R34 Skyline

[Mike]

I work a long way from home and commute across the country most weekends. My route back to Norfolk on a Sunday night is pretty boring as it encompasses mainly motorways, namely the M4, M25 and M11 but gets a bit more interesting on the A10. Every once in a while my trip is brightened up by the appearance of exotic machinery and every now and again they want to play . For a 16yr old 4 cylinder machine the Tubby does itself proud everytime (just ask the owner of the Ferrari 348 who found out on the M25). I've seen off S2000's, Elises, M3's, Boxsters, 911s, Scoobies and numerous ST/GTI/RS/VXR badged bread vans. But now and again I come across machinery that puts performance into perspective, the first was a Mclaren Mercedes SLR that blinded me with its xenons before undertaking me, next came a Ferrari 550 Marenello that cruised up the M11 well into 3 figures I tried to keep up but couldn't bear to hold boost for so long, in contrast the 550 didnt break a sweat. Then there was a stunning white and blue Ford GT that I followed onto the M4, that thing sounded incredible, he accelerated down the slip road catching me off guard but everytime we went for it the GT would pull slowly but surely away, it was obvious however that over 120 the Ford would be in its element and destroy the Tubby.
Last night though, on the M25 I encountered a car that would seemingly match any of the above with ease, it wasn't Italian or German it was the Japanese legend that is the R34 Skyline.
I was in lane 3 overtaking traffic at normal mway cruising speeds when I noticed a set of headlights approaching fast, I assumed it was your typical Euro-box turbo-tractor barreling along as they do, so i thought little of it and pulled back across to lane 1 once safe to do so. I expected to see the Passat/Audi/Seat/Skoda fly past in clouds of acrid smoke yet it didnt, it held my pace and positioned itself next to me, I looked across and instead of the diseasal I was expecting there sat a Skyline. He/she made it clear that they wanted to play and we each took turns taking the lead before the Skyline displayed a turn of speed that was simply stunning and easily the equal of machinery costing 4 or 5 times as much. With a flash of hazards it sped into the distance most likely in excess of 120mph.
Very very impressed, and now even more sure that my next car will be an R32 GTR.


(please note that all views expressed above are my own and any/all activities detailed are not endorsed by IMOC.)

[matt_mr2t]

I actually think a standard Skyline GTR would struggle against a mildly tuned tubby on motorway grand prix's. 280bhp & 1.6t vs 280bhp (easy in a tubby) & 1.3t should see the tubby edge it.

The thing is, a mildly tuned GTR seems to be about 400bhp, then your into a whole new board game.

There were a few at JAE between 700bhp and 900bhp all of a sudden your talking about speed that pretty much nothing will compete with.

I would personally sell a kidney, some fingers, may be even a testicle for an R34 GTR.

[Mike]

I actually think a standard Skyline GTR would struggle against a mildly tuned tubby on motorway grand prix's. 280bhp & 1.6t vs 280bhp (easy in a tubby) & 1.3t should see the tubby edge it.

The thing is, a mildly tuned GTR seems to be about 400bhp, then your into a whole new board game.

There were a few at JAE between 700bhp and 900bhp all of a sudden your talking about speed that pretty much nothing will compete with.

I would personally sell a kidney, some fingers, may be even a testicle for an R34 GTR.

The standard cars produced more than the quoted 276hp, the R32 and the R33 produced 315hp and the R34 325hp.
Nissan quoted 276hp in line with the gentlemans agreement they signed up to along with Toyota and the rest.

The R34 I encountered was definitly tweaked, I could tell by the engine note and the way it accelerated, north of 400hp I reckon

[wiggee]

Youd be better sticking with your gts.

my friend bought low miles r32gtr fro £6000 then spent £10,000 putting in neo engine , uprated brembo conversion and suspension etc to get form 300bhp to 430bp , he says it used annoy him that he would have to plan his route around petrol stations, this coming form a guy who uses a prodrive sti v8 as an everyday car !!! and that any part or service he asked about getting form a tuner or garage they always had huge bills even for the most simple jobs...

[matt_mr2t]

I actually think a standard Skyline GTR would struggle against a mildly tuned tubby on motorway grand prix's. 280bhp & 1.6t vs 280bhp (easy in a tubby) & 1.3t should see the tubby edge it.

The thing is, a mildly tuned GTR seems to be about 400bhp, then your into a whole new board game.

There were a few at JAE between 700bhp and 900bhp all of a sudden your talking about speed that pretty much nothing will compete with.

I would personally sell a kidney, some fingers, may be even a testicle for an R34 GTR.

