A Japanese supercar competitor with sporty looks, a fiery engine and a pleasant roaring voice is the Nissan Skyline GT-R 34.
Engineers and designers have put their whole soul into it to embody all the ideas promoted by the company.
A brief history of the legend: from the first car to the newest specimen
The New York Auto Show savored the virtues of the thoroughbred Nissan Skyline. The exhibit fueled interest in the upcoming Nissan GT-R – through legendary types produced since 1957, from Nissan Motor since 1966. The GTR series list started with the Skyline 2000 (1969) and went on with the letter R (R 32nd, 33rd and 34th versions). The show included the 2013 R35 GT-R Nismo, and everyone was interested in the interior trim and tuning secrets under the camouflage of the new version.
The sports version of the Skyline with GT/R prefix was shown for the first time in Tokyo. Everybody wanted to buy it, but there was no price yet. The model R32 was already four-wheel drive – on a 6-cylinder engine with twin-turbo. Japanese have decided to develop, and versions R33 and R34 M-Spec Nur have surpassed expectations. The prefix Nur was added after the Nürburgring circuit, where the RB26 was tested.
The car’s name is quite justified – Skyline means “flying over the horizon,” and its career is filled with triumphant pages. The victory is ensured by the margin of safety, excellent specifications and malleability of GTRs to add power to the engine, nicknamed “Godzilla” (the Beast). The legendary series peaked in popularity, thanks to issues of “Forsage 2,” when star presenter P. Walker said it was his favorite car.
Nissan Skyline GT-R 34 2016 Specifications
The ’34 Skyline is a mid-size niche sports car. This version has been developed since 1998, varying the dimensions, tuning and turbocharged engine. The transmission (six-speed GETRAG) and undercarriage have also been improved. The front axle was moved closer to the grille, the valve covers were changed color, and a 5.8-in. touchscreen display was added to the cabin to show all the parameters.
The two-door Skyline GT-R became in 1971 – the coupe was praised and named Hakasuka (flying box), it was promoted to the leaders of racing and drifting kings in Japan. With an economical engine at 2.6 liters all-wheel drive R32 squeezed 275 horsepower. Japan banned more powerful engines for public roads, but refinements increased its performance, ensuring race wins.
The current generation R35 lost the Skyline name in 2007, and it was reworked for the GT-R. The new car, with improved dynamic qualities and a turbocharged V-six, churned out 540 horsepower. The ideal weight-load ratio of 56 to 44 was found to make the four-wheel drive car as stable as possible at speed. The design is recognizable, but became more aggressive. The company adheres to the idea that this will be the final upgrade, and the version of the 2017 is engaged in team Nissmo. It will be given the look of a concept, equipped with a powerful hybrid engine with 800 “horses”.
Excellent aerodynamics and well-tuned running gear is the secret of the autodrift championship. What will be a complete set, the owner decides, but the sports look and hot “heart” of the auto remain the same. Japanese limit the niche with motors up to 2,6 liters, giving about 280 hp, and masters refine the version in garages, increasing power.
Main competitors in the niche
The winner of the competition among tuned cars, the favorite of drifters and street racers, Nissan GT-R R35 has made its way into the list of super-car treasure troves. The best Japanese pilots led the Skyline to unquestioned leadership. It had time to fall in love in America and Australia, Europe and Asia, buying even with solid mileage. The car is produced in small batches, with a high duty rate in the USA. All its competitors cost many times more, and the “modest Japanese” overtook more ambitious models at the finish line:
- The Dodge Viber ACR;
- Audi R8 GT;
- Shevrolet Corvet C7 Stingray;
- Zenvo ST1.
I had to go around the bends and more prestigious brands:
- Porsche 911 Turbo;
- the Ferrari Enzo;
- Maserati MC12.
What did the racers tell us after the test drive?
It’s unusual for newcomers behind the wheel, wrapped in cloth with the properties of leather, but they quickly get used to it. It’s a soft setting and comfortable throughout, as series owner reviews confirm. The engine roars like a Maserati, you don’t notice the speed, it’s easy to get into corners. The speedometer is limited, but traffic police can stop because of the roar of the engine to inquire about the model. If they knew how enjoyable the test drive was!
We can only hope that the designers of the Japanese company will give the world more perfect models of the GT/R series! In the secondary market such auto is a rarity, costs from 20,000 dollars. Even more expensive is the version with excellent tuning. The Infiniti G is also called “flying over the horizon” on the Japanese car market today.