How to become the fastest car in all of Austria? And so get to know Alexander Keresztesi and his R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R.
Trying to become the fastest among the population of an entire country is quite a challenge. In addition to a car that is not popular in this part of the world. However, the clear choice for Keresztesi was the Nissan R32: “The R32 is the most famous Skyline. He won all 29 races in the Group A Championship. Machine legend.
A legend, in the hands of a 25 year old Austrian, designed to beat the 1250 horsepower mark on a dyno. The path to the dream turned out to be quite long, thorny and difficult. At first, due to technical difficulties, the process was rather slow, and eventually the Skyline ended up in the hands of Pro Import Motorsports. It is true that only six tuners do the Nissan Skyline in Austria and only two of them do the R32.
“We spent the whole weekend together talking about the car,” Keresztesi says of that first meeting. "I figured these were the guys who would take my R32 to a whole new level."
Keresztesi's original plan was simple and naive: to be the fastest car in the country on weekends, and during the week to do other things, like picking up an aunt from the doctor. It didn't take long to realize the absurdity of the whole situation, and soon the Skyline was named El Toro.
It just so happens that Holland's Pro Import Motorsports specializes in charged cars and soon put Keresztesi on the path to more horsepower than any level-headed person would need.
It all starts not with the stock RB25DET in the R32, but with the big RB30E block. Even more displacement was obtained from the 3.0L engine using a Nitto 3.2L stroker kit. The change is made possible with a single, albeit large, Garrett GTX42 turbo that helps generate more 1050 lb-ft torque without nitrous oxide.
Keresztesi couldn't resist chemical horsepower, though; 150hp - a shot of nitrous remains in the tap and then the car will give out 1400 hp when needed. It all sounds like a little slow-motion explosion, but Keresztesi says the engine could put out up to 1,800 horsepower.
Transmission, however, has its limitations.
The Haltech engine management system is responsible for the settings and works in tandem with the Racepak.
After arriving at Pro Import Motorsports, the engine and transmission were removed and the roll cage was shortened. Shortly thereafter, the R32 was prepared for painting in iodine orange. Meanwhile, the RB30E was shut down and given a new Garrett turbo. Forged pistons and connecting rods along with everything you need. The Haltech engine management system is responsible for ignition and fuel control, the latter of which comes at 2000 cc/min. Dynamics injector and Weldon high pressure fuel pump. Before placing the engine in the bodywork, a six-speed sequential gearbox was bolted up along with Giken's unique OS.
"I have a dream car," admits Keresztesi. “I always wanted to have such a high-end car. All that's left to do now is to enjoy the fastest car in Austria.
R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Engine RB30E engine block; Nitto Performance Engineering 3.2L stroker crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, oil pump and gaskets; Pro Import Motorsports modified RB26DETT cylinder head, oil sump and lifter fuel pump; Supertech valves, valve guides and valve stem seals; JUN Auto camshafts, valve springs and titanium retainers; HKS adjustable camshaft gear and oil cooler; ARP head studies; custom camshaft baffle plates; Ross Performance crankshaft pulley; Nismo water pump Hypert throttle body, intake manifold and fuel rail; custom intercooler piping and front-mount intercooler; Ny-Trex 150hp nitrous system; Koyo radiator; Garrett GTX42 turbocharger; 6boost turbo manifold; TiAL 60mm wastegate; 4″exhaust; Injector Dynamics 2,000cc/min fuel injectors; Goodridge fuel lines and fittings; Weldon fuel pump and fuel filters; custom fuel swirl pot; Turbosmart fuel pressure regulator; Plasma Projects ignition system
Drivetrain OS Giken transmission and four-plate clutch; ATS/Carbonetic differential; custom driveshafts; Driftworks HICAS eliminator
Engine Management Haltech Platinum Sport 2000 engine management system
Footwork & Chassis Bilstein dampers and springs; custom suspension modifications by Nitron Racing Systems
Wheels & Tires Enkei/Nismo racing wheels; Hoosier DOT drag radial tires
Exterior Simpson parachute; custom Lexan windows; custom front end; Garage Saurus rear spoiler
Interior custom FIA-spec rollcage; Sparco seats; LTEC harnesses; Sparco steering wheel; racepak digital dash
A few final videos:
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Skylan in the back of 32 is considered the 8th generation of the model. If we count only purely "Nissan" Skylines, then the 5th. The first copies were born back in 1989. In our time, the demand for Skylines has fallen, which is explained not only by the reduction in body types, but also by the release of a new generation, designed to return to the former positions of racing versions with 30 and 31 bodies.
