Introduction
While the American performance market was easily dominated by V8 powered rear wheel drive cars built in the States as long as most people can remember, the sort of formal introduction of the "import tuner world" by the 2001 release of The Fast and the Furious showed many who may had not been aware of what a well built "import tuner car" could really do. That movie, while disliked by many, even some in the tuner market, helped to make import performance a mainstream item. Along with this movie, an influx of games intended for Japanese release and "tuner magazines" which feature "JDM (Japanese Direct Market) cars" introduced many high performance cars which were well known to the overseas market but were not marketed at all here in the United States. These cars instantly became heavily sought after, bringing top dollar due to their limited availability, and the most well known, and one of the most high performance JDM models is the Nissan Skyline BNR34. The Skyline BNR34 is known for its powerful twin turbocharged inline six cylinder engine and intricate all wheel drive system, but even though the Skyline has only become sought after by the American public in the last ten years or so, the Skyline's history reaches back well before the phrase "import tuner" had ever been uttered, and even before any Japanese car was marketed for US sales.
While there are plans and rumors of a Skyline finally being offered here in the United States, the car that is currently badged as the Skyline in Japan is very different from the heavily sought after BNR34, and that model is offered here in the States. That model is known to Americans as the Infinity G35, and it is offered as both a coupe and sedan. This newest and current Skyline is labeled at the V35, and it is the 11th generation of the Skyline model line. While this popular performance car, which has been used by many performance companies as their display car often boasting performance in excess of 1000 wheel horsepower, has helped to put Nissan on the performance map, the Skyline model didn't even begin its life as a Nissan model.
First Generation, The Prince Skyline ALSI (1955-1963)
The original Skyline was actually called The Prince Skyline ALSI, and it was built by Prince Motor Company. Prince Motor Company was established in 1952 by Tama Electric Car Company in honor of Emperor of Japan Crown Prince Hirohita and in 1955 the first Skyline hit the streets. The ALSI-1 Series was offered in either a sedan of station wagon, and was powered by the GA30, which was a 4 cylinder overhead valve engine displacing1500cc (91.5 C.I.) and at 4400 rpm it made 60 horsepower. This model remained the same for 1957 and 1958.
1957 Nissan Skyline
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1960 Nissan Skyline
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1963 Nissan Skyline
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The second installation of the ALSI, the ALSI-2 Series came in 1959 with a slight refresh to the look of the vehicle. The model got a new hood and ornament, as well as a new grille design and quad headlights instead of the original large lights. The 2 Series had a new engine, the GA4, which made 70 horsepower, but other than the mentioned changes, nothing else changed. This version of the ALSI would be sold until the end of the first generation in 1963.
Starting in 1961, there was a limited production of hand built coupes and convertibles named the Skyline Sport BLRA-3 Series, which were designed by the Italian designer Michelotti. This model was very attractive and its 1864cc 4 cylinder engine made 94 horsepower, but for the time, the BLRA was far too expensive, and sold poorly, so it was only offered for one year. The Skyline during this time was an elegant model, and fairly powerful, but would not be considered a performance car, either within the company or by the world, for a few more years.
Second Generation, The Prince Skyline S50 E Series (1963-1968)
Building off of the success of the first few years, the S50 series debuted in 1963. Offered again as either a sedan or wagon, this new Skyline was smaller in every dimension, and had a boxier shape. While not necessarily marketed as a sports model, the S50 series did receive a few sporty options, one of which was the new G1 engine, which was a 1484cc overhead valve 4 cylinder engine which produced 70 horsepower. Another sporty option was the selection of transmissions. The standard transmission was a column shifted 3 speed, which came with a front bench seat, but for those who wanted something with more of a sports car feel, the S50 offered a front bucket seat option, and with those came a floor mounted 4-speed transmission. The S50 and W50 (wagon version) would remain the same until 1967 when the S50 was superseded by the S57, which was basically the same car, but came with the G15 engine. This 1483cc overhead valve 4 cylinder engine produced 88 horsepower, and at the time, was the most powerful sub-1500cc engine in Japan. Also in the S50 series a signature feature of the Skyline model was born with the introduction of the twin taillights on each side, which would remain in some form all the way up to the BNR34 model.
