The 1998 R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec was a god

Fast and Furious. Hot Import Nights. Gran Turismo. They were a part of our collective car conscience in the early 2000s. You know the poster kids by now too – the Supra. The Eclipse. And…the Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec. Course it was only available in Japan, so the best we could do was maybe sneak one into the county illegally, or register it to drive for a thousand miles a year. 

Well, now it’s the future, and I’ve found one. 

The 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec overview

Personal nostalgia plays a big part in this publication, so that means the occasional dose of 90s goodness. My number one love will always be the Mitsubishi 3000GT, but if you look back at my family’s history of cars, you’ll find mostly Nissans.

From Maximas to Pathfinders and Z cars, nothing pulls on my heart strings like a clean Nissan (or Datsun). But the U.S. never really got the best Nissan of all until much later; the Skyline. Now, thanks to the advancing age of these cars, they are legally coming here. The 250year ban is over.

And what have we been waiting for? Nissan’s RB26 inline engine is legend, perhaps even more so than Toyota’s 2JZ. The look – classic. The sound – unique. And the interior – rental spec 1992 Stanza. Yeesh.

But it’s here, and my butt is in the seat. Time to see if meeting your hero and owning it are one and the same.

Performance score: 7. Techno powerhouse

The details are fun, and this is a driver’s car. The rear wing shakes. The shifter vibrates. The turbos woosh. It all feels alive.

Engine

I will admit that it always confused me that the GT-R was considered a super car killer and exotic, while the 3000GT toiled in relative obscurity. After all, check the specs on this V-Spec’s engine. A twin turbo inline-6 with..ahem…”276″ horsepower. Japanese gentlemen’s agreement aside, the car puts out over 300 horses and 270 lb-ft of torque.

There’s also a redline of 8,000 RPM, which is pretty rare on a turbo motor, let alone one from 1998.

So, yea, what gives? It’s Similar kit to what a 3000GT offered at the time. But now, allow me to answer my own question.

This R33 Skyline GT-R was the first production car to post a sub-8 minute time on the Nurburg Ring. It’s impressive, and the speed still holds up reasonably well today. These cars no longer produce the “OMG SPEED” sensation that a modern M4 might, but it’s nice to have access to usable performance for public streets.

Transmission

You might expect a car like this to get six, but the R33 has only five speeds to propel you forward. No matter, as that’s plenty to keep the turbos on boil. You may lament the fuel economy, but we’ll get to that later. The unit itself is slick and engaging, if a but rubbery because of age. 

All-wheel drive (the famed Nissan ATTESA system) is standard here, and helps to put all the power down. The difference between this car and a Supra of the same vintage is easy to feel from a launch standpoint. 

Chassis and Steering

Importing a JDM car is a crapshoot – who knows what was added or who did the work, but this particular Skyline gets a set of HKS coilovers that get rid of what is a silly jump scare look on the stock car. This being a V-Spec Skyline, you also get electronic rear steering and additional chassis bracing in the rear.

Man, it’s fun. Turn-in is sharp, and the chassis is playful despite being what you might consider a grand touring special. There’s “only” 3,400 pounds to move about, and though it was heavy for the time, I think modern cars have adjusted my reference.

The Japanese are renowned for taking care of their cars, and this example was tight. This is why 90s coupes are still so coveted – this thing drives like it was built last year.

Brakes

12.7-inch slotted brake discs are clamped by Brembo calipers, and if the hardware sounds exotic, the performance isn’t. They require you to presssss harrrrddd before anything happens. Now you will get used to it, but skip track days until you do.

Perhaps a smaller ABS actuator unit in this V-Spec is to blame? Doubtful.

Lifestyle Score: 6. Hopes and dreams

A good way to approach the R33 is as if it were an M3 Coupe. There is a trunk, a back seat that can fit humans, and enough space to live your life a quarter-mile at a time.

Start up front with these Recaro cloth buckets. They hold you in place, sure, but they were meant for a small Japanese man from 30 years ago. The demographics don’t quite fit, and neither do I. You’ll get used to it.

The back seat is fit for kids or adults that really want a ride, giving more space in back than the laughably small 3000GT’s back seat. The trunk is also spacious, though the opening is small so no giant boxes please.

It’s a little loud and the GT-R bumps over potholes, but it’s tolerable if you want to drive it every day.

Fuel Economy: 2. To make speed, you’ll feel the (fuel) need

I’m sure this motor, all 2.5 liters of it, makes more than the advertised 276 horsepower from the factory. That said, it’s still a high-strung motor with only five speeds and all four wheels to bog it down. Expect fuel economy in the 15 MPG range.

You probably won’t care about that, but it’s a sign of how far we’ve come. The S58 produces 476 horsepower in a base M3 and can get three miles per gallon more.

Features and Comfort: 5. Roughing it

Naturally this is an old car, so no screens, navigation, traction control buttons or even power seats.

Do get a tape deck, though.

A date with 1998

The Nissan aesthetic is immediately clear inside – all the gauges and buttons felt familiar to me (we had a 96 Maxima and 2000 Pathfinder from the same era). Everyone looks when they realize the driver and passenger are transposed. People gasp  at the drive-thru.

But to be honest, it’s all a bit underwhelming. In fact the only Japanese coupe that I think holds up to the test of time inside is the 3000GT. Much like the Supra, it’s plastic- fantastic big time – reminds me of my dad’s old Sentra. Not a good thing.

But there’s everything you need, from automatic HVAC to uhh..cruise control? You’ll be fine – it’s good to remind yourself how to do things the old way.

Boy-race space

I wonder what it is about Japanese coupes. You can point to the Supra, 3000, even the 2G Eclipse as examples with big wings. But for the most part, they stayed away from US shores. In Japan, they got it all.

This particular R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R had some special touches, the first of which is being a Series 3 GT-R. Think of it like an LCI for BMW, and the R33 received two over its lifetime (so Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3). The Series 3 was produced for 1997 and 1998, and had some updates from previous R33 Skylines:

• Standard Xenon headlights
• Larger front lip spoiler
• N1 ducts in the front bumper
• Left-side turn signal grille is gone to increase air flow
• The right rear backup light becomes a fog light. At first, I thought it had burnt out. Nope, just one reverse lamp on the Series 3
• Only the outer brake lamps light up as oppose to all 4 on the Series 2

This particular Skyline gets a set very pretty LMGT4 GT500 wheels. Parked next to this Skyline in the garage was another R33 on the standard suspension, and it looked comically high, but unless they were parked next to each other, you might not notice.

These wheels are discontinued and nearly impossible to find, so they alone are worth the price of admission. Painted in Sonic Silver, it’s one of the more common GT-R colors, but with only 355 Series 3 produced in it, you still won’t see yourself coming down the road.

Other sport coupes to consider

• 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
• 1997 Toyota Supra Turbo
• 2024 Nissan Z NISMO
• 2023 Nissan Z
• 2004 Honda S2000
• 2014 Nissan GT-R

The 1998 R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec is exotic excitement without the exotic price

For sheer wow power, the Skyline rivals the most expensive exotics currently made, and it’s not just the fact that you’re driving on a different side. There’s a gravitas to it – people in the know stare and give a thumbs up. Others are simply shocked to see you driving right next to them on the right side.

Can you replicate this sort of thrill now? The R35 is finally dead, so you can’t buy a new one. New-to-us Skylines, even sedans, are being imported all the time, so some of the novelty may have worn off, but not if you’ve always wanted one.

I’ve always wanted one.

Women and children may scream. Grown men will cry. You will be envied by all.

All hail the R33.

This GT-R, and others like it, are for sale at Inbound Motorsports. I thank them for making the car available!