In 1970 Nissan (formerly Datsun) in a bold attempt to meet European and American sports cars, head-on rolled out their 240Z. In an instant, it became a huge hit with gearheads and forever changed the Japanese carmaker's reputation, from a small family carmaker to a serious sports car brand.
Nissan has barely looked back, the first 240z spawning a whole range of sports cars in itself, gearheads currently eagerly awaiting the latest Z-car due in 2023 (maybe). With Nissan's growing popularity came the rise of JDM tuners, already blisteringly quick Skylines getting a dose of more power, sharper handling, and styling. At the other end of the scale, drifters too had found that Nissan's Silvia range provided the ideal starting point, chopped suspension, bigger engines, and some of the more outrageous wings we've ever seen.
In short, Japan, or rather Nissan doesn't just build fast cars, to begin with, but a huge market of aftermarket tuners takes the best and makes them even better. If you can dream it, the chances are that a JDM workshop someone has probably already built it.
9 HKS GT1000+ GT-R35
Big numbers are nothing new to Nissan's GT-R35, fresh from the factory NISMO will sell you one with 600+ hp, more than enough to land you in trouble with the local law enforcement. Want more power in the name of some track action, then HKS has the solution.
Dressed in a low drag carbon fiber time attack themed body-kit, the HKS GT1000+ GT-R 35 is all about maximum speed, boasting a tuned VR38DETT 4.1-liter twin-turbocharged V6 punching out 1252 hp, more than double what NISMO currently offers without sacrificing reliability.
8 Garage Mak Nissan S15
Nagano-based tuner Garage Mak isn't one for holding back, as this S15 demonstrator proves, wings, vanes, and canards all to keep the Nissan's chassis firmly planted no matter how hard you push it.
Stock motors get binned in favor of SR22VE four-cylinder lumps complete with Garret GTX3582R turbos. Pretty much anything goes here, the reading list of parts that's been upgraded or customized is a gearheads fantasy, and punches out an incredible 915 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. Despite the prodigious power figures and monster rear wing, Garage Mak regularly run this monster on public roads.
7 RockyAuto Fairlady 240Z
Tuning a classic is risky at the best of times, finding a mint original 240Z can mean big bucks to the right buyer. Japan-based RockyAuto has successfully merged old with new, this 1974 example is adorned with a subtle carbon body kit comprising bumper and fender updates.
The clever part is under the hood, a mixture of RB30DE iron block displacing 3 liters with a modified RB26DETT head optimized for natural aspiration fed by a spine-tingling Solex 50 carburetor set-up. It might not be a fire-breathing turbo JDM monster, but RockyAuto will for a price build you a full RB26DETT powered version if required.
6 LB-Works Nissan GT-35 Type 2
A different approach to customization, Japanese wide-body kit masters Liberty Walks GT-R35 creation focuses on the cosmetics changes, dramatically alters the current Skylines appearance, lower and meaner, and dripping in carbon fiber goodies
Available in kit-form, although a handful of importers will supply and fit the complete package. Supplied in two forms, although if you're serious about your ride then the more pricey Carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer kit is the way to go with a price tag of $26,000. This gets you a front and rear bumper, side skirts, diffusers, and that track inspired rear wing.
5 Mine's BNR32.5 GT-R N1
Unveiled in 1989 the eighth generations dropped all other body formats in favor of the 2-door coupe widely recognized by gearheads today. Engine options too received a slimming down, at the bottom 1.8-liter four pots remained, while at the other end of the scale RB26DETTs ruled the roost, the engine of choice for performance junkies.
What we have here is a custom make-over by Mines-Wave, the BNR32.5 GT-R N1 externally aside from some fancy decals appears pretty much stock. However, under the hood, things are anything but standard, larger HKS GT2530 turbos force-feed the straight-six with more gas and air, custom cams, adjustable gears and a host of carbon accessories results in a much healthier 620 hp. Keeping the BNR32.5 planted, Mines custom struts and braces with stopping power courtesy of AP racing and Brembo brakes upgrade.
4 NISMO Skyline GT-R34 Z-Tune
NISMO, in-house tuners, and modifiers of all performance Nissan's today, the GT-R 34 Skyline Z-Tune proves the manufacturers on this occasion know best. Old cars stripped, modified, and re-built resulted in a limited run of 19 cars.
How to make the best better? Z-Tune upgrades bring a larger version of Nissan's famous straight-six motor, 2.8 liters of turbocharged fury crank out 493 hp, bigger turbos, strengthened blocks all borrowing from Nissan's GT2 Le Man's campaign. Packing an additional 200+ hp not surprisingly makes the GT-34 much faster, sixty takes just 3.8-seconds and is good for a top speed over 200 mph.
3 RockyAuto Carbon Hakosuka
A brief production run of four tears and 9145 cars makes the KPGC10 or Hakosuka skylines among the rarest and most collectible of all Nissan sports cars, an odd choice for custom bodywork modifications.
Rarity concerns aside, RockyAutos pumped-up carbon-fiber dressed Hakosuka looks better than the original, lower riding, in-house custom coil-overs dramatically lowering the KPGC10s ride-height with fatter 15-inch Pirellis tucked under the carbon arch extensions. Lifting the hood reveals another surprise, RB30 blocks topped out with RB26 heads bring a welcome power boost.
2 Garage Mak Z33 (Spec 6/7)
Don't be fooled by the understated simplistic black-on-white paint livery, this Nissan 350Z based time attack special is anything but ordinary. Fresh from the factory, boasting 276 hp naturally aspirated V6 motors, more in later production years.
Opt for the full-on bonkers Spec 7 packages from 2018 and Garage Mak more than doubles the 350Zs figures. Engine upgrades include Nismo cranks, HKS intercoolers combined Garrett's GTX8582R turbocharger sends power figure through the hood with 828 hp on tap.
1 Tommykaira GTR-34
Serial tuner and gearhead Tommykaira has been in the timing game since 1987, Mercedes 190E/300Es were the first models on the receiving end of some custom engine and suspension tweaks. However, the transition to tuning Nissan Skylines is where the name Tommykaira begins to take off.
In 1998 Nissan rolled out the latest Skyline incarnation, GTR-34s appearing one year later with the legendary RB26DETT motor sporting revised turbos and a claimed 276 hp. In Tomymkaira tune, R-Z brakes front and rear, Nismo R-tune suspension, discrete custom body kit all complementing a revised 2.6-liter turbocharged engine punching out 394 hp.