1964 Nissan Skyline
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1965 Nissan Skyline
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1968 Nissan Skyline
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The bigger news for the Second generation of the Skyline was the introduction of the first performance oriented model. Introduced in 1964, the S54 Series (or the Skyline 2000GT as it was more commonly known) was a reworked, high performance S50 sedan. . It was originally only intended to be a test vehicle of sorts, but it performed so well that the company made it a full production model. This S54 was created by taking the S50, and adding eight inches in front of the firewall, thus allowing room for an inline 6 cylinder engine. That engine was the G7, which was originally used in the larger S40 Gloria sedan, and with 1988cc this overhead camshaft engine offered quite a bit more power to the S54 over the 4 cylinder engines. The 2000GT was actually offered in two different forms; the GT-A, and the GT-B. The GT-A was packed with a stock G7 engine, running a single carburetor and making 105 horsepower. The GT-B, which would eventually become the official racecar of Prince Motors received a high compression version of the G7, which was topped with three Weber performance, and that engine made an impressive 125hp. Consider that compared to the fact that the flagship American performance car, the Corvette, offered only 250 horsepower out of an engine almost three times as large in volume. The GT-B also received the addition of full engine instrumentation, a close ratio 5-speed manual transmission, limited slip differential, and a racing fuel tank. Both variants of the 2000GT also received power disc brakes with two piston calipers with performance alloy drums in the rear, as well as ventilation ducts on the dash with flowed from outside the car, helping to keep the driver cool during a race. The 2000GT-B finally hit the track in 1964, and in its first race, the Grand Prix of Japan, it finished a very close second to the Porsche 904GTS, which is impressive considering that the 904GTS was a production race car, and the Skyline was a family sedan. This success from the Skyline 2000GT paved the way for future performance models, and it stuck the model securely on the map of performance cars in Europe and Asia.
Another piece of important news from this generation was that in 1966, with a strong recommendation from the Japanese government, Price Motor Company merged with Nissan Motors, with the hopes that the larger company would make the Japanese models more successful in foreign markets. Even today, the Prince Motor Division exists as a part of Nissan Motors and is responsible for every Skyline production, including the new GT-R concept, but I will get to that later.
Third Generation, The Nissan Skyline C10 (1968-1972)
1969 Nissan Skyline
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Introduced in 1968 the Prince 1500 Series sedan and wagon were produced from 1968 to 1972 and were the last models to wear the Prince badge. All other models produced during this time, and after, were to be badged as Nissans. These sedans and wagons were also offered as the 1800 series, with the difference between the 1500 and 1800 being the option of either the G15 (S57 engine) or larger G18 engine.
The C10 series also brought back a new version of the Skyline 2000GT, except this one was badged as the Nissan Skyline 2000GT, and the model code was GC10. Released around two months after the 1968 1500 Series, and it was offered as a 4 door sedan or a 5 door wagon, and starting in 1970, a 2 door coupe was offered (KGC10). Like the S54 GT-A model of 1964, the GC10 models received an inline 6 cylinder engine, 1998cc overhead camshaft engine making 105 horsepower. While new Skyline 2000GT model proved to be a good replacement for the GT-A model, many wondered what would come of the GT-B model.
