The Nissan That Made Porsche Look Overpriced

In the late 1980s, Nissan set out to build a car that could win on both the street and the track. The goal was Group A Touring Car racing, and the result wasn't just one of the most dominant race cars of its era, it was also a technological marvel that cost a fraction of what Porsche was charging for its road cars.

That car was the 1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R, and it still makes Europe's best look expensive.

Japan's auto industry had long been known for reliable, affordable sedans like the Corolla and Civic. But as the economy boomed in the late '80s, manufacturers started chasing excitement. Nissan already had the 300ZX, but that car wasn't built for racing. So engineers started from scratch, designing the R32 Skyline GT-R specifically for the track.

6-liter twin-turbo inline-six officially rated at 276 horsepower, though real-world output was often higher. The car also featured ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, giving it incredible grip and agility.

On the track, the GT-R was unstoppable. It won all 29 races it entered in the Japanese Touring Car Championship, took class wins at Spa and Bathurst, and earned the nickname "Godzilla" from Australian journalists. The car was so dominant that the racing series changed its rules to ban it.

Today, a clean R32 GT-R sells for around $52,000. Compare that to a contemporary Porsche 964, which goes for about $96,000 despite being slower and less powerful. For collectors, the Nissan is not just a better value, it's a piece of motorsport history that changed how the world saw Japanese performance cars.