Nissan Skyline GT-R
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The Nissan Skyline GT-R is an iconic Japanese sports coupe in the Nissan Skyline range. Termed "Godzilla" by Wheels magazine in Australia when released there in 1989, it 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. The Skyline's home-market competitors have included the Honda NSX, Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi 3000GT and Mazda RX-7.
History of the Brand
The Skyline name originated with the Prince automobile company which developed and sold the Skyline line of sedans before merging with Nissan-Datsun. The earliest predecessor of the GT-R, the S54 2000GT-B, came second in its first race in 1964 to the purpose-built Porsche 904GTS race car. The next development of the GT-R, the 2000GT-R, scored 33 victories in the one and a half years it raced and scored 50 by the time it was discontinued in 1972. The last of the original GT-Rs, the KPGC110/PGC110 2000GT-R, used an unchanged S20 160 hp (120 kW) inline-6 engine from the earlier 2000GT-R and only sold 197 units. This model was the only GT-R to never participate in a race.
The Skyline model continued through into the 90s when it became popular largely 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. However, the majority of Skylines sold were non-GT-R models, with the GT-R becoming the flagship of Nissan performance.
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The GT-R of the 1990s included a potent 2.6 L straight six-cylinder twin-turbo motor (producing 206 kW, or 276 bhp) and an electronically-controlled all wheel drive drivetrain. The car had also computer-controlled all wheel steering. 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) and in the Japanese GT series where it has remained dominant up to the present day. The GT-R's success at Mount Panorama led to a change in formula regulations, which came to exclude turbocharged and four-wheel-drive cars in subsequent years. It also led indirectly to the creation of the JGTC touring car series in Japan, where GT-Rs can only compete in rear-wheel drive form (and still win).
The Skyline is also a popular car for Drift racing in Japan, and was featured as the vehicle of choice for Night Kid leader Nakazato Takeshi in Initial D. It is also popular in 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 (750 kW). In the Uk Andy Middlehurst took the Nissan Skyline GT-R32 to two consecutive championship wins in the National Saloon Car Cup. They are a popular target for such modification due to the amazing strength of the RB26DETT engine, common to all GT-Rs, an engine widely considered one of the most durable motors when heavily modified.
GT-R Skylines of the 1990s progressed from the R32 (1989), through to the R34 (2000) Production of the GT-R ceased in August, 2002 with the release of the V35 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.
On January 14th, 2005, Nismo resurrected the R34 GT-R for one last tour of duty before the introduction of the anticipated next generation GT-R. Labeled as the R34 Z-tune, the Nismo engineers spared no expense into making this car the most powerful road-going GT-R ever created. With much technology borrowed from the GT500 Racing GT-Rs, the Z-tune boasts a 2.8 litre twin turbo instead of the stock 2.6 litre engine, racing pistons, conrods and camshaft, and a upgraded ECU gives the Z-tune 500 bhp {370 kW) and 540 N·m of torque. The car became affectionally known as the "Mother of all GT-Rs" and is expected to carry a price tag of $170,000 US dollars. Nismo has stated that this car will be a limited run edition, and only 20 will ever be made and sold.
Future of the Skyline GT-R
The next GT-R model will be produced as a 2008 model in the year 2007; it will be separated from the "Skyline" nameplate, and it is rumored that for the first time, a left-hand-drive version will possibly be offered. There has been proof of registered trademarks for the next GTR in Japan, Australia, Europe, and Canada as well as the U.S. 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 export the next GT-R to North America as an Infiniti. They are also working on an Infiniti R-Spec besides Nismo.
External link
- 2007 Skyline GTR Forum (http://www.r35forum.com/)
- 2007 Skyline GTR Site (http://www.r35gtr.com/)