The Evolution of the GT-R
The Nissan GT-R is possibly the most well-known car by automotive enthusiasts . But sadly we will no longer see the great AWD “Godzilla” that we know and love for the 2020 model year. So, as a dedication to this incredible machine I will be going over the evolution of the GT-R’s
The first GT-R wasn't even a GT-R. It was called the R31 Skyline GTS-R. It had very eighties styling with a boxy roof and a boxy front bumper. There was one problem though, no one bought them, no one wanted a sporty turbocharged Inline 6 that guzzled fuel and broke down quite often. There were only about 800 ever made and if you find one in a good condition it will be selling for around $25,000. In my opinion this is one of the most underrated Japanese cars ever.
The next car was super advanced and the reason being, it had AWD. It was called the R32, a car that dominated group A racing back in the 90’s. It was so fast the FIA had to ban AWD from Group A. One of the great things about the R32 is it can be Imported to the USA. If you are looking to get a Skyline, I highly recommend an R32 because they are actually pretty cheap for an imported car at only $18,000 in an okay condition. This car is probably the most popular of all the GT-R’s because you can get them for a good price imported or pretty much anywhere.
The third Skyline didn't get as much love as its older brother. It was a little bit underpowered and was a bit heavier. It also had a weird rear wing that no one really liked. Because no one bought them they went down in price. You can get an almost perfect condition R33 with a few mods for under $23,000. This is honestly one of the most neglected Skylines because of its styling. This is a great car if you love the GT-R but you don't have a lot of money and because of its AWD system it makes a great daily driver.
The next car you may have heard of and needs little introduction. It is probably the best car to ever come from Nissan, the R34 GT-R. This is one of the greatest looking cars ever because of the way the roof curves into the trunk with a beautiful spoiler on the top. The R34 also made an appearance in the second Fast and Furious movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious as Brian's main car. This car set new standards for technology and engineering, for example the R34 has one of the best four wheel steering systems even to this day. It also has a very cool media system, kind of like a TV that you can watch shows on, much like a Tesla. R34’s are very hard to find and if you do end up finding one they are typically insanely expensive. It costs $100k- $150k to get one in a good condition.
The last GT-R is one the most advanced Nissan’s ever made. As you'd expect it is called the R35. This modern day GT-R takes everything from the previous generations and mixes them all in one car. One of my favorite parts about the new GT-R is its tail lights which are shaped like the R34’s tail lights but they have LED’s so they shine brighter. Also this car has one of the best sounding V6’s ever. You can pick up a 2012 model for only around $60’000 and in my opinion it is the best car in its price range.
The GT-R has gone through many changes over the years and you make like one model and think another model is ugly. However, this is a car that made tons of people car nuts and for that it will have a special place in my heart and many other people's hearts. It truly is the greatest car of all time.