Particularly interesting in the car is the coupe body produced after the 32nd generation under the name GT-R. But let's start from the very beginning, we will first present the so-called "civilian" versions.
Civilian versions of Skyline
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| Length, mm | 4580 |
| Width, mm | 1695 |
| Height, mm | 1340 |
| Wheel base, mm | 2615 |
| Clearance, mm | 145 |
| Front axle length, mm | 1460 |
| Rear axle length, mm | 1460 |
| 5,2 | |
| Fuel tank volume, l | 60 |
| Vehicle weight, kg | 1120 |
| Number of seats/doors | 5/4 |
| Drive unit | |
| Front suspension | Independent multi-link |
| Rear suspension | Independent multi-link |
| Transmission | 5MKPP and 5AKPP |
And these are the body dimensions of the coupe.
| Length, mm | 4530 |
| Width, mm | 1695 |
| Height, mm | 1325 |
| Wheel base, mm | 2615 |
| Clearance, mm | 145 |
| Front axle length, mm | 1460 |
| Rear axle length, mm | 1460 |
| Minimum turning radius, m | 5,2 |
| Fuel tank volume, l | 60 |
| Vehicle weight, kg | 1120 |
| Number of seats/doors | 4/2 |
| Drive unit | Rear or full, depending on configuration |
| Front suspension | Independent multi-link |
| Rear suspension | Independent multi-link |
| Transmission | 5MKPP and 5AKPP |
Now let's look at the differences between the specific configurations of the Nissan Skyline "civilian versions":
- Body 32 FR, version of JIx and JIx Tup-X. This group includes only four-door sedans with a 1.8-liter CA18 power plant for 91 horses. ZDP layout, drum-type brakes. It is considered "vegetable", that is, the simplest standard equipment;
- Body 32 HR, versions of JT and JT-X. This also includes only four-door sedans with a 2-liter RB20E engine for 125 horses. The rear brakes are already disc, but the drive is still rear;
- Body 32 E-HR in GTS / GTS selection versions. This group also includes 4-door sedans and coupes with a 2-liter power plant for 155 horses. All cars are rear-wheel drive with disc rear brakes;
- Body 32 E-ECR with GTS-25 versions. This includes 4-door sedans and coupes with a 2.5-liter power plant for 180 horses. Complete sets are offered with an automatic transmission or "mechanics". As for the drive and brakes: disc and rear-wheel drive;
- Body 32 in GTS-T and Tup-M versions. Only 4-door sedans with a 2-liter power plant for 212 horses and turbocharging. Rear wheel drive, high pressure brakes;
- Body 32 E-HNR. This includes coupes and sedans with a 2-liter power plant for 212 horses with a turbocharger. Four wheel drive and WD brakes.
Racing Skyline 32
It will be useful to know that the car in the 32nd body was originally planned for FIA standards. The latter means stringent requirements put forward to the A-group racing cars.
Indeed, the technical stuffing of Skyline still excites the minds of connoisseurs who know well what racing and high-speed Japanese-made cars are like. Well, for example:
- "Multi-link" on all wheels;
- All-wheel drive 4WD ATTESA ETC;
- Transferring half of the CM to the front axle assembly at the time of the sports car wheels slipping;
- Super HIKAS system;
- Adjustable electronics on all-wheel drive versions of the coupe, giving enviable cornering stability.
As a rule, at the head of all these bells and whistles was the new RB26DETT engine, competently turbocharged and not limited by environmental standards, as in the "civilian" versions.
Still, just a comparison of capacities is enough to make the picture clear - 280 horses for regular versions and more than 500 horses for racing ones. And that's not all, because if you refine the power plant of the sports version yet, you can cross the barrier of 1000 horses, since the motor allows you to do this.
