An icon of the playstation generation and regarded by many as the ultimate rendition of the venerable Godzilla
Nissan’s heroic GT-R has well and truly come into its own in terms of collectorship in recent years.
Beginning with the iconic Bathurst-devouring R32 GT-R, then by the further developed and honed R33, rounding out the RB26-powered R-chassis lineage with the much-celebrated R34.
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All cars are enjoying their limelight in the secondhand market with prices of all generations roughly doubling, some even more so, in the past decade.
While R32s and R33s were once $15,000 performance bargains, both now command easily upwards of $30,000, with R32s climbing even higher thanks to its unique Australian motorsport provenance.
R34s, much-lauded by the younger playstation generation, are enjoying dizzying heights on the collector market, often fetching prices doubling its older siblings.
What was once a $40,000 car has well and truly blown out beyond the attainable performance coupe of yesteryear. Bespoke Motors state that you’ll need a minimum of $80,000-$90,000 to play in this market, and that’s for a “base” GT-R.
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After a more performance honed V-Spec or V-Spec II? Or the even rarer leather and luxuries of an M-Spec? Or a limited edition “Nur” (Nurburgring) edition perhaps? Open your cheque-book and be ready to jot down some numbers six-figures deep!
But, the R34 arguably carries its inflated pricetags with merit. On paper, the GT-R only got better with every iteration, with the technical tour de force ethos best manifesting itself in what many deem the last of the true and analogue Godzillas.
First born in 1999, the R34 GT-R takes on many of the same technological features that made the earlier GT-Rs famous – a dynamic ATTESA four-wheel drive system, Super-HICAS rear-wheel steering and the same heroic architecture from its cult 2.6lt twin-turbo RB26DETT inline-six engine.
Power had seemingly not increased by much throughout the generations as Nissan claimed the R34 GTR to possess around 206kW when new. This is believed to be part of a handshake deal between Japanese manufacturers at the time. In truth, this power output is widely dismissed, and is believed to be significantly higher. It certainly feels more than that.
There’s no lag in the new – for this generation – factory ball-bearing ceramic turbos, giving it a snappier and more linear throttle-response closely akin to that of a naturally aspirated engine.
New for the R34 too was a slick Getrag six-speed gearbox, allowing for a closer-ratio lowdown and easier cruising in top gear converse to the older R32 and R33’s five-speed box.
This neat R34 GT-R is available at Bespoke Motors in Bayswater, and presents well in iconic Bayside Blue paint. It is largely factory fresh and is listed for $94,980.
Unfortunately for those of us who remember a different time, this is where the market sits at the moment; and we can comfortably say these cars have well and truly reached the hero status.
Japanese Classic Car Value Guide home page
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