- Introduction & Background
The legacy of the Nissan Skyline GT-R commenced in 1969, with the debut of the first GT-R model at the Tokyo Motor Show that year. Over the past sixty years, the GT-R has transformed from a high-performance touring car in Japan into a global motorsport icon, famously referred to as "Godzilla."
Notably, the R32 GT-R model achieved remarkable success in the Japanese Touring Car Championship, securing 29 consecutive victories and triumphing in the Bathurst 1000 in Australia in both 1991 and 1992. In 1999, the final iteration of the Skyline-badged GT-R showcased bold styling, an enhanced multi-function display, and was equipped with a Getrag six-speed manual transmission. Most importantly, it housed the formidable twin-turbo RB26DETT engine, which was advertised to produce only "280" horsepower due to a voluntary "gentleman’s agreement" among Japanese manufacturers to limit advertised power for safety reasons and to avert a horsepower competition.
At the core of the Skyline GT-R lies the RB26DETT inline-6 engine, which was engineered for Group A racing. Its iron block is exceptionally over-engineered, providing significant potential for aftermarket modifications. Depending on the budget for modifications, the RB26DETT engine can easily generate between 400 and 500 horsepower with stage I street tuning, and can exceed 1,000 horsepower with stage 3 Monster drag tuning.
