Before the internet, YouTube and Instagram, many of us experienced and felt the passion of tuner cars through magazines, local car shows and… video games. Yep, one of our first forays into modified goodness was through the Gran Turismo gaming franchise. It was there, at the game’s fourth release—GT4—that “Godzilla” was popularized through the American tuner car scene. THIS, was the stunning, Nissan Skyline Calsonic R32 GT-R.
Which Nissan was Godzilla?
The R32 GT-R. Considered by many car enthusiasts as one of the JDM Legends, the Skyline dominated in nearly every touring-car racing circuit. Most notably was the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) from the early 90’s. Out of the 29 races it entered, it won every single one. Undefeated! From 1989 to 1993, it won the series five years in a row, with Masahiro Hazemi, Kazuyoshi Hoshino, and Masahiko Kageyama as drivers and eventual champions.
The Skyline also entered the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1990 after its success in Japan. Soon after, it began winning races and took the top prize every year from 1990 to 1992. Then, back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992 at Australia’s most prestigious race, the Bathurst 1000. This was true overseas domination by Nissan, with the iconic blue Calsonic livery ripping through the courses. The Australian automotive press then dubbed it “Godzilla,” after the fictional Japanese sea monster.
What Engine Powered the Nissan Skyline?
The Nissan RB26DETT was developed for the GT-R in 1989 and first appeared in the R32 GT-R. It’s a 2.6 liter in-line six, DOHC twin-turbo, bringing a claimed 276 bhp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Claimed? Yes—it has been widely known that Nissan and other car manufacturers had a gentleman’s agreement—to not advertise their cars with too high of a rating. 300hp is not unusual to see on the R32 GT-R.
This engine is a true gem built by Nissan’s engineers, bringing the R32 chassis at the time to a claimed top speed of around 200 mph. This thing hauls asssss. See for yourself in this drive from EVO.
It Decimated Competition with it’s Advanced AWD System
The renowned ATTESA E-TS (Advanced Total Traction Engineering System with Electronic Torque Split) was a primary factor in the success of the R32 GT-R. It is said that the ATTESA system is what distinguishes a GT-R.
The ATTESA E-TS primary function is to electronically control the amount of torque distributed across the center differential. It can send 100% of the power to the rear wheels if needed, especially during high-speed acceleration. A 50:50 split to the front and rear is also available, allowing it to perform well in corners. This variability optimizes the car for any condition, squeezing out the best times possible.
At high-speed cornering acceleration, front torque [is] added to maintain grip during higher lateral G-Forces
ATESSA E-TS Condition Overview via dsportmag
All Four-Wheels Could Steer, Too!
All four wheels helped steer the Skyline to multiple victories. Wait, what? All four wheels?
Yep, Nissan adapted the HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering) to the R32 GT-R. This was Nissan’s rear-wheel steering system, purposely built to improve handling even when performing low-speed maneuvers. The rear wheels turn in the direction of the front wheels when achieving high speeds, which helped it obliterate it’s competition through turns.
It allowed the rear wheels to steer a maximum of one degree, making the car feel more nimble and improving stability
supercarnostalgia.com
The Nissan Skyline R32 Now has Legendary Status
The R32 GT-R earned its place as a true successor to the GT-R nameplate after a 16-year absence. Its performance in multiple championships circuits it competed in shows how legendary this car was in its era… and its greatness is seared into our tuner brains.
Through its integration of design advancements at the time, the Nissan R32 GT-R’s motorsport success paved the way for Nissan to reach such heights in popularity and dominance and cemented itself as one of the most legendary cars to ever come out of Japan.
