![]() So, it is no surprise that Nissan sold just under 44,000 units of this machine, which is also becoming increasingly expensive today. Not only did it achieve this performance, but it dominated motorsport events in which it competed, which ultimately brought on the "Godzilla" nickname. ![]() Mind you that this was in 1989, track conditions were anything but perfect, and the R32 GT-R instantly became the fastest production vehicle at the German venue. Using Nissan's halo sports car, the legendary Motoharu Kurosawa lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in just over eight minutes and 22 seconds. The twin-turbo, 2.6-liter-, inline-six unit could deliver up to 276 hp and 260 lb-ft (353 Nm) of torque in standard guise, which was enough to deem the 3,153 lbs (1,430 kg) machine as more than just agile. This machine was a giant leap forward from its predecessors, with a fancy AWD system known as ATTESA E-TS and an RB26DETT engine at its core. But the introduction of the R32 changed everything. Three more Skyline generations became available to the public over the next 16 years, but neither wore a GT-R badge. Kenmeri GT-Rs arrived in 1972 and are rarer still, reportedly with fewer than 200 vehicles coming off the factory floor. Given that Nissan only built less than 2,000 of these cars, don't be surprised that it costs as much as a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo. The "Hakosuka" featured a 2.0-liter inline-six powerplant with 160 hp and 130 lb-ft (176 Nm) of torque, a 5-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel-drive, and a limited-slip differential, among other things. It took the Japanese manufacturer another 12 years before introducing the first GT-R, a third-generation Skyline. The classic Prince Skyline had a meager 1.5-liter engine with a maximum output of just 60 hp, which is not exactly what you'd call sporty. Imagine that it took Nissan more than 40 years to get there since the launch of the first-ever Skyline in 1957. HistoryThe R34 GT-R didn't just happen overnight. But most of us will also agree that it is the R34 generation that is the undisputable king of the Skyline series. We all know that Nissan's most recent, and perhaps last GT-R, is the R35. While I won't be focusing on that car for today's story, it does have a role in the bigger picture. I have gone down the path of rotary-powered coupes with the Mazda RX-7, but I have always considered owning an R32 GT-R. Some will choose Hondas any given day of the week, others will opt for AWD Subarus or Mitsubishis, and there's the Toyota crowd. ![]() Ask any Japanese car enthusiast about his favorite sports car, and you'll get various answers. Many will point out that Japan's automotive industry started by imitating what other manufacturers had achieved in Europe and North America.īut we all have to start somewhere, right? Japanese engineers and designers developed a style and way of thinking of their own, and people across the globe soon cherished their work. "Japanese Domestic Market" is a term that is sometimes misused, but I won't delve into that just now. The year is 2023, and I'm sure most automotive enthusiasts know what JDM is. Well, at least that used to be the case about a decade ago, but things are rapidly changing.
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