Looking back on Nissan's remarkable manufacturing excellence, the Japanese automaker has undoubtedly delivered some iconic vehicles that have made an indelible mark on the automotive industry. The legendary G.T.R. letters evoke so much emotion, passion, and zeal from Nissan's rich lineup in most gearheads. The GT-R model history spans far back to the third-generation Skyline, the first in the lineup to wear the Nissan badge solely.
Although the Gran Turismo concept was not entirely new in the 1960s, the Skyline GT-R ushered in an era of one of the most formidable performance-focused vehicles in the Nissan lineup. From its debut in 1969 to the end of production in 2002, the Skyline GT-R hit incredible milestones and set exceptional performance standards to become one of the most legendary Japanese sports cars of all time. Let's delve deeper to understand why gearheads love the Nissan Skyline GT-R.
10 Putting Skyline On The Map
The Skyline debuted in 1957 as a luxury-oriented model under the Prince Motor Company. Prince Motors produced a Gran Turismo variant, the S54 GT, for racing, but it proved no match for the Porsche 904 at the 1964 Japanese Grand Prix, despite taking second through sixth places. Nonetheless, the mildly-tinkered Skyline won the hearts of many for mixing it with European heavy-hitters.
After the Nissan and Prince merger in 1969, Nissan introduced the first performance-oriented Skyline GT-R. The 1969 Skyline GT-R took cues such as a four-valve Dual Overhead Cam engine and four-wheel independent suspension from the Prince R380 to become an unmatched touring car. The sedan obliterated most of its competition in Japan's domestic touring races, claiming 52 races in its first three years, to finally put the Skyline badge on the map.
9 Consistent Performance Standards Across Board
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The GT-R letters stand for Gran Turismo Racer, and Nissan utilized the Italian inflection to define the vehicle's objectives of offering high-speed, long-distance driving, and racing. The iconic Hakosuka supercar set impressive performance standards that remained a consistent benchmark for Nissan to build upon across every generation of the Skyline GT-R.
After Nissan introduced the coupe variant in 1971, the Skyline GT-R became faster, more stable, stiffer, and aerodynamic with better weight distribution. The Skyline GT-R maintained the same formula throughout its evolution, allowing it to deliver consistent performance standards whether on the road or the track.
8 A Pioneer Of Advanced Technology
Over the years, the Skyline GT-R has pioneered advanced performance technology that became a trademark for the model. The third-generation Skyline GT-R introduced the ATTESA E-TS, a full-time four-wheel-drive system that splits torque between the front and rear to counter the effects of rear-wheel slip and encourage astronomical acceleration figures.
The Skyline R32 GT-R also featured the Super HICAS, a rear-wheel steering system that enabled the rear wheels to turn in tandem or opposite the front wheels. The Super HICAS system was pivotal in ensuring the Skyline GT-R maintained low-speed maneuverability and high-speed stability.
7 The Legendary RB-Series Engine
One of the technical carryovers for the Skyline from its Prince Motors era was the S20 engine, an inline-six DOHC engine that Nissan fitted in the Skyline GT-R from 1969 to 1973. Although the S20 was too small and complex, the Skyline GT-R still dominated the Suzuka, Fuji, Hokkaido, and Tsukuba racetracks to establish itself as a formidable racing car.
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However, the RB-series of inline-six engines derived from the L20 inline-six used in previous Skylines offered a turning point for the Skyline GT-R. The R32 GT-R that debuted in 1989 was the first Skyline GT-R to rock an RB-series engine, the legendary twin-turbo RB26DETT that enabled it to participate in Group A racing. Nissan utilized upgraded versions of the race-spec 2.0-3.0 liter RB26DETT from the R32 to R34 Skyline GT-R generations.
6 Slaying The Nürburgring
The R32 Skyline GT-R housed a 2.6-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine that pushed out 276hp and 260lb-ft of torque. This RB26DETT engine allowed the Skyline GT-R to clear 60mph in 5.6 seconds, a quarter-mile passed in 13.9 seconds, while the top speed stood at a claimed 156mph.
