2000 GT-R - Nissan Skyline
The C110 series was built from 1972 until 1977 and came in 4 versions. Firstly, there were two basic versions now, the 1600GT and the 1800GT, both using derivatives of the G15 engine, the G16 (1.6l) and the G18 (1.8l) respectively. The third model was the 2000GT-X, which could be compared to the C10 2000GT. It was powered by an improved version of the L20 engine with an output of 130hp instead of the earlier 109hp. The most powerful of the quartet, though, was the 2000GT-R, using an unchanged version of the S20 engine with still 160hp. Similar to its predecessor from 1969, the GT-R was available as a coupe (KPGC110) and a 4-door sedan (PGC110). This car was to be the last car to wear the GT-R badge for more than a decade.
The C211 - Nissan Skyline
The C211 series was released in August 1977 and, just like the C110 series, came in four versions. First of all, due to the fuel crisis and emissions regulations, the GT-R was missing and instead the Skyline 2000GT-ES (KGC211) marked the top-of-the-line now. This car came out in April 1980 and featured a new turbo-version of the L20, called the L20ET, with 140hp. The engine may have been less powerful than the GT-R, but in contrast to the S20, obeyed to emissions regulations and marked a new milestone in Skyline history. For the first time a turbo engine powered a Skyline. The basic versions were called 1600TI and 1800TI now and featured L16 and L18 engines respectively, instead of the preceding “G” engines. The old 2000GT-X lost the X (and was now called the 2000GT), but kept an unchanged L20 engine, which still pumped out 130hp.
R30 RS - Nissan Skyline
With the R30 series, Nissan started to change the nomenclature of the Skyline. From now on, all Skyline generations would be called R3X. The new line-up was released in August 1981 and came in 5 different models. Its design was dramatically different in comparison to its predecessors, since this new Skyline looked very boxy in shape and much more like an ordinary sedan than earlier Skylines. Even though, it marked a step back to the sportive roots of the Skyline. Earlier versions had been gaining weight constantly, which consequently slowed them down and made them less agile. This was changed with this new generation, although it was not until 1982 that a really sportive Skyline hit the road again. For the basic versions, the L16 engine was dropped, so only the 1800TI remained, which now used the Z18 4-cylinder engine with 105hp. The stronger 2000GT and 2800GT both came with inline-6 engines instead.
The R30 Skyline RS - Nissan Skyline
After Nissan had dropped the GT-R, there had been no DOHC engine in the Skyline line-up anymore. After the oil-crisis, the turbo had emerged, but a DOHC was still missing. The introduction of the Skyline RS was to change this condition in October 1981. It came in sedan and coupe form with the new FJ20E engine, a 2.0l four-cylinder pumping out 150hp, directly aimed at racing. In 1983 this engine’s performance was improved by a turbo, so the resulting FJ20ET (T standing for turbo) now produced 190hp, which was later even boosted to an astonishing 205hp by the addition of an intercooler. This Skyline became known as the RS-X or the Turbo C. The result was not only the until then “strongest Skyline ever”, but also a very successful track car.
GTS Coupes - Nissan Skyline
Since the R30 was very successful, Nissan did not change much of the outward appearance of its successor, the R31 series. At its debut, the car was introduced only in all forms of 4-door versions. Due to the popularity of luxury cars, this Skyline was aimed at the luxury department and seemed to have lost its focus on sportiveness. The base model was the 1800I, now using the CA 18, a 1.8l DO-HC 4-cylinder with 100hp.
But the R31 also saw the introduction of a new engine family, the RB20 engines which worked in the Passage GT. Especially the RB20DET, a 2.0l DOHC inline-6 turbo with 180hp at 6400rpm, stood out here as a very potent machine. It was the first in a great family of engines that today’s RB26DETT (the new GT-R engine) and other current Skyline engines also belong to.
The GTS Coupes - Nissan Skyline
People had to wait for a two-door until the GTS hit the showrooms in May 1986. This coupe got the RB20DET engine from the Passage GT. It was renamed GTS-X in 1988 and got an improved RB20DET version with now 190hp. More important about this car, though, was that it featured the HICAS (High Capacity Active Steering) all-wheel-steer system for the first time in Skyline history. This system is still used on today’s top Skyline versions and improves the handling of the car immensely. The most famous of the GTS models was the GTS-R, though, which was developed especially for racing.
The 180hp in the standard model may not have been bad, but were still short of the R30RS-X’s 205hp. This is why Nissan introduced the R31 Skyline GTS-R in 1987 with a RB20DET engine tuned to 210hp thanks to a different turbocharger and different exhaust manifolds. The engine tuning was supported by an improved suspension and tuning on many other parts of the car, to give the GTS-R a more sportive character overall. With only 200 built examples this is still a desirable car today.
R32 GT-R - Nissan Skyline
The 1989 R32 was the resurrection of old Skyline virtues, in that each of its many versions were very sportive and balanced in handling. The car came in sedan, coupe and finally also in GT-R form and for the first time in history, was available with rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive now. The old engine line-up was mostly dropped, so all versions, sedans and coupes, at least got the RB20DE engine, a normally aspirated 2.0l inline-6 with 155hp. Stronger models like the GTS-t Type M came with the RB20DET engine, already known from the R31 GTS-R, but with an increased output of 215hp. Later versions even got the normally aspirated RB25DE engine, a 2.5l DOHC inline-6 with 180hp.
The R32 Skyline GT-R - Nissan Skyline
Over a decade after the last Skyline had been dropped, a new Skyline GT-R finally saw the light in 1989. Of course, expectations for the new top-performer were high due to the heritage it could look back upon. But this new version was more than worth the GT-R badge in any way. At that time it may have seemed impossible for any car to resemble the PGC10’s success on and off the track - that was, until the new R32 GT-R came along, which soon earned the nickname Godzilla.
The Skyline GT-R was available only in coupe form and featured high-tech in perfection, high-tech that in this case was used to support the driving experience, rather than hinder it. It came with ATTESA-ETS (Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All - Electronic Torque Split), an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system that usually delivers the power to the rear- wheels, but can send up to 50% of the torque to the front wheels. Thus even drifts are possible with this car, which is usually very difficult with AWD. The handling was further enhanced by Super-HICAS, an improved system of the R31 GTS-X’s all-wheel-steering, to make this car one of the best, if not THE best handling car in the world.
In addition, the GT-R did not only have a very good handling behavior, but also came with one of the best production engines of all times, the RB26DETT, a 2.6l DOHC inline-6 twin turbo with 280hp. The RB26DETT is a pure racing engine, derived directly from Group A racing, which was despec’ed to fit the maximum 280hp allowed by Japanese regulations. Tuned (newer) versions of this engine, however, have been seen to reach up to 1300hp, so check out the Tuning section of this site, because tuning is where the Skyline really shines.
Still, the standard version makes the 0-60mph sprint in 4.8 seconds, putting it on a par with a Ferrari 355. But the GT-R was not only a great street rocket. It was basically designed to fit Japanese Group A racing standards. And racing is where Godzilla really shined. It won so many races (i.e. it won every single race - 29 altogether) in Group A that this class was abolished because nobody wanted to compete against the Skyline anymore.