That question was to be answered in 1969 when Nissan released the Skyline 2000GT-R sedan. The PGC10, as it was known internally to Nissan and Prince, was powered by a brand new inline 6 cylinder S20 engine which featured dual overhead camshafts, and this power plant made a whopping 160 horsepower, equal to the output of the 1969 Porsche 911. This engine was very similar to the race built GR8 engine used in Nissan's R380 racecar, and that R380 dominated the third Grand Prix of Japan over a Porsche Carrera 6. The PGC10 may have looked like a tame yet sporty family sedan on the outside, but on the inside, much like under the hood, the car was all business. There was not even an offering of a heating system, or a radio, to cut down on weight, and the lightweight form of the 2000GT-R was what helped make it so successful, winning 33 times in a year and a half. It took two more years, but in 1971 Nissan released the 2000GT-R coupe model, named the KPGC10. This model was mechanically identical to the sedan models, but the shorter wheelbase and even lighter curb weight made the car much more nimble than the sedan, and in its short time racing, the 2000GT-R coupe pulled in 17 class victories, totaling 50 wins for the 1968-1972 2000GT-R models. The PGC10 and KPGC10 models made the model that much better known for its racing abilities, and it also was the first to secure the "R" as a high performance indication on the Skyline models, which is another feature that would become a permanent item on the highest end Skylines.
1970 Nissan Skyline
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1971 Nissan Skyline
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1972 Nissan Skyline
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Fourth Generation, The Nissan Skyline C110 (1972-1977)
1973 Nissan Skyline
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When the 1972 Skyline was introduced, it was available in four different trim levels. The first two were both basically entry level models and those models were the 1600GT and 1800GT, and both of those cars used modified versions of the G15 engine. The first performance trim level was the 2000GT-X. It was comparable to the previous 2000GT, and was equipped with an improved version of the L20 engine, and that improvement amounted to a gain of 21 horsepower, up to 130 from the previous 109. The highest performance model for the C110 was the 2000GT-R, it came packed with the same 160 horsepower S20, and like the original 2000GT-R, it was offered as both a sedan (PGC110) and a coupe (KPGC110). Unfortunately, there was no race program for the C110 models, and because of that, only 197 GT-R units were produced and this would mark the last "R" model for over ten years, but the performance line would not be forgotten.
1974 Nissan Skyline
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1975 Nissan Skyline
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1975 Nissan Skyline
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Fifth Generation, The Nissan Skyline C211 (1977-1981)
When the 1977 Skyline was released in August of 1977, it was offered in four trim lines, much like the C110 series. The lower level models were now the 1600TI and 1800TI, and instead of the G16 and G18, they were now equipped with the L16 and L18, which were detuned versions of the L20 performance engine. The mid level Skyline C211 was the 2000GT, which was the new equivalent of the 2000GT-X, but minus the X. However, it came with the same L20 engine making 120 horsepower. The fourth model year took a few years to refine for production, but in April of 1980, the 2000GT-ES, which was the replacement for the GT-R, hit the showrooms and it introduced another "first" for the Skyline. That new introduction was the new 130 horsepower L20ET, and that new premium engine marked the first ever turbocharged engine in a Skyline. While this new engine did not offer the horsepower of the S20 from the prior GT-R, federal emissions regulations, combined with concerns of a fuel shortage, forced the S20 out of the lineup, and the new S20ET conformed to those emissions regulations.
1978 Nissan Skyline
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1978 Nissan Skyline
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Sixth Generation, The Nissan Skyline DR30 (1981-1985)
This new series of Skylines, commonly called the R30, began the long string or Skylines carrying the "R3x" model names, and this was also the beginning of the modern age of the Skyline. While the general look of the Skyline retained certain cues such as the down-sweeping rear pillar, the new models were much boxier, and at the same time, far more sporty than the prior model. This new design would eventually be offered in five different trim lines, but to begin, only the 105 horsepower base model 1800TI, and the 2000GT and 2800GT, which were both now equipped with relatively low powered inline six cylinder engines, were the only models offered when the R30 debuted in August of 1981. Two months after the initial release, it took a few months until the performance model hit the showroom floors, the new 150 horsepower Skyline RS was ready for the street or the track. Packed with the new Dual Overhead Camshaft FJ20E engine, this Skyline was the first in many years built for track use, and the new R30 model proved to be lighter and more agile for the track. Even though the RS was competent for racing purposes, the next trim line of the R30 RS was released in 1983, and that new RS was very similar to the previous few years, except this car had the benefit of forced induction, and with it, 190 horsepower. Labeled the Skyline RS-X, this turbocharged monster got an even stronger rating a short time later when they became fitted with a stock intercooler, boosting the power up to 205 horsepower. Also referred to as the Turbo C, the intercooled Skyline RS-X was easily the most powerful, and at the time, the fastest Skyline ever produced, and this RS-X model paved the way for the high performance turbocharged models that have become known around the world.
