For two long years my only exposure to the Nissan R35 GT-R has been on a computer screen. Video reviews, web-based road tests and animated bits of nostalgia covering four decades of mystique and pedigree have fuelled my interest in the beast. But you get to the point where enough is enough and fascination turns to frustration. It’s been like living next door to the hottest party in town, but only being able to listen through the walls. Today is different, today I’m brandishing a GT-R key fob, and all the auto-lechery and motive-debauchery is mine for the taking.
History lesson

When a small Japanese automaker known as the Prince Motor Company built the first Skyline in 1957, they could not have dreamt the size of the ripple this little saloon would cause in the auto industry. Even devoid of the GT-R badge, it managed to match on-track pace with the leading Porsche Carrera GTS 904s in the Japanese touring car series’, memorably passing one on the final hairpin of Suzuka, and sparking early rivalry between Datsun, who’d acquire the firm in 1966, and the Stuttgart firm. It’s a battle recently revived on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where Nissan once again stuck a finger in Porsche’s eye of Porsche thanks to a blistering time of 7min29sec in the R35.
Nissan, then still known as Datsun, carried on developing the Skyline, placing the GT-R badge on the hottest Skyline of each litter, with the silver C10 2000GT-R on these pages the first to take this honour.

The rest is history, with highlights along its path to greatness including the R33 GT-R and R34 GT-R (perhaps the best recognised GT-R ever produced), both pictured here. With the help of Global GTR in Hatfield, we’ve managed to round up these three locally owned GT-R models and trace their lineage. Just look at that unmistakable double-circular rear lamp treatment. But if we’re to see how far the legend has come, we must bid its predecessors goodbye and take to the streets in the R35.
READ THE FULL STORY IN OUR OCTOBER ISSUE, ON SALE MONDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2009