With Japanese driver Hiroyoshi Katoh at the wheel, the Skyline GT-R R32 lapped the Nürburgring in 8 minutes and 22 seconds, a fantastic lap time for 1989 that bested the Porsche 944's 8:45 lap record. A few years later, an R33 Skyline GT-R posted a greater achievement, clocking a 7:59 lap time in 1996 to finally beat the 8-minute mark.
5 The Godzilla Of Touring Car Racing
The first-generation Nissan Skyline GT-R set the trend by winning 52 Japanese domestic touring races, but the R32 Skyline GT-R arguably cemented the legend of the GT-R in racing. A stripped-down version of the R32 won every Japanese Touring Car Championship it entered from 1989, winning 29 races in a row over four seasons.
Beyond Group A, the standard R32 participated in the Group N competition, claiming 50 wins out of the 50 it started in the N1 Super Endurance competition. The R32 Skyline GT-R was also staggeringly successful outside Japan, obliterating everything in its path in the Australian Bathurst 1000, the 24 Hours of Spa, and the Australian Car Championship to earn the 'Godzilla' nickname.
4 Once A Forbidden Fruit
Following the road safety legislation in the 1960s, the oil crisis in the early 1970s, and the environmental acts in the '80s, the U.S. gradually tightened the noose around motor vehicle legislation. In addition, Mercedes-Benz and other heavy-hitters lobbied the Senate to pass the 1988 Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act, which barred the import of 'Grey market' cars, often from Japan.
Japanese performance cars from the 1980s and '90s had a fairly loose approach to safety features and emissions control, meaning the Skyline GT-R failed to meet several compliance requirements for sale in the U.S. Fortunately, the 25-year rule finally opened a window of opportunity for American gearheads to have a taste of the forbidden fruit.
3 A Pop-Culture Icon
Considering Nissan marketed the Skyline in Japan and Australia only, the Skyline GT-R held a mystical attraction and commanded a different appeal from the rest of the world. Through iconic cars such as the blue and silver 1999 GT-R R34 driven by Paul Walker in the Fast and Furious, the Skyline GT-R grabbed the attention of the western audience through numerous media, elevating its pop-culture status to a whole new level.
Since the digital version was the closest that most enthusiasts came to driving a Skyline GT-R iteration, it became the go-to choice for gamers. The Skyline GT-R's real-life racing pedigree offered a massive springboard to become a poster child for popular video games, including Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport, and Need for Speed.
2 Revered In Tuning Circles
Nissan's in-house tuning company, Nismo, opened a new world of tuning possibilities through its impressive modifications of the Skyline GT-R. Nismo's extensive race experience delivered the coveted V-Spec special editions, remarkable models that showcased the performance supremacy and potential of the GT-R.
Like most classic JDMs, the Skyline GT-R is revered in tuning circles worldwide, not to mention one of the largest cult followings to date. The RB26DETT engine is easily modifiable and an absolute dream to work with for tuners, while the vast after-market supply of tuning parts like body kits, lights, spoilers, hoods, and wheels allows owners to execute some truly unique visual preferences.
1 A Highly-Coveted JDM Classic
From the trendsetting Hakosuka to the ultra-rare Kenmeri and the R32, R33, and R34 Godzilla era, the Skyline GT-R has earned its stripes as one of the most legendary sports cars from the Japanese domestic market. As a result, the significant provenance and mind-blowing racing pedigree have seen the value of the Skyline GT-R skyrocket in recent years.
A Kenmeri 1973 Skyline GT-R set an auction record for a Skyline in January 2020, selling for an eye-watering $430,000. However, a near wrapper-condition R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur with 10K on the odometer smashed the record in 2021, selling for a record-setting $549,000 at an online auction conducted by Japanese company Bingo.