1983 Nissan Skyline
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1983 Nissan Skyline
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Seventh Generation, The Nissan Skyline HR31 (1985-1991)
1988 Nissan Skyline
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When the R31 Skylines came out of the gates, Nissan had a new marketing goal. The market trend had leaned slightly towards larger luxury sedans, so when introduced the 1985 Skyline was pushed as a luxury car, and was available only as a sedan. The base model R31, in its new luxury form, was the 1800TI now powered by the CA18, a 1.8L dual overhead camshaft 4 cylinder making 100 horsepower. Although the initial aim of the R31 was luxury, the Prince Motor Division was well aware that the market still thirsted for the next installation of the sports car popularized by the RS-X. Those eager performance market buyers had to wait until May of 1986, but when the new GTS coupes hit the floor they came packed with the RB20DET, and the RB engine family would become the mainstay performance engine in the Skyline for over 15 years. This new inline 6 cylinder only displaced to 2.0L, but it made a strong 180 horsepower at 6400 rpm, and two years later, the 1988 GTS-X replaced the GTS, and it was similar to the GTS, except it boasted an additional 10 horsepower. While the RB engines would become legendary, that was not the only innovation that made the R31 Skyline even more popular than the prior model. The R31 coupe was the first Skyline to feature the HICAS (High Capacity Active Steering) all-wheel steering system, and like the RB engine series, the HICAS would be featured on the higher end Skylines for many years. Even with the smaller stature and HICAS system, the GTS-X would not keep up with the RS-X, and in 1987 Nissan released the new GTS-R which still came equipped with the RB20DET, but a new turbocharger and redesigned exhaust manifold allowed this race-built model to make 210 horsepower. Supporting that intention of a production race model, the GTS-R came equipped with sport tuned suspension and an improved braking system. Due to cost only 200 units of this R31 GTS-R were produced, making these highly sought after collectables now. This race model hinted to the rebirth of the fabled Nissan R, and even in such limited quantities, the R was back, and was better than ever…however, this R31 Skyline GTS-R would not last long as the most powerful Skyline.
1987 Nissan Skyline
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1990 Nissan Skyline
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1990 Nissan Skyline
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Eighth Generation, The Nissan Skyline BNR32 (1989-1993)
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1990 Nissan Skyline
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The R32 was the first to carry the "BN" prefix to the Skyline name, and of all of the Skyline models, the BNR32, BNR33, and BNR34 are easily among the most popular and most well known. When this generation of the Skyline was being developed, the goal of the Prince engineers was to have the Skyline return to its roots, but with modern technology. The result was a pair of bodies, one coupe and one sedan, which mixed modern basic luxuries, such as leather seats and a quality sound system with the capabilities of a sports car. While the CA18 was, every model of the R32 Skylines received an engine option from the soon to be famous RB series. The optional base model engine in all coupes and sedans was the RB20DE, which was a naturally aspirated 2.0L inline 6 cylinder engine, making 155 horsepower, and that engine made the new base models by far the most powerful entry level Skylines ever offered. Those who wanted a little more performance could opt for the GTS-t Skyline, which came with the same RB20DET that was found in the R31 GTS-R, but it now made 212 horsepower. Later in the R32 production there was also the option of a new engine for the performance models, as the RB25DE, and naturally aspirated dual overhead camshaft engine making 180 horsepower. However, a more powerful base model and very competitive mid-level performance model, was not the big news for the R32.