Comments
Working towards the GT-R
I got into studying Actuarial Science so I could afford the GT-R. Almost finished now so soon, I will unleash the power of Godzilla! Haha, might be a while. I wonder if a bank would let me pay it off over 20 years... Monthly payment would be about (Price of GTR)/94.46230317 @12% interest effective. Guess I'll just have to live in the car, eat vegetables every day and don't buy anything else for the first few working years of my life until the salary catches up.
jerseys
Thank you for your post.I like very much!
Skyline
Skyline isnt bout the price, nor the looks, its about the Power.... Power as in Godzilla.
need l say more....those who have seen a skyline in action know what l mean.
R.I.P German Cars......
all you loosers can't afford
all you loosers can't afford one? Plain and simple?
gt-r vs LAMBO
GT-R : really great looking car ... can't believe how fast it can go from 0-100kmh ... 3.9 sec ... wow !! that beats almost any Porsche and most top-end Ferraris ... a Nissan ? Even a GTR ? Well, can't argue with the figures ... i walked past one on display at Century City and had a good look ... did i mention how hot it looks ?
But hey ... i remain a LAMBO fan ... new Murcielago LP670 goes from 0-100 in 3.1 sec ... at that speed 0.8 sec is like gap of the Grand Canyon ... so i guess that why you pay for it then, besides the pedigree name.
The GT-R seems terribly overpriced though ... but hey, to be honest ... if i had the dough, i would get one .. great car, incredible looks, unbelievable performance ... Land of the Rising Sun kicking Italian and German butt bitg time ... haha .. cool !! Exept fpr the GREAT LAMBO of course ... well GT-R ... can't beat 'em"all ..
GTR????
so what if the GTR is ridiculously expensive, if you have the money, why not, if u dont have the money, then settle for all those other german cars, but you cant compare them, yes they are super cars, but the GTR has no 'swagger' or heritage of being in the league of super cars, unlike Porsche. But in my personal opinion, why buy a GTR when you can get a Lambo, Ferrari or 911, since they are sooo much, and there is no way in hell that im going to pay 2mil for a Japanese car made in a factory by sum Japanese bloke who is under payed. And for who ever wud wanna spend 2mil on a Nissan, is an idiot, becuz yes its fast and all, but if u really wanna go close to its top speed, ur going to have to go on a track, or else you are being reckless and stupid and endangering other ppls lives. AND BTW IF UR WILLING TO SPEND 2MIL ON A CAR, GET AN IMPORTER TO IMPORT YOU A GTR, AND YES U WILL PAY TAX AND FEES ON IT, BUT AT LEAST ULL BE SAVING URSELF 500,000
WTF
if you need to argue about pricing you CANT afford it - plain and simple case closed you buy a car like the Nissan GT-R out of passion and price doesnt come into play
Still a classic
I read the posts and one can see that no one is really a die hard GTR fan. I have a toyota supra twin turbo, love it and paid R250K cash for a 1995 model. It is not as fast as a porsche or R8, but when you buy a classic car, one does not care. If you take the GTR's of yesterday, they have caused an uproar all over the world and is probably one of the best engines, drivetrain, suspension and head turners in the world. So if you take the pedigree of the GTR globally, it is a good indication what will happen with the GTR's now launched in SA. Yes, they are a overpriced, but which car in South Africa is not. If you consider that a 2009 Opel Corsa OPC is priced over R250K, and that for an Opel, then yes, all cars in SA is overpriced. Remember guys, these cars are direct imports from Japan. If they did not bring the GTR to SA, it would have cost you a lot more to get them in. M3's are actually put together here in SA, which brings down the cost. Porsches and R8's are also direct imports. To spend more than R1mil for a car is already rediculous, but my hard and mind still goes toward the GTR. My reason for that is because everyone else goes for R8's, M3's and Porsches, and this is something different that will not just keep up, but put it through a mountain pass and you will kick dust in style in all the competitors.
Mr. Wang, yes the car is overpriced, and I think you will have better sales if you drop the price, but then you take away the fact that this car is meant for real petrol heads that will give an arm and a leg or two for one of these babies. I think Mr Wang takes a gamble that might just have the result he wants. To be significant.
That's it!
You've hit the nail on the head!
overpriced..
For 1.2mil you can get a BMW M6, or you can get a M3 and supercharge it at rob green and sill have change left.. I think what the guys are trying to say is YES the nassan is an awesome car, but it is over priced at 1.2mil!! 50000Km gaurantee??? Just because its fast doesnt mean you can overcharge for it, it has to be market related, therefor R900K would be perfect (still alot of money for a nissan). If lets say BMW builds a new M3 with a 500kw twin turbo engine that does 0-100 in 3sec flat and cost them R500K to build, does this make them think they can now sell it for R2mil because its faster than a GT2??? I dont think so.. Also If Nissan sells for around R850K in other countries, why sell it for R1.2 mil here??
For 1.2mil you can get a BMW
For 1.2mil you can get a BMW M6, or you can get a M3 and supercharge it at rob green and sill have change left.. I think what the guys are trying to say is YES the nassan is an awesome car, but it is over priced at 1.2mil!! 50000Km gaurantee??? Just because its fast doesnt mean you can overcharge for it, it has to be market related, therefor R900K would be perfect (still alot of money for a nissan). If lets say BMW builds a new M3 with a 500kw twin turbo engine that does 0-100 in 3sec flat and cost them R500K to build, does this make them think they can now sell it for R2mil because its faster than a GT2??? I dont think so.. Also If Nissan sells for around R850K in other countries, why sell it for R1.2 mil here??
M3 and R8
how you can compare the m 3 and the R8 to the GT-R, .....di you see the GT-R with your own eyes?
the m3 look like 1998 bmw with some trimming,,and the r8 is a [filtered word] copy of the tt....
Gam3 over GP and Pricing
Please stick with ur german jalopies and forever be happy to look up the tail pipes of " Mr. Wang's" winner. My guess is u cannot afford it .
There is nothing like it
To the Audi and M3 customers: Stop complaining about the price. The R8 costs more and cannot do what the GTR does on and off a track. Yes, R8 might be beautiful so is the M3 but I don't see you guys complaining about the price! The M3 and R8 are actually way overpriced if you consider what they can't do compared to the GTR. So go on, go pay more because theses brands are associated with snobbery, but you'll be missing out on the hottest action to hit South African Roads. I would re consider.
yup
I second that... Considering - a Porsche 911 Turbo at R2m can only just match a GT-R, then it is a bargain!
GAM3 OVR-GP
Another GTR customer lost! Overseas, the GTR is priced similarily to the M3, so it should've been around the R900k range. But Nissan insist's on pricing it around the 911 Carrera, wonder what they're smoking, it's a goddam Nissan Mr. Wang, price it accordingly! Sticking with my E92 M3 thanks
Pricing
With the pricing that Nissan are charging in SA for the priviledge of owning a GTR, I am afraid that I will be off to the Audi dealer to place an order for an R8.
It may not be as fast, but it is strikingly beautiful & just about fairly priced. The GTR by comparison is approximately R350k overpriced - well done Nissan SA, you have just lost another customer.
Bye, bye GTR.
lust in love: GT-R
some cars have curves and purrs and make girls out of women. some cars make women out of girls. that is wat godzilla did to me - this is not an accessory, it is a characteristic, this is all i need to make me feel like a natural woman!
GT-R in Cape Town
Saw one in CT a week ago with WP plates. Awesome!
GT-R!!!
So Jealous! Car looks great, can't wait to read this..
I'm really Jealous
What a great car. I loved the Nissan GTR since then. I just hope that when I drive it, it will not give me any transmission problem.
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