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.
In This Article...
examining the controversial history, enviable power, and humble beginnings of “Godzilla.”
Over 50 years have passed since the Nissan Skyline was first produced. It was debuted in 1957 as a five-door station wagon and a luxury four-door sedan, but it was praised for its successful racing career during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and beyond. By the 1990s, a rising scene of car enthusiasts wanting to tune them had accepted Nissan’s top performance model, and as we approached the 2000s, the Skyline emerged as a starlet on the big screen.
The Skyline served as the model for nearly every PlayStation Gran Turismo video game due to its rich racing history. When playing games like Need for Speed, where driving any Skyline iteration would be as close as a player would ever get to doing so, the Skyline became a popular option. Along with its appearances in video games, the Skyline served as the primary vehicle in several Fast and Furious movies, including the one driven by Paul Walker as Brian O’Connor, whose blue and silver 1999 GT-R R34 went on to become an iconic vehicle in and of itself.
A unicorn to the majority of people and a struggle for many others as they navigate import laws and skyrocketing pricing, Skylines are today’s holy grail of the automotive industry.
The 1973 Nissan Skyline was internally referred to as the C110 coupe and has racy lines comparable to the AMX in America.
How come the Nissan Skyline is so well-liked?
The Nissan Skyline’s ability to be customized is another factor in its popularity.
Even some of the more basic motors used (particularly the turbocharged ones) can be upgraded to produce tremendous performance. The RB26DETT in the top GT-R versions is capable of significant increases through modification.
With its flexibility to be customized, the Nissan Skyline has become a well-liked option for individuals seeking a reliable foundation to work from.
There’s a good reason why YouTube is flooded with videos of customized Skylines producing hundreds of horsepower more than they did out of the factory, like this fully equipped R32 GT-R with about 1000 horsepower:
The highest GT-R variants are not the only ones that can be tuned. Here in New Zealand (where this site is headquartered), substantially modified “basic” Skylines, such the GTS-T, or even NA vehicles that had been converted to turbo later on were previously a reasonably common sight on the roads. Due to wear, mileage, and decay, you don’t see as many of these modified Skylines as you once did, but they do still turn up occasionally. When they do, police sirens can frequently be heard rushing to catch up in the background.
To cut a long story short, the Nissan Skyline’s popularity can be attributed in part to the fact that it makes an ideal platform for modifications. A Nissan Skyline would be a much better choice for someone searching for a foundation on which to build their ideal performance vehicle.
What makes the Nissan Skyline so renowned?
Nissan continued to work on the model and release various versions, some of which excelled in competition, inspiring the desire to revive the myth of this legendary automobile. Production of the GT-R was halted in 1973, and the world had to wait more than 15 years to meet the new Skyline R32 GT-R.
The eighth generation of the Nissan Skyline, the R32, was launched in May 1989, and three months later the new GT-R, featuring the highest caliber mechanical and technological components, made its debut. The engineers who designed it did so with the understanding that it unquestionably controlled the circuits. This was the vehicle that would win the 1993 Spanish Touring Car Championship alongside Luis Perez Sala.
The ATTESA E-TS system (advanced total traction engineering system for all-terrain with electronic torque split) was one of the R32’s most important advancements. Quite the mouthful). The electronic system that assessed the vehicle’s lateral and longitudinal accelerations as well as the wheels’ speeds ten times per second allowed this system to distribute torque to all four wheels. Although the sensors were groundbreaking at the time, they were not as sophisticated as those in the Honda RC213V. The transmission normally transmitted all of the torque to the rear axle, but it could, on occasion, send up to 50% to the front axle to make up the difference.
HICAS four-wheel steering (high capacity actively controlled steering) and multi-link suspension on all four wheels were additional important features. All of these upgrades increased the car’s weight to about 1400 kg, but they also gave it an unparalleled level of traction.
Nissan developed an engine specifically for this automobile to make up for the weight gain. The RB26DETT was a 2.6-liter DOHC in-line twin-turbo engine that produced 350 nm of torque and 280 horsepower. Without considering the modifications that may be made to boost its performance, this engine typically had more capacity than the maximum power assigned to it.
The end result was a car that handled curves well and reached 100 mph in an astounding five and a half seconds. It is hardly unexpected that the new GT-R became known as the “king of the track” and the road given its capabilities.
The Skyline R32 GT-R dominated the 29 races that were contested there and many other international competitions from 1990 to 1993, winning four straight Japanese Touring Car Championships. It also established time records on other courses, including the Nordschleife at the Nurburgring. Its astounding track record earned it the moniker “Godzilla,” a gigantic powerhouse that easily defeated every obstacle in its way.
New versions of the Skyline as well as commemorative editions with enhanced performance have been introduced over time. During the period it served as our official representative and won the Spanish Touring Car Championship, the Repsol vehicle earned five victories and an additional nine podium finishes.
Are Nissan Skylines uncommon?
With only six miles on it, this uncommon 2002 R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur has become the most expensive Skyline ever sold after selling for 60.5 million yen (approximately $545,000) at a recently ended auction. After selling for $400,000 a year ago, another V-Spec II Nur was previously thought to be the most expensive Skyline. Over the past few years, the R34 Nissan Skyline has become more and more well-liked among vehicle enthusiasts. Many people consider the Nissan GT-R of the R34 generation to be the best model ever. It was the final vehicle to sport the legendary “Skyline” logo and the GT-distinctive R’s straight-six engine. It was produced between 1999 and 2002.
Nissan first branded their cars with enhanced performance equipment as V-Spec in 1993. Nissan introduced the V-Spec II Nur, which was loaded with a variety of high-performance parts, at the end of the R34’s production run. The Skyline GT-R was tested at the storied German racetrack, the Nurburgring, and set lap records there long before it became the norm for all manufacturers of high-performance vehicles. The Nur was short for Nurburgring. It included an upgraded 2.6-liter RB26DETT inline-six engine with twin turbochargers that produced 276 horsepower, racing brakes that were used in Japan’s N1 endurance racing series, a gold serial number plate, bronze-tinted factory 18″ rims, a Getrag six-speed manual transmission, and an ATTESA all-wheel-drive system. Additionally, it included a rear active limited-slip differential that was electronically controlled.
Nissan produced 718 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur vehicles, making them a rare and valuable collector. Although it only has 6 miles on the odometer, this specific specimen with the serial number BNR34-403129 was never registered. It was offered for sale as a part of a sale of rare and collectable vehicles that were never registered on Yahoo Japan Auctions. A 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 with a little over 100 miles, a 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster with fewer than 2 miles, and a 1996 Corvette Grand Sport with only 98 kilometers were also offered in the auction. The buyer’s information has not been made public, and it is unknown whether the immaculate R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur will be shipped to the US or remain in Japan. In any case, the car cannot be lawfully brought into America before 2027 due to the 25-year limitation.
Nissan Skylines are they quick?
However, even if it were street-legal, it most likely wouldn’t be that fast outside of the drag strip. That’s because drag strip surfaces are specifically prepared for increased grip and stickiness, as explained by Autoweek. The Drive claims that they are so powerful that individuals can become hooked to them.
For instance, while having more power than the Camaro ZL1 1LE, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye is slower in a drag race. The tires of the former simply cannot find enough traction without the tacky surface. And even if the Metro R32 had AWD, the situation would be similar.
However, Maatouks Racing did break a new record with the “King32,” an additional R32 Skyline GT-R. This specific Nissan Skyline features a full interior, the original body panels, and is street-legal. At 209 mph, it completed the quarter-mile in 6.84 seconds. Even if it is slower than Metro, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is still the fastest street-legal car in the world.