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1990 Nissan Skyline
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The big news was the long awaited return of the Skyline GT-R to the lineup. While the "R" had made an appearance late in the R31 model run, there had not been a GT-R model in some twelve years, and as rumors flew about the fabled GT-R coming back performance enthusiasts and racers could not wait to see how the Skyline would rekindle the legend. But when the GT-R became available midway through 1989, there was little question that this did the GT-R name very proud. There was speculation early on in the life of the new GT-R whether this new model could be as successful in the world of Motorsports as the famed PGC10, but with a bevy of new technology this GT-R was good enough to quickly punish its competition and even earned a nickname for itself. Known in racing circles as Godzilla, the biggest advance of the new track dominator was the new ATTESA-ETS. That stands for Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All - Electronic Torque Split, and in short, it is an electronically controlled all wheel drive system which will normally send the majority of the power to the real wheels, but when the need arises, especially during hard cornering, the electronic transfer case can send 50% of the vehicles power to the front wheels. This new AWD system was coupled with an upgraded version of the HICAS all wheel steering system, which was now appropriately named Super-HICAS.
These two technological advances in handling, when coupled with the R32s precision weight distribution helped to make the new GT-R one of the, if not the, best handling car in the world. But the engineers at Prince Motor Division did not stop at making the car a great handling vehicle. The GT-R featured the RB26DETT, an inline 6 cylinder, 2.6L, dual overhead camshaft engine making a whopping 280 horsepower, aided by the addition of twin turbochargers. This engine was originally designed for full race use, but was detuned to 'just' 280 horsepower, as is required by Japanese law for street vehicles. When working with the ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS system, the GT-R was perfectly street legal in Japan, and at the same time was fully competitive in Japanese Group A racing standards. It was noting less than a street legal race car, and stock for stock, the GT-R would comfortably hold its own with the Ferrari 355. When the GT-R finally hit the tracks in the Japanese Group A racing, it won every one of the 29 races on the schedule, and a year later, the Group A class no longer existed, because no other companies would field entries against the Skylines. It took 12 years between releases of the GT-R from Nissan/Prince Motors, but the R32 proved to be well worth the wait, and it opened the door for the long line of GT-Rs to come over the next 12 years.
Ninth Generation, The Nissan Skyline BNR33 (1993-1998)
1996 Nissan Skyline
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When the R33 Skylines were introduced to the public, they had mighty big shoes to fill. The R32 (especially the GT-Rs) had been very popular and very successful, and perhaps with the hopes of filling big shoes, the R33 was slightly larger, and a bit heavier and in order to counter that, there were new engine choices and new trim lines. The base model Skylines received the 130 horsepower RB20DE, and if you wanted more than that you could chose from the new trim lines. The GTS-4 and GTS-25 were powered by a 190 horsepower RB25DET and like the previous generation, all wheel drive was optional, and even with the added size and weight, the R33 handled well, and displayed excellent acceleration.
While the R33 as a whole model had big shoes to fill, the GT-R was faced with a much bigger challenge; be better than one of the best Japanese built performance cars, ever. The engine and horsepower were the same, the GT-R33 received an upgraded version of the ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS systems, but with some tuning work, a more consistent and "flattened" torque curve allowed this new GT-R to out perform the previous generation in almost every performance category on and off the track.
The car had a more aggressive look and sportier feel, as well as being more aerodynamic. The GT-R was amazingly better than before in every way, and even the base models stepped up to prove to be welcome improvements over the R32 models, but Nissan/Prince Motors had more up their sleeve.
This generation would be the first since the original ALSI coupe and convertible to offer some special limited edition Skylines. These cars were, in short, subtle attempts to get around Japan's horsepower limit of 280 on production vehicles, as that law could be basically ignored if the car was actually released by a tuning shop, or division, and not from a "regular" car company.
1996 Nissan Skyline
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The first came about in 1995, and it was introduced by Autech. Autech is a subsidiary of Nissan, specializing in high performance tuning. The model that they produced was called the Autech GT-R 4-door. It was literally an R33 sedan fitted up with all of the performance products of the GT-R, and the "reason", if you needed one, for the production of this Autech GT-R 4-door was to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Skyline model.
