1987 Nissan Skyline GTS-R HR31 Coupe (Build No.80)

Description

Skyline is a nameplate originally produced by the Prince Motor Company in Japan in 1957, before becoming a Nissan model after the two companies merged 10 years later. Since then it has been a staple in the Japanese giant’s stable and was sold in Australia over the years in several different forms. Skylines have been available in either coupe, sedan, or wagon body styles, and have come to be known by their trademark round brake and taillights styling feature which was first introduced in 1972. The seventh generation R31 Skyline of 1986 was a natural evolution on the previous R30 shape, slightly larger and squarer than the model on which it was based. Although earlier Skyline models had been imported here, the R31 Skyline became the first to be manufactured in Australia, prompted by the heavy taxation on imported cars, which would make these mid-market models uncompetitive in price. By producing them in Australia, Nissan could price them competitively. The Australian-made Skyline was fitted with a 3.0 L motor (RB30E), available in sedan or wagon form, as well as a four-cylinder version called the Nissan Pintara. The ultimate version of the R31 Skyline was the RB20DET-R powered HR31 GTS-R Coupe, of which just 823 units were built to enable its homologation for Group A Touring Car racing. Introduced in late 1987, the GTS-R had a reworked version of the normal RB20DET engine with a much larger turbocharger on a tubular steel exhaust manifold, as well as a much larger front-mounted intercooler, boosting power to a factory claimed 154 kW. Racing versions were said to be making over 321 kW in Group A trim. Jim Richards and Mark Skaife drove a Gibson Motorsport prepared Skyline GTS-R to win the 1989 Sandown 500 and Richards used his GTS-R in six of the eight races to win the 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship (he used the R32 GT-R successor in the final two rounds of the series).