The way most Americans found out about the world-beating Nissan Skyline GT-R was from video games. It didn’t take long for enthusiasts to start clamoring for a real-life GT-R.
Skyline History
While the Skyline nameplate is decades old—and didn’t originate with Nissan—the models most associated with supercar status debuted in 1989 with the R32-chassis Nissan Skyline GT-R. It was nicknamed “Godzilla” by racing journalists due to the overwhelming success it found in touring car racing.
Powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.6-liter inline-six producing at least 276 horsepower, the Skyline GT-R was made especially beastly by the standard all-wheel-drive system, which put power down in a controllable manner.
The R33 chassis came along in 1994 as a development of the previous model. Styling was smoothed over, but the same basic engine and drivetrain remained. Performance was much the same, but some find the R33 styling less desirable than either the older R32 or the more recent R34 chassis that debuted in 1999, which looked more purposeful and aggressive.
America didn’t see an officially imported GT-R until the R35 generation in 2009. But specialist importers have been shipping the GT-R stateside, legally and otherwise, to feed a market of enthusiasts bred on video games.
Gran Turismo
The original 1990s-era Sony Playstation was a more powerful video game platform than what had come before. To match the performance, an immersive racing game was developed: Gran Turismo.
This game was more in-depth than previous attempts at bringing motorsport to the joypad, as gamers would develop their racing skills much like a real-life racer. Drivers would start in entry-level cars against similarly skilled competition and earn their way toward higher-performing machinery. The cars behaved like their real-life counterparts and could even be modified.
Gamers quickly found that the sleek, unknown coupe from Japan was one of the most effective Gran Turismo weapons. The high power and forgiving handling made racing a Skyline GT-R a cheat code to keep on winning.
Shop now for Nissan GT-R parts & accessoriesNissan Takes On Le Mans
The R33-chassis Nissan Skyline GT-R you see here is even more special than your average Skyline. It’s an LM Limited Edition, one of 188 built (all in this same Champion Blue) to commemorate Nissan’s efforts at running a Skyline in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Nissan finished 10th that year against more specialized racing machinery. Beyond the paint, the LM Limited saw minor cosmetic changes to the front and rear wings.
This one has been tweaked a bit further, with a host of HKS performance upgrades:
Beyond these, a set of Tein coilover shocks have been fitted to lower the Skyline GT-R and improve handling. The seller notes that there is evidence of repair to the front shock towers, indicating a potential crash, but believes the work to have been performed correctly.
While we never saw the Skyline in Nissan showrooms back in the day, fanatics have brought the GT-R over here in droves. This R33 LM Limited GT-R has to be one of the best, bringing together the legend of the streets, the track, and the gaming system into one special car.
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