NISSAN Skyline Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Nissan introduced the twelfth generation of the Skyline sedan in 2006 only for the Japanese market, while the rest of the world, including the U.S. customers, received the Infiniti M series.

The 2006 Skyline sedan was the sporty version of its famous brother GT-R, but it was less-powered and rear-wheel-drive only. It was sold only in Japan, while the U.S. market and the rest of the world received it as an Infiniti M35. It was the same car, but with RHD and different badges. There were also a few other noticeable differences between the two siblings.

Unlike its predecessor, it followed a new, flowing-design trend, with swept-back headlights that resembled those installed on the Infiniti G35 Coupe. Its raked grille sported four horizontal slats and additional two chromed ones on top and on the bottom. The bumper featured a lower apron with an incorporated spoiler. Nissan included the fog lights inside the headlamps, on their inner side. The designers made the rear window sloped and the decklid short to emphasize the car's sedan orientation for sportiness.

Inside, the high bolstered seats at the front were inspired by those from the G35 Coupe. Nissan created a unique design for the instrument cluster, without individual casings for the speedometer and tachometer. The Skyline featured a screen for the infotainment system similar to the one from the Nissan Primera, controlled via a distinct control panel on top of the center stack.

The carmaker offered the Skyline with a choice of three V-6 engines, starting with a 2.5-liter and ending with a 3.7-liter. Depending on the engine, the carmaker paired the powerplants to a six-speed manual or to a five- or seven-speed automatic transmission.

While Nissan introduced the Infiniti G35 in the U.S., in Japan, the same car was sold under the Nissan Skyline nameplate, although it was nowhere near the mighty GT-R.

Nissan created the FM platform to create more vehicles on top of it, from sporty coupes to crossovers. The Skyline was one of them, and it was similar in many aspects to the Infiniti G35 Coupe. Both shared their underpinnings with the Nissan 350Z. But the Skyline aimed higher, at least on the Japanese market.

When Nissan designed the Skyline/Infinity G35, it was a clear departure from the old Infiniti G20 lineup. The sporty coupe featured vertical headlights swept back on the fenders and flanking a curved hood. Its main grille sported four horizontal slats that supported the carmaker's badge in the middle. In addition, the lower bumper had a pair of air intakes to make the car look angrier and complement the cooling area. The car's profile revealed an arched greenhouse with a sloped-down rear windscreen and a short deck. Finally, the rear fascia was adorned with boomerang-shaped taillights, similar to those installed on the G35.

Inside, the automaker installed a pair of high-bolstered seats at the front and a bench for two in the back. In addition, the curved dashboard revealed a minimalist design, with a center stack that hosted the sound system and the HVAC controls. The instrument cluster was filled with two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, with LCDs at their bottoms for the onboard computer. In addition, two gauges showed the coolant temperature and the fuel level.

Under the hood, Nissan installed a choice of three engines ranging from 2.5- to 3.5-liter paired with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic. However, unlike the GT-R, the Skyline coupe was only RWD.

While the Skyline GT-R gathered most of the attention, the Sedan version was less known, mostly since it wasn't available on all markets.

The 2001 Skyline followed the same recipe as its predecessors and offered sports-car performance for a four-door sedan. Nissan aimed at the Japanese market, but the car was available in other countries with right-hand drive systems since the carmaker didn't build it as a left-hand-drive.

From the outside, the car resembled the Z-platform based Nissan 350 front fascia with its swept-back headlights and the four-slats grille that sported the company's logo. Since its A-pillars were not as raked as the coupe, the greenhouse was taller and more extended. In the back, the car featured the same L-shaped taillights as the 350Z, with the reversing lights installed on the trunk lid.

Inside, the Skyline sedan featured a 350Z-inspired dashboard with a retractable screen for the navigation system that popped-up from the center stack. The instrument cluster sported a four-dials arrangement with a big speedometer and tachometer. Its designers installed two LCDs at the bottom of the panel for the trip computer and the odometer.

Nissan offered the Skyline with a few drivetrain options. While the base-model was powered by a sluggish 215 hp V-6 paired to a 4-speed automatic, the top-spec version featured a 3.5-liter, 272 hp paired to either a 6-speed manual, a 5-speed auto, or a CVT with eight pre-set gears.