MILLION DOLLAR DATSUN

MILLION DOLLAR DATSUN, RESTO OF THE YEAR

STEALING THE SHOW at Tokyo's BH Auction was a Datsun 240Z that achieved a whopping price of AUD $1,167,886 ( JPY¥88,550,000). The car in question was an incredibly rare Datsun Z432R factory racer, of which it's believed between 30 and 50 were built.

The Z432R name refers to the 'race' version of the 240Z ‘Z432', of which 420 were produced. Its nomenclature refers to the four valves per cylinder, three Mikuni carburettors and dual overhead cam of Datsun's famous S20 inline-six engine; lifted from the original ‘Hakosuka' GT-R Skyline of 1972, whose engine in turn was previously lifted straight out of Prince's Grand Prix-winning R380 race car.

The orange Z432R now holds the mantle of 'the most valuable Datsun ever' by a country mile – outselling a stunning 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE (AU$595,032) and a 2006 Porsche Carrera GT (AU$725,650) at the same auction.

The Z432R's more pedestrian sibling, the (still rare, but slightly less so) Z432 sold for AU$214,755.

The donor car for the rare 240Z's engines also joined them at the auction; with a fully restored Datsun KPGC10 ‘Hakosuka' Skyline GT-R selling for AU$446,870, well above its AU$300,000 top-end estimate.

The Hakosuka GT-R marked the birth of the fearsome nameplate, that has become an icon in recent years while the later R32 has been considered collectible for some time on local shores.

Between the two however, there was another forgotten sibling; the KPGC110 Skyline GT-R. Colloquially known as the ‘Kenmeri', it debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show alongside a race-prepped concept car, making its motorsport intentions clear following the Hakosuka's unprecedented 49-win streak in Japanese touring cars.

However the Oil Crisis of 1973 forced production to end after just months, with just 197 road cars escaping the factory.

One of the Kenmeri GT-Rs with just 43,460kms sold for an unheard-of price of $624,216.

More modern Japanese collectibles have been quickly gaining in value around the world, as previously unaware western markets are becoming more appreciative of these cars' unique motorsport provenance, world-leading engineering and rarity.

It seems local collectors in Japan have noticed the trend, and are perhaps looking to secure these incredibly rare gems for themselves as they increase in value.

We had a contact on the auction floor in Tokyo who observed that almost all the bidders were local Japanese collectors, with only two foreign bidders present. Established in 2017 BH Auction is Japan's first high-end auction house. Rising prices indicate we are entering a new age of Japanese collectibles.