I agree with you guys, something isn’t sitting right with that new G87 M2. 65% want that Long Beach beauty. Now it’s time friends, to gather ’round and observe the badges of the lower class. It’s a BMW 740iL vs a Skyline GT-T, and these two have more in common than you might think.
The 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-T vs the 2001 BMW 740iL
See the Skyline GT-T listing here
Alright well, not that much, but hear me out. Both are sedans.The horsepower difference is less than 10. And if you squint, you might just think that badge says GT-R or ALPINA, because that 7 has an ALPINA kit on it.
Fake it till you make it? Maybe. But I can think of at least a few merits for going for the lower models. As always, these aren’t perfect examples. Reliability is the enemy of excitement.
The 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-T
Nissan never made a four-door GT-R. Sedan lovers almost always get gypped. But if you’ve always wanted an R34 (and want to carry around the kids with ease), then this GT-T might just make you excited. This is of course, imported from Japan. Sooooo who knows the real story behind this car.
- 31,600 miles shown, though the odometer has been replaced
- Imported here in July, so it’s a flip
- 276 horsepower, 253 lb-ft of torque because of that Japanese gentleman’s agreement
- Xenon lights, Brembo brakes, five-speed manual and a mini wing
- This isn’t the “wide body” GT-R, so the proportions might look a bit off to you
- A ton of aftermarket mods that are tasteful and true to the car. Does read like a Fast and Furious catalog though – you’re just missing Ted.
- Japanese service records. That should be fun to look through.
- Below average front bumper repair.
- Currently bid to $13,000
The only other GT-T I could find, that did not actually hit its reserve, reached $34,000. Considering you can’t get a GT-R sedan, I think this is pretty useful. Still, if you’ll come this far, stuff the kids in the back seat and go for Godzilla.
But it is Bayside Blue…
The 2001 BMW 740iL
Don’t let the post-millennium build date fool you – this thing is just as dated. Check the car phone. But despite the lux origin story, this whip will fit right in at the next night rave car meet.
- 119,300 miles
- Clean record
- Check the Bilstein dampers, Eibach lowering springs, and 20-inch Rennen wheels
- Also check that front Euro plate, ALPINA front lip and carbon fiber badges
- Car phone and vintage nav system included
- The paint is good from far, but far from good
- 282 horsepower, 324 lb-ft of torque through a five-speed automatic.
- Bid to $1,000 so far
Like the Skyline GT-T, this isn’t the top spec 750iL with a V-12, nor is it an ALPINA B7 (the E38 was never sold in the US, but it’s almost time to import them legally). I will admit to having a crush on the E38, but my dream spec involves term like “six-speed manual swap” and “S62 V-8 inserted”.
I digress. Both of these sedans need some work to clean them up, but they would be both fun, fast, and probably the least responsible thing you could own. The only question is, do you want to head east, or west?
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