn: Nissan Sukairain GT-R). The first “Skyline GT-R” vehicles, with the model code KPGC10, were made between 1969 and 1972. They were successful in Japanese touring car racing competitions. In 1973, a limited number of second-generation vehicles bearing the model number KPGC110 were produced in its place.
The GT-R moniker was brought back in 1989 as the BNR32 (“R32”) Skyline GT-R following a 16-year absence. The R32 GT-R was utilized to win the Japanese Touring Car Championship four years in a row in Group A standard versions. Prior to a regulation change that banned the R32 GT-R in 1993, the R32 GT-R enjoyed success in the Australian Touring Car Championship, where Jim Richards and Mark Skaife both used it to win the championship in 1991 and 1992, respectively. The Australian auto magazine Wheels gave the R32 GT-R the moniker “Godzilla” in its July 1989 issue due to the vehicle’s technological advancements and performance. Following that, Wheels continued to use the moniker for every subsequent Skyline GT-R generations, most notably the R34 GT-R, which they dubbed “Godzilla Returns” and hailed as “the best handling car we have ever driven.” In tests conducted by automotive journals, the R34 GT-R accelerated from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.4 seconds and completed a quarter-mile (402 meters) in 12.2 seconds from a standing start time. At the time, it was one of the production cars with the fastest acceleration.
The ATTESA E-TSAll-wheel drive system and the Super-HICAS four-wheel steering were just two of the cutting-edge technology on display in the Skyline GT-R, which quickly rose to the position of Nissan’s performance flagship. The automobile is still in demand today for import drag racing, circuit racing, time trials, and competitions sponsored by tuning publications. The Skyline GT-production R’s ceased in August 2002. The GT-R (R35), a brand-new car built on an improved version of the Skyline V36 platform, took the place of the previous model. Despite their obvious differences, the two cars were made at the same factory and have identical design elements.
The only Skyline GT-R export markets were Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand in 1991, and the UK (in 1997, thanks to the Single Vehicle Approval process) as used Japanese imports. The Skyline GT-R was never produced outside of Japan.
Despite this, the automobile has gained notoriety as a Grey import sports car, especially in Western countries (mainly the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Canada, and the United States). The Fast and the Furious, Initial D, Shakotan Boogie, Wangan Midnight, Need for Speed, Forza, Driving Emotion Type-S, Test Drive, and Gran Turismo are just a few examples of popular culture works that have made it well-known. Nismo declared that it would restart manufacturing replacement body panels and engines for all Skyline GT-R models in 2019.
The vehicle was recognized as one of the top automobiles in the world and as the sole authentic Japanese supercar at the time by BBC’s Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson.
What makes the Nissan Skyline unique?
The performance potential of the Nissan Skyline, especially the GT-R derivatives, must be brought up in any discussion of the model’s appeal.
For instance, the R32 GT-R was so excellent that it was essentially prohibited from racing in Australian motorsport (or so the popular legend goes … the truth is somewhat more complex).
The Toyota Supra MK4, Mazda RX-7, Mitsubishi 3000GT, and other JDM hero cars from the 1990s and early 2000s are all excellent performers, but the Skyline GT-R can potentially be considered the “best of the best” – you can read more about JDM’s definition and history here. It was unquestionably the most focused in terms of what it sought out to accomplish—being capable of the best performance on the racing track—with probably the exception of the RX-7.
Although vehicles like the Nissan 300ZX and 3000GT weren’t far behind the Skyline GT-R in terms of straight-line speed, it was their superior handling abilities that really set them apart (the 3000GT, for example, was really more of a grand tourer designed for high speed cruising and real-world bends, as opposed to the racetrack).
The Skyline has become so coveted and well-liked thanks in part to this outstanding performance. Even by today’s standards, the Skyline is still incredibly speedy even if modern vehicles have past it. It was groundbreaking and absolutely on the cutting edge of what was possible in terms of automotive performance at the time.
Although it’s debatable, there is a case to be made for the Nissan Skyline GT-R as the absolute apex of Japanese performance driving in the 1990s, and as such, it enjoys the popularity to match!
The Nissan Skyline is one of the most well-known Japanese performance vehicles of all time because it was the best of its age, similar to how Muhammad Ali is the most well-known boxer of all time because he was the best (or so he liked to boast).
