At press time, Japan’s most powerful car is the Aspark Owl. Be that as it may, it’s not JDM because the all-electric hypercar is assembled by Manifattura Automobili Torino in Italy. As for the Japanese domestic market, the folks at Nissan reign supreme with the 2024 model year GT-R NISMO.
As ever, the most performance-oriented version of the R35 makes 600 metric ponies or 592 mechanical horsepower. The R34 was capped at precisely 280 ps (make that 276 hp) due to a gentleman’s agreement signed by all the automakers of Japan. The same applies to the R33 and R32 generations.
Also remember that everyone sandbagged in order to keep the status quo. The RB26 used in the R32 through R34, for example, always produced more than the agreement’s mandated 276 horsepower. Even non-R variants of the Skyline crank out more than 276. The R34-generation 25GT Turbo and 25GT-X Turbo come to mind, with both of them packing the RB25DET NEO single-turbo I6 lump.
The four-door sedan before your eyes isn’t an R34, but an R33 that started life in the form of a GTS. This particular example originally sported the RB20E, a single-cam sixer with no forced induction whatsoever. Chassis number HR33005456 had its original powerplant replaced with an RB26 from a GT-R, which makes in excess of 260 pound-feet (353 Nm) at the crankshaft. The original five-speed transmission had also been swapped for a five-speed box from an R33-generation Nissan Skyline GT-R.
A bit rough around the edges, this fellow exhibits a few cracks in the aftermarket body kit, some paint imperfections, wear on the driver seat’s outer bolsters, and scratches on the wheels. None of these flaws will break the bank, though. The R32 GT-R driver’s seat does need replacing for something closer to the original driver's seat of the R33 GTS, and the bright trim on the doors really needs to come off. The same can be said about the aftermarket wind deflectors/rain guards.
Photo: TTRB26 on Cars & Bids
Currently located in Minneapolis, this blast from the not-so-distant past further sweetens the deal with a GT-R rear tower brace, front strut brace, instrument cluster, and brake calipers. The four-wheel steering system (HICAS in Nissan vernacular) is disconnected, and the bone-stock suspension is gone in favor of Fortune Auto 500-series coilovers.
Equipped with a clear third brake light and clear side markers, HR33005456 was purchased by the seller in 2019. The fuel tank breather was replaced earlier this year, when the seller also performed a four-wheel alignment. Last serviced with fresh engine oil at the beginning of 2023, the GTS sings the song of its people through a Fujitsubo exhaust.
Highlights also include an HKS intercooler and twin intakes, a Koyorad radiator, and a Trust engine oil cooler. Given the car’s modifications, true mileage isn’t known. The odometer currently shows approximately 39,000 miles (62,765 kilometers).
Since the R33-gen Skyline was never sold in the United States of America, it may not pass emissions testing in certain states (looking at you, California!). At the present moment, no fewer than five offers were made on it via Doug DeMuro’s car auction platform. Due to be sold on October 13, the GTS is offered at no reserve. The highest bid at the moment of writing is $8k, which is peanuts for something powered by a fully operational RB26DETT mill.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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