The other three limited edition models were all from NISMO, Nissan Motors performance and racing division, and these were built for a combination of reasons. The first, as mentioned, was the desire to sneak around the Japanese law of horsepower being limited to 280 horsepower, and the second reason was to further bolster the racing program based around the Skyline. The first, and lowest performance of these NISMO models was the GT-R LM. It was a coupe, and came only in rear wheel drive. It was powered by a modified version of the GT-R RB26DETT, and it offered 305 horsepower. Unfortunately, the GT-R LM only saw one unit of production as it was a model for the Nissan race cars. The Skyline GT-R LM is now in a Nissan museum in Japan.
The next model from NISMO was the 400R. The "R" stood for "race", and the 400 nomenclature derived from the fact that the car had 400 horsepower. The 400R utilized an enlarged version of the RB26DETT, which displaced 2.8L. The NISMO 400R also had an advanced, tuned version of the ATTESA-ETS system, as well as the Super-HICAS steering system. The car came with a reworked suspension setup, and a far more aerodynamically perfect body, decreasing coefficient of drag, while providing excellent downforce at high speeds, and the front fascia helped to improve cooling through the intercooler. Although only 99 units were produced of the NISMO 400R, it quickly got a reputation for being one of the most intimidating street cars ever introduced to the Japanese public, and thanks in part to the high performance and low production, the 400R is another heavily sought after collectors item.
The next special edition was a sort of take-off of the Autech 4-door, but was produced by NISMO. NISMO took the Autech model, and added on a new, sportier front fascia and rear spoiler, as well as 18" wheels (which would all appear on the NISMO 400R) and also equipped the GT-R sedan with the high performance RB26DETT. This fine tuned model of the RB26DETT was fitted with a new turbo, intercooler, and electronic ignition system, allowing this ultra high performance sedan to spit out 380 horsepower! The NISMO GT-R 4-door was easily the fastest production sedan in the world in 1996.
Tenth Generation, The Nissan Skyline BNR34 (1999-2002)
1999 Nissan Skyline
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The R33 was the largest selection of trim lines ever offered under the Skyline name, and thanks to several of those models it was also by far the most powerful and fastest generation of the Skyline. The R34 had to step up to those expectations and to do so, Nissan and Prince went for a more aggressive look to the car, and with that, a far sportier stance. The R34 was offered in both a sedan, and a coupe, with five trim lines available on either body style. The trims lines offered are the R34GT packed with a 140 horsepower RB20DE, the R34 GT25-V which has the RB25DE and 193 horsepower, the R34 25GT and R34 GT-X which are offered with either the RB25DE and have the option of all wheel drive or rear wheel drive (rear wheel drive is only available on the sedan versions) and the last of the regular production Skylines is the R34 GT-t, which comes equipped with the 280 horsepower RB25DET and all wheel drive.
2000 Nissan Skyline
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The GT-R has not been mentioned yet, but it has not been excluded from the BNR34 generation, and as the generations have gone, the R34 should be credited with bringing the most notice to the Skyline around the world, especially in markets such as the US where enthusiasts only have access to the Skyline on television, magazines, and video games. The boom in interest in Japanese performance "tuning" in the United States has brought about many long running Japanese aftermarket performance companies into the American public eye, and with those companies come their "shop cars", which are typically production models that the company will take, and fully modify with their products, thus displaying the impact of their items on a production vehicle. Thanks to the reputation and performance capabilities of the RB26DETT packed into the R34 GT-R, this is a popular shop car for many Japanese based performance companies, even though it is not available to the US market. While on paper the R34 GT-R may appear to be very similar to the R33 high performance model, since it utilizes the same basic ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS systems, as well as the RB26DETT engine with an advertised 280 horsepower, the R34 has been redesigned completely from the R33. The body, while appearing more aggressive and sporty, also creates a great deal of downforce for better control at high speed, while not compromising a low coefficient of drag. Also, the chassis of the R34 has been designed to handle the high amounts of horsepower and torque forced out from the RB26DETT, especially when modified. This new chassis and aerodynamic design allowed the R34 GT-R to set the track record for production cars on the Nürburgring Northloop, and it held that record for several years, until beaten by the Porsche 996 Turbo. The R34 GT-R has also won several All Japan GT Championship, which despite the series name, includes models such as the Dodge Viper, McLaren F1, Honda NSX, Toyota Supra, and Porsche GT2, among others great world renown high performance cars. The R34 may have been a little heavier than the R33 models, but thanks to the fine tuning in the body and chassis, as well as minor improvements to the ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS systems, this GT-R proved to be possibly the best Skyline ever offered, even when compared to the Autech and NISMO models which boasted more stock horsepower than the new and improved R34 GT-R.