The standard cars produced more than the quoted 276hp, the R32 and the R33 produced 315hp and the R34 325hp.
Nissan quoted 276hp in line with the gentlemans agreement they signed up to along with Toyota and the rest.

The R34 I encountered was definitly tweaked, I could tell by the engine note and the way it accelerated, north of 400hp I reckon

I thought it was only the R34's that they lied about?

[Mike]

I actually think a standard Skyline GTR would struggle against a mildly tuned tubby on motorway grand prix's. 280bhp & 1.6t vs 280bhp (easy in a tubby) & 1.3t should see the tubby edge it.

The thing is, a mildly tuned GTR seems to be about 400bhp, then your into a whole new board game.

There were a few at JAE between 700bhp and 900bhp all of a sudden your talking about speed that pretty much nothing will compete with.

I would personally sell a kidney, some fingers, may be even a testicle for an R34 GTR.

The standard cars produced more than the quoted 276hp, the R32 and the R33 produced 315hp and the R34 325hp.
Nissan quoted 276hp in line with the gentlemans agreement they signed up to along with Toyota and the rest.

The R34 I encountered was definitly tweaked, I could tell by the engine note and the way it accelerated, north of 400hp I reckon

I thought it was only the R34's that they lied about?

Nah, it was all of them, this link is quite usefull, scroll down to the R32GTR and read the text, quoted 276hp but actually made 320 apparently.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Skyline

[matt_mr2t]

I usually take Wiki with a pinch of salt. Any one can put what they want on them.

I love the fact Supra's and Skylines were totally lying about the power though.

Any one know why the japs put the 276bhp cap on in the first place?

Seems a bit pointless to me.

[Azz]

Any one know why the japs put the 276bhp cap on in the first place?

Cos 276BHP is 280PS (PS is Pferdestärke which is German for = horse strength) and japs run in PS opposed to BHP so they must have thought 300PS was to much and 280PS was about right

[matt_mr2t]

But why put a limit at all?

[Slarty]

But why put a limit at all?

A sense of social responsiblity? The same as BMW/Merceds limit their cars to 155mph?

Just a guess.

[mattcambs]

I'm sure I also read somewhere that it was also to stop a horsepower battle between manufacturers spiralling out of control.

It might also have been an agreed limit due to strict government taxes on manufacturing cars with high emissions?

I might also have made the above up

[matt_mr2t]

They've dropped it now. As far as I was aware ze Germans have dropped the 155mph limit too.

[Lauren]

I usually take Wiki with a pinch of salt. Any one can put what they want on them.

I love the fact Supra's and Skylines were totally lying about the power though.

Any one know why the japs put the 276bhp cap on in the first place?

Seems a bit pointless to me.

Was part of teh 'gentleman's agreement' not to import cars with any more power than this.

/i might be wrong.

[johnp]

I usually take Wiki with a pinch of salt. Any one can put what they want on them.

I love the fact Supra's and Skylines were totally lying about the power though.

Any one know why the japs put the 276bhp cap on in the first place?

Seems a bit pointless to me.

Was part of teh 'gentleman's agreement' not to import cars with any more power than this.

/i might be wrong.

Wasn't the 280 restriction thing just for the JDM? Don't forget the Uk Supra (93 on) was IIRC 326bhp officially.Strangely though the UK NSX was (I think) always rated at 280 when clearly the later models had about 350 judging from the road test performance figures.

[Quigonjay]

They've dropped it now.

they must have, look at the new gtr
unless they are only claiming 280 ps

[Lauren]

Wasn't the 280 restriction thing just for the JDM? Don't forget the Uk Supra (93 on) was IIRC 326bhp officially.Strangely though the UK NSX was (I think) always rated at 280 when clearly the later models had about 350 judging from the road test performance figures.

Yes just for the JDM.

[matt_mr2t]

The thing with the NSX is that there was no easy way to detune it being an NA. I think the turbo cars are simply "turned down"

You say about the UK Supra's being 326bhp but the Jap import ones usually come about about the same so Toyota also lied....

[TheGasMan]

Id love a Skyline GTR34 V-Spec II, in Bayside blue with Gold Alloys. Mmmmm.

[Martin F]

I'm sure I also read somewhere that it was also to stop a horsepower battle between manufacturers spiralling out of control.

It might also have been an agreed limit due to strict government taxes on manufacturing cars with high emissions?

I might also have made the above up

hit the nail on the head there mate, emmissions/taxes/jdm law etc...

[matt_mr2t]

Id love a Skyline GTR34 V-Spec II, in Midnight blue with Gold Alloys. Mmmmm.

Bayside blue is the only colour for an R34 unless your Toni, who wants yellow.