BUYER GUIDE
ALL-PAW NISSAN
The R33 version of Nissan’s Skyline sold well in spite of bulbous looks, but couldn’t do that forever. By 1997 the Skyline needed a makeover and the rehaped R34 was a car that reset the game for Nissan. R34s with their shorter wheelbase and chunky shape were greeted with acclamation from enthusiasts and the motoring media. To maximise its market appeal, the R34 sold in non-turbo, 2.0 or 2.5-litre GT versions and as a single-turbo 2.5. The car designated GT-T was offered as a sedan or coupe with 209kW and manual or automatic transmission.
The non-turbo 2.5 was also shipped to Australia in decent numbers and even 20 years later they remain popular with young buyers who want the kudos of Skyline ownership without breaching any ‘No Turbos For P Platers’ rules.
Four-door versions of the GT-T go well but look a little drab when parked alongside the coupe but they are appreciably cheaper. In addition to a discrepancy in the number of doors the most obvious difference between the R34s lies with the coupe’s more pronounced guard flares and ‘boxed’ rear wheel-panels which it shares with the very desirable and much more costly GTR.
Stock 17-inch alloys were okay for Japanese domestic consumption, however a lot of cars upon arrival in Australia were gifted bigger rims including stylish Nismo alloys.
Except for the scarce all-wheel-drive GT-T and twin-turbo GTR, R34s are rear-wheel drive with coil springs front and rear and ventilated, ABS-equipped discs all round. Turbo cars come with a viscous limited-slip differential and heavy-duty gear clusters. HICAS all-wheel steering is shared with the GTR and makes them nimble for a biggish car.
Cruise around town without venturing beyond 4500rpm and the GT-T delivers pleasant performance without revealing its true character. Two-stage boost is the culprit – 5psi is the maximum at up to 4500rpm when the full 7psi arrives and hangs about until the 7000rpm cutout. Maximum torque is generated at 3200prm which is handy for a turbo-car.
Overseas road tests recorded 7.2 seconds for 0-100km/h and cars that have had some use will be a tad quicker. A 0-400 metre time of 14.9 seconds seems a little slow for a car of this calibre and could be improved if you’re prepared to launch at 4500prm.
With Tiptronic selected, the four-speed GT-T can be driven like a conventional automatic or shifted using thumbactivated buttons. While they look to be a little cumbersome, the buttons are easier and faster to use than the lumpy shifter in the manual car.
Asking prices for some GT Turbo coupes have climbed to very ambitious levels, however $25,000 should currently buy an excellent car. Sedans on a good day cost $10,000 less and unless you’re concerned about how cool you look they offer as much fun with an edge in practicality.