The Nissan Skyline V35 (2001-Present)
Towards the end of the R34 generation, there were rumors that the car just could not be improved upon. The rising cost of fuel, plus the persistent shift of the Japanese market toward luxury cars, and away from high performance sports cars. Because of that, rumors were growing popular that there would be no Skyline after the R34 was discontinued, and would be replaced by the new 350Z, or in Japan, the Fairlady Z. However, late in 2000, Nissan announced that not only would there be another generation of the Skyline, but there would even be exports…to the United States. This was huge news as the American Tuner market had been eagerly waiting to get their hands on US-legal Skylines, but when the V35 was revealed, this first US-imported Skyline was a bit of a disappointment. Introduced in the United States as a member of Nissan's US luxury line, the Infiniti G35 was a far cry from any of the BNR Skylines. Even though it was still offered as a coupe or sedan, the G35 was no where near as powerful as the prior models. There was no longer an RB26DETT, or any other turbocharged option, for that matter; although a far less sporty all wheel drive system is still available on the sedans. The only engines availablein the sedan when the V35/G35 was launched were a pair of V6 engines; one displacing 2.5L and making 215 horsepower (VQ25DD) and the other displacing 3.0L and making 260 horsepower (VQ30DD). These engines are only available with a choice of two different automatic transmissions. The 'performance engine' in the coupe, which was introduced with 280 horsepower, but would get a much needed bump to 300 horsepower in 2004 is the VQ35DE, which is the same engine offered in the Nissan 350Z sports coupe and convertible, and this engine is offered with either a 5 speed automatic or a 6-speed close ratio manual transmission. Even though it offers 300 horsepower, the VQ30DE has proven to have much less potential than the RB series engines. While the V35/G35 is by no means a bad car, this new Skyline is much more like the early days of the Skyline, with an emphasis placed less on performance and more on luxury, but performance is included. The R34 was an evolution of the R33, and the V35 is more like an evolution (and a vast one at that) of the Prince Skyline S50, packed with 37 years of technology since the last real luxury Skyline was offered. The first generation of Skyline offered in the United States did not carry the Skyline name, and based on recent models; it did not carry on the Skyline legend, but it was still a great car but it was not what many import performance enthusiasts had hoped. But Nissan recognized this and they were already hard at work for the next Skyline.
2004 Nissan Skyline
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2005 Nissan Skyline
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2008 Nissan Skyline
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The Nissan GT-R Concept (Debuted in 2001, again in 2005)
Since many people, mostly those interested in the performance ability of the Skyline, were disappointed with the release of the V35/G35 model, Nissan and Prince Motors have long been teasing those people with the 2001 debuted GT-R concept. Very few performance aspects have been released, but one look at this sexy, sleek concept makes it obvious that this car is aimed strictly at performance. What we do know is that this car, if and when released, will have a fully redesigned version of the ATTESA-ETS and Super-HICAS systems, and although many would like to see the RB26DETT packed into this new Japanese Supercar, Nissan has hinted that it will more likely be fitted with a higher horsepower V8 engine, possibly aided by twin turbochargers. However, there have also been rumors that the VQ35DE will be back, but will also have the help of forced induction to boost performance. These are all merely rumors, with hints from interviews, but one thin is sure; when the new Skyline GT-R hits the showroom floors in the United States (and a US release has been confirmed), this will very likely be the meanest, fastest Skyline ever built, and it will keep sports car designers around the world hard at work to keep up with a car that, while unknown by some, is one of the most fabled performance cars ever built in the world.