And of course, the final touch that completes the idea of this car is the exterior design of the body. The very proportional exterior design of the coupe immediately captivates: nothing superfluous, the exterior is one charm. That is why many experts called this body much more attractive and spectacular than the 33rd and 34th, which came out after (more on this below).
The fact that the 32nd Skyline entered the world of racing with a thunderous furor today is beyond doubt. For 48 months of a sports career, the 32nd won all the ring-racing tournaments held between 1990-1993 in Japan.
The 32nd crushed everyone and everything like an invincible samurai. The autocar has successfully shown itself abroad. Under the guidance of Kato, he set a new record for the well-known Nurburgring races, skipping the well-known record by 23 s.
The fame of the 32nd then spread all over the world. Demand for a car in the back of 32 exceeded all expectations. To this day, the sports car remains the favorite pastime of drifters and street racers. The subsequent models Skyline 33 and 34 turned out, according to experts, in some way licked, not as charismatic as this one.
New body 33
Skyline receives a new body in mid-1993. At first, the modernization affected only the "civilian" versions. As for the racing version, it was not touched for the time being.
In everything from design to its technical capabilities, the Skyline 33 has grown from the 32nd. There are changes, but they are, in general, evolutionary in nature. For example:
- More rounded and slick exterior design;
- Few technical improvements;
- The same motors, although without some models of power plants (in particular, CA18 motors were no longer installed);
- The appearance of only one new configuration, although well improved;
- Increasing the wheelbase and body dimensions;
- An increase in the useful volume of the passenger compartment on both body types (on a sedan and a coupe).
The last parameters deserve special attention. So, the body length of the 4-door Skyline body was increased to 472 cm, the coupe - 464 cm. Accordingly, the width and height increased: 172 and 136 cm for the sedan, 172 and 134 cm for the coupe.
The wheelbase has been increased by 105 mm.
Skyline 34
This body has already been installed on the 10th generation models, first seen by the masses in the 98th year of the last century. This time there has already been a lot of emphasis on Sport and compliance with eco-standards.
In particular:
- The JT 20E power plant was replaced with a chipped 20DE. The engine is not new, it was used on the 32nd, but now it has been carefully improved;
- This motor, coupled with a 5-speed gearbox, allowed Skyline in the back of 34 to become one of the leaders in the automotive world in terms of fuel efficiency, and in the lineup of all Skylines - the best among sixes engines;
- Gradually, the 5-lever box was replaced by 4 automatic transmissions with PP.
Skyline 34 was produced in 4 versions.
- The GIT version was offered with a 2-liter power plant for 155 horses.
- Versions 25 JT, JT-X and JT-V were equipped with a 2.5-liter unit for 200 horses.
- Modification JT-Fur comes with a 2.5-liter engine for 200 horses and all-wheel drive;
- Finally, JT-T with a 2.5-liter RB25 Neo unit for 280 horses.
At the same time, at the same time, changes also affected the racing GTR. The legend has been resurrected, now with an innovative chassis and other cutting-edge features.
For example:
- The new generation of the sports car has become shorter than the previous one;
- The front axle has been moved closer to the motor;
- The valve covers are painted bright red instead of black, as was the case before;
- Upgraded turbochargers;
- A new Jetrag gearbox was installed;
- Innovative intercooler temperature controllers have appeared;
- The car was equipped with a 5.8-inch display that allows you to view the functioning of working fluids and their temperature.
The sporty version also gets a super-improved suspension. The designers even lowered the landing, installed 2 diffusers on the hood, which perfectly cool the powerful engine.
Note that there were two versions of the Skyline sports car in the new generation. The first was called V-spec, and the second - M-spec. The latter completely copied the first version, only the suspension was soft, and the interior was upholstered in leather.
In mid-1999, Nissan also showed an innovative V-spec 2 model with a rather stiff suspension. It was much stiffer than the original V-spec. The new modification also has a lightweight hood made of composite material. In particular, it was a carbon fiber part, which turned out to be much lighter than aluminum.
Another feature that distinguishes the V-spec 2 from its predecessor concerns the color of the front panel. It's darker. In addition, the seat upholstery is made of black fabric, and not gray, as it was before.
