In the late 20th century, when the Japanese drift racing scene was at its peak, a new monster arrived at the mountain pass that took the racing world by storm. Perhaps Nissan's greatest feat in automotive engineering, the Nissan Skyline GT-R was a powerful all-wheel-drive grip running machine that turned every corner at just about any speed, with absolutely no fear whatsoever. There were few cars that could keep up with its power, even on the racing circuits. This led to the GT-R getting various victories at professional racing events and breaking many records.

Japanese cars, at least the likes of the SilEighty and Mazda RX-7 were unable to get close enough to even be able to read the letters, GT-R, written above the tail-lamps of these wonderful machines. This iconic car, however, was not perfect from the very start. There were several challenges throughout the process of finding what worked and what didn't. Eventually, however, Nissan had things figured out.

This is a list of 10 such classic Nissan Skyline GT-R models that became iconic in the Japanese car world. Stats are taken from Hagerty and the official Nissan (and Nismo) websites.

10 1996 Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R

1996 Nissan Skyline R33 in black front third quarter view
Mecum Auctions

The middle child stuck between the untouchable legacy of the great R32 and the hype surrounding the more modern R34, the 1996 Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R is a much better car than many would have you believe. It was a car that couldn't wreak havoc the way its predecessor, the R32 did, with its overwhelming power and performance, but the minute mechanical upgrades under the hood were highly respectable. The R33 was every bit a performer as it was a style icon. It was heavier than the R32 but still managed to be as fast, if not faster.

Some drivers complained that the width and weight being so high would only make wear on their tires worse, which was already a problem with the original R32. Regardless, the R33 cemented itself on this list as an iconic car due to its turbo-chargeable inline-six engine that could pump out 280 horsepower, which laid the foundation for the next generation of Nissan sports cars.

9 1999 Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec

1999 Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec Drag Car Model 1,360-Hp (White) Front
VeilSide

Every car magazine had these on their covers, and the 1999 R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec became a global icon, making waves as far as North America, where Nissan Skyline cars weren't even sold during those years. These cars were built to be modified and tuned until they were unrecognizable on the outside or in terms of performance. Fitted with a comfortable interior and great suspension, the R34 was a model car for many tuning projects in the early 2000s in Japan.

Many of these can still be found in Yokohama's parking lots and on the streets, with their extreme styling and unparalleled performance. With its six-cylinder 2.6-liter engine that can pump out around 280 horsepower, these machines can still fetch a fortune in an auction, with their resale value rising every month.

RELATED: Here's What The 1999 Nissan Skyline R34 GT R Is Worth Today

8 2005 R34 Skyline GT-R Nismo Z-Tune

2005 Nismo Nissan Skyline R34 GTR Z Tune
Nissan

Nismo, which is short for Nissan Motorsports, were able to create a wide range of championship-winning cars throughout the final decades of the 20th century. The R34 Skyline GT-R Nismo Z-Tune was built to celebrate Nismo’s 20th anniversary. Fitting it with an enlarged 2.8-liter Z1 engine, the car was tweaked and tuned for years to turn it into a vehicle that was, both road-legal and race-worthy.

While the weight of this machine was off the charts in comparison to the regular GT-R, at 3,527 lbs, its performance was off the charts as well, with the car being capable of reaching 200 mph at its best and even going from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds.

7 1990 Nissan R32 Calsonic Skyline

Nissan R32 Calsonic Skyline
via: Nissan

The Nissan Skyline R32 Calsonic GT-R immortalized itself in the annals of history as the "Godzilla," with its 650 horsepower RB26DETT engine pushing all tires, dominating every race at the time. It has become a legendary vehicle for drift racing enthusiasts, who remember it fondly as the car they always dreamed of turning their own R32 into, one day. It was stripped of anything unnecessary to reduce weight, making it only 2,777 lbs, much lighter in comparison to regular R32s or even R33 and R34.

Making its presence known at the All Japan Championship of 1993, this GT-R won all 29 rounds and put up incredible numbers.

RELATED: 10 Reasons Why Gearheads Love The Nissan Skyline GT-R

6 1997 Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R Nismo 400 R

1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R NISMO 400R R33 Parked
Nismo

While the regular R33 could not deliver overwhelming numbers like its predecessors, the 1997 Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R Nismo 400 R, sometimes dubbed simply as the "400 R", was a car that was made for the sole purpose of delivering those numbers and putting itself on the map as a car truly worthy of the "Nismo" tag.

