Production chronology1989–2002
Sourced production or model lifecycle range used by the main catalog timeline.
limited_edition_research ↗14 years
← Nissan
Nissan / Model record
NissanSkyline GT-R
Production1989–2002
Recorded originJapan
ClassNissan skyline
every.autos editorialconfidence: high
The car the Australians nicknamed Godzilla — and then had banned for winning too much.
When the R32 Skyline GT-R appeared in 1989, it made a mockery of the competition so completely that an Australian magazine dubbed it Godzilla. Under the skin was a twin-turbocharged 2.6-litre straight-six and, crucially, a clever electronically-controlled all-wheel-drive system that could send power wherever it found grip — technology years ahead of its rivals.
It had been built to win Group A touring car racing, and it did, ruthlessly: it swept the Japanese championship every year from 1990 to 1993, and dominated in Australia so thoroughly that the rules were rewritten to keep it out. Officially it made 276 hp — a figure capped by a gentlemen's agreement among Japanese makers — though everyone knew the real number was higher.
Through the later R33 and R34 generations the legend only grew. The Skyline GT-R turned a humble family-car nameplate into the most feared performance badge Japan has produced.
Written and fact-checked for every.autos · every claim checked against the sources below · 2026-07
Background
The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese grand tourer based on the Nissan Skyline range. The first cars named "Skyline GT-R" were produced between 1969 and 1972 under the model code KPGC10, and were successful in Japanese touring car racing events. This model was followed by a brief production run of second-generation cars, under model code KPGC110, in 1973.
Text adapted from “Nissan Skyline GT-R” on Wikipedia ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · retrieved 2026-07
Chronology ledger
Dates with their meaning intact
Netherlands RDW first-admission observations2000
First-admission years observed in Dutch vehicle registrations; this is market evidence, not a worldwide production range.
Netherlands RDW ↗1 year