Breif of Nissan Skyline GT-R
From the moment the first GT-R, the Hakosuka, was produced by Nissan in 1969, the brand has amassed a large and devoted following. There have been many iterations of the Skyline GT-R ever since, but the R34 is still among the most impressive. The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R was made between 1999 and 2002. It came in many different trim levels, from the basic GT-R to the high-end Z-Tune R34.
Because Nissan discontinued the R35 GT-R, there won’t be any more GT-Rs on the market in 2022. Fans, though, have never ceased reminiscing about and adoring older versions.
Our focus today is the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R and why it fetches bids of over $60,000 at auction.
The Powerplant of the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 Is Fantastic
Godzilla’s engine and transmission are its most prized possessions. All variants excluding the Z-Tune used an engine officially known as the RB26DETT, but it is often referred to by its initials alone: RB26. Its “supposed” 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque came from a 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six.
The word “supposed” is used because, back in the ’90s, there was a “legally binding agreement” amongst the major Japanese automakers that they would not produce vehicles with more than 276 horsepower. However, the RB26 in the R34 GT-R produced a lot more than 276 horsepower; some reports even put it north of 300 hp.
The Excessive Cost of Doing Business When Compared to Its Predecessors, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R Wasn’t a Game-Changer
Without a question, the R34 GT-R was a fantastic automobile, but it failed to cause as much of an uproar in the auto industry as its forerunners had, notably the R32. The GT-R is often referred to as “Godzilla,” for example. R32 GT-R was the first Skyline to earn this moniker since it competed with supercars like the Honda NSX, which cost far more and had significantly more horsepower.
But the R33 was more like the middle kid if there were any. Neither as groundbreaking as the R32 nor as well-known as the R34. But in a minute, we’ll talk about R34’s movie stardom.
The Truth About Fast and Furious’ Yellow R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R Driven by Leon:
It was fantastic; it far outshone its competition.
Automobiles like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution caused a lot of commotion in the late ’90s because of the intense rivalry between Japanese automakers. Not only did the Lancer Evo make supercar manufacturers nervous, but so did the R34 Skyline GT-R, although to a lesser extent.
The R34 GT-R had an original suggested retail price of roughly $45,000 ($80,000 now), and it was held in the same esteem as exotic performance cars that cost three times as much, such as the Ferrari F355. In terms of cost, though…
The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R cost $45,000, which is too high. when Novel
In those days, $45,000 was a significant sum to spend on a brand-new automobile, particularly one with a Nissan emblem. The R34 GT-R, however, was not your average Nissan and was surprisingly affordable. Today, it is not the case.
These days, an R34 may fetch ten times or more of its original price. Consider this 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec that brought in approximately $550,000 at auction. This is one of the many reasons why the R34 is too expensive in the present day.
In a Nutshell: The R34 The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Superhero Vehicle.
The Fast and the Furious movies have likely done more to popularize the R34 GT-R than any other single factor. Although the R34 appeared in numerous TV series and movies than F&F, it will always be remembered as the automobile of interest for the adored Brian O’ Conner, along with his Mitsubishi Eclipse.
A common misconception is that the late Paul Walker, who portrayed Brian O’ Conner, truly owned the R34 GT-R featured in the film. Paul Walker, though, did have an R34 GT-R of his own, which undoubtedly helped boost the model’s profile.
Related: How Dom Got His Mazda RX-7 in “The Fast and the Furious”
Just look at the Toyota Supra MK4 and the Mazda FD RX-7; there’s no need to pay that much for a sports car.
We’ve established that the R34 GT-R was able to dethrone exotic vehicles that cost many times as much as it did, but its true rivals were found in the JDM sports car scene. There were several cars that may have been considered competitors to the R34, but the Toyota Supra MK IV was the most formidable of them. In the same way, the current generation of Supra may cost a fortune, but compared to Nissan, it seems like a steal.
The FD Mazda RX-7 was a strong rival to the R34. These Japanese classics weren’t even in the same league when they left the factory, but after getting some upgrades, they became serious contenders.
The following is a list of ten things to consider before purchasing a 2022 Toyota Supra:
What We Like: The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-Room R’s for Customization
Changing such a rare and beautiful piece of equipment may seem like a bad idea, but the R34’s RB26 is the perfect place to start when making performance changes. The RB26 can handle up to 500 horsepower without having its internals forged or strengthened. But if you put in the work and ignore all logic, you can get well over a thousand horsepower.
The R34’s engine isn’t the only area of excellence, however. When it comes to how it looks, the R34 gives you more and more ways to customize it. Drift cars, drag cars, and well-balanced track cars are all within the reach of anybody with a standard R34. The R34 GT-R really does live up to its reputation as one of the most versatile cars ever made.
The Nissan R35 GT-R is less expensive and has more torque than the R34, hence the R35 is overpriced. Skyline GT-R by Nissan
The R35 GT-R succeeded the R34 GT-R, and it was a vast improvement over its predecessor. The R35, introduced in 2007, did away with the inline-six in favor of a V6 that generated 485 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque.
Despite losing the manual gearbox and the Skyline nameplate, the R35 was a far superior car and, in 2007, one of the fastest on the globe with a 0-60 speed of 3.2 seconds. Since then, the R35 GT-R has gotten a lot more powerful, and the latest version has 600 horsepower. The Nissan GT-R Nismo had a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $212,435 — a steep price tag, but one that was lower than that of an R34 GT-R.
We love the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, and it’s almost close to being able to be brought into the United States.
Federal law says that vehicles less than 25 years old can’t come into the United States. Since the Nissan R34 GT-R and other amazing vehicles like it were never sold in the United States, this is a major barrier to their importation.
Despite the gloominess of the situation, there is a ray of hope. R34s are eligible for importation in 2024, just two years from now since the first ones were released into the wild in 1999.
The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is overpriced because of its excessive reputation.
The R34 is a beautiful sports vehicle, that’s for sure. You’re right; it’s a very remarkable example of automotive innovation. And sure, that is undoubtedly a very well-known automobile. But is it as wonderful as everyone says it is? Both the MKIV Supra and the R34 Skyline fell victim to the same thing: being massively overrated by naive teenagers.
Based on the number of 12-year-old boys who insist a stock Supra can beat the most extreme current hypercars since it has +1,000 horsepower “stock,” it’s clear the Supra had it worse. Nonetheless, the R34 GT-R isn’t too far behind. The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R was an excellent vehicle, but its reputation was tarnished by the public, and it had far higher aspirations than it was able to provide.