The last modification 34 was released in early 2002. Nyur - that's what it was called and was sold, respectively, in 2 versions. The model gets its name in honor of the Nurburgrin races, in which the sports car set a world record. Both versions were equipped with a motor that allows the car to develop 300 km per hour.
Repair
The Skyline car, however, like any other car, needs timely repair work. Some of them can even be done with your own hands, the manufacturer did not offend the owners in this regard.
Replacing the front fender is very easy. The rear wing can present difficulties (more on this below).
So, in order to replace the wing, it will be necessary to prepare the lining of the part, its clamps to the car frame or bumper. You will also need to take fasteners called "bugs". In the service station, the replacement of the front wing is usually estimated at 800-1500 rubles.
On the contrary, the repair of the Skyline rear wing is no longer so simple and is estimated by repairmen at 2500-3000 rubles. Difficulties are primarily related to the type of body. On a coupe, respectively, it is more difficult to make repairs. Almost always, when repairing a rear wing, it is necessary to cut, drill or weld a part.
In any case, if the replacement is done by hand, you will first need to remove the bumper and empty the cargo compartment.
- The rubber cuff is removed;
- Then - upholstery of the floor and cargo compartment;
- The electrical wiring is disconnected.
Wing replacement is carried out in the event that it is no longer possible to restore the body element, or the latches are broken or the part itself is deformed after an accident.
Watch a video about Skyline coupe body repair
For more information about body repair, read other publications of our information blog. See photos and videos that will give valuable practical advice.
The true story behind the Nissan Skyline GT-R legend
Last week for fans of sports Nissans was not the best. Three days before Christmas, a promising front-wheel-drive Le Mans-powered car program was unceremoniously cancelled. Employees of the American division of Nissan were notified of the dismissal via email, and the manufacturer has not announced any plans to postpone further development to a later date.
In light of this unfortunate news from Nissan, it seems to us the best time to reminisce about the former greatness of the Japanese brand, return to one of the most famous and glorious Nissan cars of yesteryear, the R32 Skyline GT-R. It changed the attitude of motorsport towards Japanese cars and our task is to recall the highlights of the history of this legendary car in one of the most famous Nissan bodies.
While many car enthusiasts know the greatness of the R32 GT-R, not everyone knows its racing history. Let's fix the bug.
How did the idea of creating a racing Nissan GT-R in the body of the new generation R32
In the mid-1980s, Japan's engineering and technology was on the rise. Large corporations in the Land of the Rising Sun literally bathed in the rain of money, which brought a growing stock market and high real estate prices. They did not forget to invest the accumulated money in the development of high-tech industry and electronics. It was a time when Japanese automakers were not afraid to experiment as never before, neither before nor since, Nissan was no exception to the general trend.
As Dennis Gorodiz describes in his book Nissan GT-R: Born to Race, Nissan was pushing hard in the mid-1980s to compete and the R32's predecessor, the lackluster R31 Skyline, didn't make the cut. Nissan executives decided to win the company's fortunes with the new body of the R32, and the GT-R racing model planned from the very beginning of the development of the next generation of the model.
The GT-R moniker was nothing less than a "sacred cow" for Nissan in terms of its importance at the time. Previously, it was worn by the 1969-1972 Skyline GT-R, which was a big success in the sports environment. Nissan approached the development of the future model very thoroughly, investing maximum funds and all its experience in creating a new kind of car. There was no other way for Nissan to stay in the racing environment, and he managed to achieve what he wanted with a brilliant result!
The impact of racing and some of the most important decisions that made the R32 legendary
While the R31 Skyline was akin to the Japanese version of the BMW 3-Series, with a rear-wheel drive chassis layout and a top-end 210 hp inline-six engine, the R32 Skyline GT-R was more like a spaceship.
With the homologated Group A and FIA requirements in mind for competition, Nissan engineers developed a 2.6-litre Twin Turbo inline-six engine codenamed RB26DETT.
The calculation of volume and power was thought out to the smallest detail. Upgrading the Nissan to 2.8-litres would have required a class change that had a minimum car weight of 1,340 kg (2,954 lbs). Since technology allowed the Japanese to reduce the overall weight of the car to the maximum, the 2.6-liter engine allowed the new product to perform in the class with a minimum weight of 1260 kg (2778 pounds).
