Driving the classics: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)

Published: Today 08:00
Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering
  • At a glance
  • 5 out of 5
  • 4 out of 5
  • 4 out of 5
  • 4 out of 5
  • 4 out of 5

By Alan Taylor-Jones

New cars editor, seasoned road tester and automotive encyclopaedia.

By Alan Taylor-Jones

New cars editor, seasoned road tester and automotive encyclopaedia.

► Gran Turismo and Fast and Furious hero driven
► Minicab interior, monster performance
► The final Skyline GT-R

Made famous by Gran Turismo, and instantly recognisable by the Fast and Furious films, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is arguably the Playstation generation’s Lamborghini Countach.

But although the Lambo was revered for what it was, the R34’s appeal was in what it could become. Doubling the stock power wasn’t too hard. 1000bhp plus? Entirely possible, if perhaps not for long.

But does it live up to its legendary status over twenty years since it went off sale? I spend a couple of days in one to find out.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R rear light

At a glance

Pros: Rev-happy six is strong on boost, mechanical gearshift and feelsome steering, involving and effective four-wheel drive

Cons: The boost keeps you waiting, drab interior, clearly capable of so much more

What is it?

The GT-R badge would mean nothing if it wasn’t for the far more ordinary Nissan Skyline saloon and coupe. Standing for Gran Turismo Racing, it was found on the back of successful racers and their roadgoing counterparts between 1969 and 1973, before being killed off by the oil crisis.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static front

With Nissan looking to take on big hitters such as Ford, BMW and Holden in Group A touring car racing, the badge was wheeled out again in 1989 for the R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R. It retained a straight-six engine, now with twin turbos for its 2.6-litres, and debuted a fiendishly clever four-wheel drive system.

Where Audi had a fairly simple torque split for the Quattro, Nissan’s ATTESA-ETS system defaulted to entirely rear wheel drive, only feeding up to 50% of power to the front wheels if it detected slip. With the racing cars running in excess of 500bhp, it gave Nissan a massive advantage over the rear-wheel drive opposition. The legend of Godzilla was born.

The R33 Skyline GT-R that followed it was larger, softer and heavier as the homologation focus faded. However, the smaller and lighter R34 we have here was a return to form for the final time the badges Skyline and GT-R would be seen on a car together.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static rear

It’s also the first time a GT-R would be officially imported into the UK, some 100 cars making their way over complete with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty, Connolly leather seats, upgraded cooling, and changes for the ECU. We’ll come back to that last point shortly.

This example is one of those 100 that was bought back by Nissan a few years back, and remains in standard unmolested condition – a real rarity. It now sits on its heritage fleet slowly gathering value and causing ever more stress for the insurers whenever it gets let out.

What are the specs?

At first glance the GT-R’s spec appears to barely change as it moves from R32 to R33 to R34. All have an RB26DETT under the bonnet, the twin-turbo six supposedly making 276bhp and a maximum of 289Ib ft of torque. Not even Golf R power, and the R34’s four-and-a-bit second 0-62mph run confirms it’s a fair bit slower despite weighing a similar amount.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R engine

A length of 4,600mm makes it a fairly big coupe, yet it feels so much smaller than even an R35 GT-R that originally came out a few short years later. Thank its relative narrowness compared to the majority of modern metal out there, and the excellent visibility the thin pillars allow.

What’s it like inside?

Have you ever sat in a Nissan from the 1990s? If you have, there’s plenty you’ll recognise. Various stalks, switches, dial fonts, plastic textures and even the general style and colour palette are shared with a 1997 Nissan Primera GT I once owned.

It does mean quality is better than you might expect, with squishy plastics and well-damped buttons, but luxurious this is not. However, a 5.8-inch digital display in the centre of the dash instantly marks this out as a GT-R.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R Alan Taylor-Jones driving

While this readout for engine info, torque split, G loadings and various other things looked so high-tech to me when the car was first launched, I’d feel shortchanged with such a low-res screen on one of my toddler’s toys these days.

Space up front is generous, and the rear seats are more usable than the majority of coupes of the era. Getting a bulky modern baby seat in the back seems to be impossible, and you can’t disable the front airbag to put one in the front, either. While I could enjoy the GT-R, my toddler could not. A shame, as the boot would easily swallow a pushchair.

What’s it like to drive?

There’s no pops, crackles, farts or any other nonsense when you fire up the RB26. It simply catches quickly whatever the temperature before settling into a smooth but slightly bassy idle.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering

I can appreciate the mechanical action of the gearshift from cold along with the thin wheel’s connection to the tyres. Performance is certainly nothing special in the lower reaches of the rev range, although it is happy to slog from low engine speeds.

A bit more heat means I can extend the engine a little. Where a modern turbo car is usually starting to puff by 2000rpm, the RB26’s snails need at least 3000rpm before they’ll even entertain getting out of bed.

While I assume twin turbos would help response, it still takes a few hundred revs for them to really start making themselves felt. Above 4000rpm it really perks up, feeling much stronger than 276bhp as the revs climb further. By the top of the power curve at 6800 I know there must be well over 300, and there’s also the option of tickling the 8000rpm redline.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering

Ears that grew up admiring the howl of the Mine’s R34 GT-R demo car (YouTube it as soon as you’ve finished reading) find the standard car a bit subdued. There’s definite intent there, the odd turbo noise punctuating the civilised six’s song, but I can see why so many are modified now.

A spot of enthusiastic cornering only confirms that I couldn’t leave a standard GT-R alone. Pouring on the power on corner exit allows the rear to rotate a little before torque shoots up front to keep you neutral on corner exit. It feels natural, intuitive (much more so than a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo GSR), and like the chassis could take a hell of a lot more power.

There’s more body roll than you might expect, especially given the V-Spec goodies all UK cars received including stiffer suspension, lift-reducing aero and an active rear differential. The ride is firm and you’re aware of the intimate details of the road’s surface, yet by modern standards it’s still liveable.

Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static rear with Alan Taylor-Jones

Verdict: Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R

Many years have passed since its introduction, but the R34 GT-R remains a fine performance car. It’s still fast and feels exceedingly capable in the bends, with more feel and feedback than the majority of quick stuff available today.

That the standard car sets such a high bar makes me even keener to try an example tuned to better exploit the engine and chassis. Would I have one in my dream garage? No, but that’s only because I’ve always had eyes for the R32 GT-R, and I’d have one of those in a heartbeat.

Specs

Price when new: £50,000
On sale in the UK: 1999-2002
Engine: 2568cc twin-turbocharged straight-six, 276bhp @ 6800rpm, 289Ib ft @ 4400rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Performance: 4.8sec 0-60mph, 155mph
Weight / material: 1560kg
Dimensions (length/width/height in mm): 4600/1780/1360

Photo Gallery

  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R rear cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R rear cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R rear cornering
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R front driving
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R Alan Taylor-Jones driving
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static front
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static rear
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R rear light
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R engine
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R wheel
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R dash
  • Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R static rear with Alan Taylor-Jones

By Alan Taylor-Jones

New cars editor, seasoned road tester and automotive encyclopaedia.

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