Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nismo (Nissan) Skyline GT-R 400R

The Nissan Skyline GT-R is an iconic (at least in the markets where it is sold) Japanese sports coupe. Termed "Godzilla" by Wheels magazine in Australia when released there in 1989, it is was rated by many motoring magazines, including the well-respected Wheels, as providing performance and handling equal or superior to that of European icons like the Porsche 911 and the Ferrari 360 Modena, at a considerably lower price.

History of the Brand

The Skyline name originated with the Prince automobile company, which developed and sold the Skyline line of sedans before the company merged with Nissan-Datsun. The Skyline model has continued through the years, into the 90s when it became popular in large part because it remained rear-wheel drive, while most other manufacturers models were front-wheel-drive (which has certain inherent deficiencies in handling compared to rear-wheel drive). The GT-R version of the Skyline was reintroduced in 1989, after a 16 year hiatus from the Skyline GT-R of the late 1960s, as a special high-performance version of the Skyline sedan. However, the majority of Skylines sold were non-GT-R models, with the GT-R becoming the flagship of Nissan performance.

R33 Skyline GT-R

The GT-R of the 1990s included a potent 2.6-litre straight six-cylinder twin-turbo motor and an electronically-controlled all wheel drive drivetrain. Its success in motor racing was formidable, particularly in the annual race at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, Australia, where the champion three years running was a GT-R (despite receiving additional weight penalties in years two and three due to its unbeatable performance). The GT-R's success at Mount Panorama led to turbos and four-wheel-drive cars being banned in subsequent years.

The Skyline is also a popular car for drag racing in Japan and the import racing scene in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA where Skyline GT-Rs are often modified and tuned to produce upwards of 1000 bhp. They are a popular target for such modification due to the amazing strength of the RB26DETT engine, (common to all GT-Rs), widely considered one of the most durable motors when heavily modified.

Twin-Turbo inline-six cylinder DOHC motor (RB26DETT) from an R32 Skyline GTR

Skylines of the 90s progressed from the R32 (1989), through to the R34 (2000) Production of the GT-R ceased in August, 2002 with the release of the R35 Skyline platform (sold as the Infiniti G35 in the United States) which includes only non-GT-R models. Before the final R34 Skyline GT-R was sold, various packages and special editions such as the V-Spec, containing additional performance-enhancing modifications, were released by Nissan and the performance division of Nissan, Nismo.

Future of the Skyline

The next Skyline GT-R model will be produced as a 2008 model in the year 2007. The long arrival date is due to Nissan engineers focusing on mainstream car models. It will have to overcome many new, stringent emissions laws in Japan. Nissan may produce the next Skyline (including GT-R models) in the US as an Infiniti.