The road version of this engine produced about 320 horsepower, in racing processing the engine already produced almost twice as much power, more than 600 "horses". To handle the massive power and torque, Nissan engineers paired the R32 GT-R with an advanced all-wheel drive system called the ATTESSA E-TS, apparently inspired by the Porsche 959.
Like the 959 Porsche, the GT-R uses an electro-hydraulic clutch to split torque between the front and rear axles. The main difference from the Germans was that the Porsche distributed torque based on the weight of the car while driving, while the GT-R remained rear-wheel drive as long as the rear axle had normal grip on the asphalt, as soon as the rear wheels lost grip. dear, the car went into all-wheel drive mode.
Both all-wheel drive systems were extremely complex and well thought out. But the GT-R's AWD was sleeker. Porsche consistently sent 20% of its torque to the front wheels, which Nissan engineers believed contributed to understeer. Nissan's drive system made the car fully rear-wheel drive at corner exit in order to maintain maximum front tire traction at that point.
I must say incredibly well-thought-out technologies that were ahead of their time by whole years.
The legend goes to the race track. Zenith of glory
A year after the introduction of the Skyline GT-R in 1989, Nissan released a lighter version of the NISMO in 1990. 560 copies of these racing cars were built for racing in Group A.
Quickly, the GT-R emerged as the dominant force in Group A racing. The GT-R won all 29 races of the Japanese Touring Car Championship, won the 1991 Spa 24 Hours and wiped out the competition in Australian racing. The GT-R won in Australia in three groups, in Group A of the championship between 1990-1992, and deservedly took 1st place at the Bathurst 1000 in 1991. In 1992, the local press gave the GT-R a formidable proper name, "Godzilla".*
*Not actually the story with the name "Godzilla" has at least two main versions, but both are somehow related to the GT-R R32:
1. The first says that the name appeared in 1989, which is unlikely, the GT-R has just appeared and has not proven itself in any way yet
2. The second version is more plausible, connected, as you already understood, with the invincibility of the Nissan R32 on the racetracks.
If you look at the racing videos of the period in which the GT-R competed, it's easy to see how Godzilla earned his reputation. The way it "glued" the front wheels out of a corner was not done by any other car at the time. A large number of experts attributed the success of the GT-R R32 to this factor.
He swept them out of his way due to superiority in all parameters and criteria. A little more powerful, a little lighter, a little more downforce in corners, a little flatter torque and so on. As a result, R32 was head and shoulders above the most eminent competitors.
It is said that the Australian success of the GT-R was so great that the governing body of the Australian Championship kept two marques in the championship, GM-Holden and Ford, the forerunners of today's V8 Supercars series. With such clumsy methods, the leader was thrown out of the championship, turbocharging and all-wheel drive were no longer allowed for use in the series.
This incredible motorsport success of the R32 GT-R and the model's subsequent incorporation into the franchise made Godzilla an automotive icon. The R32 GT-R may not have saved Nissan from further setbacks and mistakes, but one thing is for sure, several generations of racing fans have an adored car that
Hopefully the cancellation of its LMP1 program won't be Nissan's last sporting project. With such an ancestor, he simply cannot be the last ...
Sales market: Japan. Right hand drive
Introduced in 1989 with the R32 series Skyline. The GT-R name was resurrected after a 16-year hiatus. The body serial number of this model is BNR32. Engine: based on the well-proven RB series engine, 6-cylinder in-line, but its displacement has been increased to 2.6 liters. In addition, the engine was equipped with two turbines and a front-mounted intercooler, which made it possible to bring its power up to 280 horsepower. Why was it decided to increase the volume to 2.6 liters? In order for the car to fit the racing standard of group "A". The chassis was equipped with an all-wheel drive system with torque distribution and multi-link suspension. This provided the car with driving performance at the level of the best cars in this group. In 1990, 500 Nismo limited edition cars were sold, based on the racing car. The bumper had an air intake window, after which it became one of the integral features of the GT-R model. In February 1993, Brembo brakes, 17-inch BBS wheels in size 225/50 were installed on the V-spec car, and in October of the same year, the V-spec II car went on sale, in which the wheel size was increased to 245 /45.