The "400" was supposed to guarantee 400 horsepower. The "R" was a simple declaration – that this machine was built for racing. The value of this JDM car in today's time is in the millions. The car features an upgraded engine design with a stronger crankshaft and a much more improved oil system.

5 1969-1972 Nissan Skyline Hakosuka GT-R

1971 Nissan Skyline GTR Cropped (1)
Mecum Auctions

This is where our hero began its journey, carrying hopes, dreams, and an extremely efficient 2.0-liter G7 inline-six engine that produced 160 horsepower! For the time, and for Japan, those are impressive numbers. This was the 1969 Nissan Skyline GT-R. With a body that looks much different from its descendants, this model was dubbed the "Hakosuka" (in Japanese, 'hako' is the word for box and 'suka' is the word for skyline) because it was built in a 'boxy' style. In its initial years, the GT-R showed some great results on track and made Nissan proud by becoming one of the first Japanese cars to achieve success on the international racing circuit. Today, these machines are extremely rare to find and remain one of the most sought-after Japanese classic cars.

RELATED: Check Out This Rare First Generation Nissan Skyline GT-R

4 1986 Nissan R31 Skyline GTS-R

Nissan Skyline R31 GTS-R
Ignition Model

The first Skyline to be fitted with the FJ20 engine and the Nissan induction control system, the 1986 R31 Skyline GTS-R is a predecessor to the newer and more competent variants of the GT-R. Today, it is an inexpensive and undervalued JDM classic in the West, that deserves some love and admiration from car enthusiasts.

It was quite well-equipped with a 2.0-liter straight-six engine that could provide the driver with around 200-horsepower, which was considerable for the time.

3 1972-1977 Nissan Skyline GT-R Kenmeri

Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R "Kenmeri"
Bring a Trailer

Successor to the Hakosuka, the 1972 Nissan Skyline GT-R Kenmeri featured a longer, much sleeker body and a 2.0-liter engine. The Kenmeri was named after 'Ken and Mary', a Western-looking couple featured in advertisements that were made to promote this car on TV. This car is relatively unknown in the Western world of today's time and quite underrated, even by collectors. However, many Japanese people fondly remember this machine as a nostalgic beauty, reminding them of simpler times and childhood days.

2 2010 Nissan R35 GT-R

Nissan GT-R 2010 Nismo r35
Nissan

Perhaps the greatest gift to Americans from Nissan, the 2010 Nissan R35 GT-R was the first GT-R launched directly to the American car market. The hype was unreal, as the R35 was presented with one of the biggest automotive launches when it was introduced. Now, 480 horsepower is no joke, and neither is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo DOHC V6 engine. This car was fast, and even by modern standards, it was a reliable beast.

Nissan had dropped the 'Skyline' name-tag, making this GT-R its own original brand. But make no mistake, it may have been built on a different platform, but it is a spiritual successor to the same long term GT-R series which has a legacy like none other in the car racing scene. The upcoming model of the Nissan R35 GT-R in 2024 is expected to make even greater waves.

While the R35 is still an all-wheel-drive, it has much better suspension, allowing for better handling and braking performance. This reduces the wear on the tires, a problem that plagued every single model of the GT-R since the dawn of time. They finally got it right, huh? Well, this car is something of a modern classic and can be made even better with some modifications.

1 1989 Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R

Classic 1989 Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Sports Car
Via: Bring a Trailer

Enter the 1989 Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R, the most iconic GT-R on the market today. The R32 was, without a shred of doubt, the most balanced circuit racer, even in its factory condition. With very little tuning and tweaking, one could turn this four-wheel-drive monster into the king of the mountain pass. It had many rivals, like the Nissan Silvia and Mazda RX7, but none came close to touching its bumper. It just had too much power in comparison to them, especially when turbocharged and given wider tires.

Featured in the popular Japanese Manga and anime Initial D, the Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R in the story is equipped with a twin-turbocharged engine, which is very powerful and can deliver higher than 350 horsepower. But today, these beautiful beasts can be modified to deliver as high as 1,400 horsepower! On straights, nobody can catch the driver who is driving an R32.