Are Nissan 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.
What does Skyline in automobiles mean?
The first “Skyline” was a high-performance, 4-door sedan designed for the Japanese market, and it made its premiere at the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show. When the Nissan Skyline’s second generation was unveiled in 1973, it was exclusively offered as a 2-door coupe. Unfortunately, fewer than 200 Skyline GT-Rs were made as a result of the then-current global oil crisis and substantially tighter emissions regulations.
Nissan reintroduced the Skyline GT-R to a performance-starved public sixteen years later and utilized the vehicle as a showcase for the company’s most cutting-edge engineering and technology. A new all-wheel-drive system was also included in the third-generation car, code-named [R32], which was powered by a 2.6-liter turbocharged inline-6-cylinder engine with 276 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Drivers could cover the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds and go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The moniker “Godzilla” was given to this car, which was produced between 1989 and 1994, in honor of the enormous, legendary fire-breathing movie reptile. The car’s ability to absolutely outperform anything on the racetrack, from super exotics from Europe to American muscle cars, contributed to its legendary renown.
In 2008, the current, fourth-generation [R35] GT-R, which had previously gone by the Skyline name, made its way to North America. Along with its Skyline predecessor, it is still referred to as “Godzilla” and has appeared in the “Need for Speed” video game series and “Fast & Furious” film series.
A 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine powering this 2017 Nissan GT-R in flamboyant orange generates 565 horsepower and 467 lb. ft. of torque.
Keep an eye on The Raleigh Classic Car Auctions if you’re interested in purchasing one of these rare imports because they occasionally buy old Nissan Skylines to sell at their summer and fall auctions. You can also browse the most recent inventory at Leith Nissan in Cary, North Carolina, if you’d prefer something a little more contemporary, like the current Nissan GT-R.
Nissan Skyline is it legal in the US?
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 (provided there are no additional changes to legislation by then, or further tightening of emissions and environmental rules which is always a risk in the current climate).
To be on the safe side, there are no laws that prevent you from importing a Nissan Skyline as a “show piece” that isn’t allowed to be driven on the road but instead sits in your garage. However, we have heard stories of people looking to buy and store Nissan Skylines with a view to registering and complying them once they turn 25 years old in the hopes of increasing 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!
The Skyline isn’t a GT-R, so why not?
One of the most renowned Japanese performance cars of all time is the Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The “Godzilla” (see here why the Skyline GT-R is called as Godzilla) has come to represent strength and performance throughout the course of several different generations.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R has become one of the most coveted names in Japanese performance driving despite being illegal in the United States at the time (see our article on why Nissan Skylines are illegal in the United States).
You probably already know that Nissan stopped producing the R34 Skyline generation in 2002 (for more information, see our buying guide for the R34 GT-R).
The skyline actually kept going after that and is still going today, but it is now what is known as the “New Generation Skyline,” which is very different from the past skylines. The new Skyline is more well-known in America as a line of Infiniti vehicles, including the Infiniti G35:
This New Generation Skyline was mainly focused on giving a premium touring car experience and never included a GT-R variant.
Due to the overwhelming demand from auto enthusiasts, the R35 GT-R was debuted in 2007 and is still in production today.
Indeed, the R34 GT-R was the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, to give an example.
What makes the Nissan GT-R of today the Nissan Skyline GT-R R35? After all, any car sporting those distinctive taillights must be a Skyline!
The reason the R35 GT-R is not a Skyline is rather straightforward, in case you’re wondering.
Earlier GT-Rs (such as the R32, R33, and R34) were built on the Skyline platform of that generation.
Consider the R32 GT-R, which was offered in a variety of trim levels and engine/gearbox combinations, including as a sedan.
Nissan used that generation’s Skyline base to build the R32 GT-R (the original “Godzilla”), turning everything up to 11.
There is no platform overlap with the existing Skyline (known in America as the Infiniti Q50). The R35 GT-R is a “standalone” vehicle, as opposed to the previous generations of GT-Rs, which were all the pinnacle of the applicable Skyline platform.
Although the R35 GT-R is essentially the spiritual successor to previous Skyline GT-Rs, Nissan opted not to utilize the Skyline brand due to the distinctive platform.