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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Twin Turbo

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Twin Turbo

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Lot number 55
Hammer value £6,500
Description Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R Twin Turbo
Registration TBA
Year 1993
Colour Black
Engine size 2,568 cc
Chassis No. BNR32-303905
Engine No. FS5R30ARC41

Launched way back in 1969, the original Nissan Skyline GT-R was a sporty but fairly unremarkable coupe that ran until 1977 and was roughly comparable to our own Ford Capri.

However, all that changed in 1989 when Nissan decided to revive the Skyline name with just one aim in mind – to go racing. The result was the mighty Skyline R32 GT-R, a car of such awesome all round ability that it could wipe the floor with the best that Italy and Germany had to offer – and at a fraction of the cost. Packed full of electronic gizmos such as computerised four-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, it nevertheless delivered a seat-of-the-pants driving experience that instantly endeared it to every petrolhead on the planet.

Powered by the legendary RB26DETT, an immensely tough 2.6-litre 24-valve twin-turbo straight-six, it had a claimed power output of 276bhp to keep it below the 280bhp limit imposed by a gentleman’s agreement among the Japanese manufacturers, but independent tests showed that the real power output was closer to 325bhp. By simply removing a few restrictors another 70bhp could readily be unleashed while a bit of further twiddling could safely bring the engine up to about 600bhp. With more extreme tuning and modifications to the engine internals, up to 1,350bhp could be extracted from this heroic straight-six.

In its first season in Japan, the R32 GT-R won every single race it was entered into, winning the Japanese Touring Cars championship four years in a row. Nicknamed ‘Godzilla’ in Australia (‘The Beast from the East’), it proved so unbeatable in their domestic Touring Car series that it was banned altogether in 1993 to give other makes a chance. So much for ‘fair dinkum’…

This ease of tuning makes it almost impossible to find unmodified cars today but this 1993 GT-R is believed to be relatively standard apart from the obligatory drainpipe exhaust (in this case an Ab-Flug Power Superior full stainless steel system) and Apexi twin induction kit. The engine bay is certainly very clean and looks pretty standard. Reputedly putting out around 380bhp, it is totally docile around town but is quite capable of putting the fear of Godzilla into Australians when provoked. Most unusually it also comes with Japanese paperwork confirming that the mileage was 125,100km when exported (77,700 miles).

Mechanically bullet-proof, the only weak point of these cars is rust but this one looks to be in fine shape in that respect, having been imported from the salt-free roads of Japan in February last year (with all duties paid) and mainly kept in storage since (the speedo currently showing some 125,700km). MOTd in March 2014 with only one advisory recorded (near side front tyre worn), it is due to have a fresh MOT in time for the sale and was recently fitted with a new heavy duty battery and a set of 17” alloys from an R33 GT-R with matching Bridgestone tyres.

Driven over 150 miles to the sale on trade plates, it was said to run beautifully with rock solid oil pressure and temperature although the stiff suspension is not suited to cratered British roads and will need to be replaced, brand new coilover kits being readily available on eBay from around £400 (parts for these cars are laughably cheap and would make a Porsche or Ferrari owner choke on his overpriced beer).

Although the car is not yet UK registered, all the forms to complete the process are included and it will be just a matter of sending them off to DVLA with a cheque for £55 and the new owner will thus become the first UK registered keeper.

Fewer than 43,400 R32 GT-Rs were made in total and only a few hundred ever made it to the UK so they are also surprisingly rare. Being the equivalent of the iconic Porsche 930 Turbo to the PlayStation generation, these giant-slaying first generation R32 GT-R Skylines are sure-fire future classics of the future and it is inconceivable that they will remain at this humble price level for much longer.

Indeed they have just been allowed into America under the ’25 year rule’ that allows historically significant cars that do not meet the usual emissions regulations to be imported, and Japanese auction prices have already risen by 25% this year as a result. The R32 is already tipped for an imminent price rise in the 'Market Insider' column on pg 188 of Octane this month, while a little birdie tells us that it will also be the subject of the 'Next Big Thing' column in the next issue of Evo magazine, so if you have ever lusted after one of these incredible machines it may be best to act now before everyone cottons on...

To see the original Top Gear report on the R32 GT-R copy and paste this YouTube link into your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-i7cs2W_c 

AMENDMENT: Please note that this car failed its MOT just before the sale on headlights too dim, no rear fog light and windscreen washer jet not working. There was insufficient time to get these faults rectified so it is sold with MOT until March 10th 2015.

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