It won't have escaped anyone's attention, least of all Nissan's, that prices of the R32 Skyline GT-R have surged in recent years. It's 2014 legalisation under American import laws, the maturing of kids who loved the car virtually, and the conspicuous value for money they once represented have all contributed to a meteoric rise; once £12K bought a reasonable one, where now the best cars are £50K plus.
Any excuse to feature a Calsonic R32...
As such a Skyline is becoming highly prized, and condition is important - it stands to make you more money, after all. Combine this with the car's 30th birthday at the end of the decade and the introduction of NISMO heritage parts for the R32 makes a great deal of sense. A joint project between Nissan, NISMO and Autech, from December 1st around 80 per cent of the parts "that are indispensable for the car to drive or to pass regular vehicle inspections in Japan" will be put on sale. Furthermore, if the original can no longer be made for whatever reason, NISMO will "consider methods of replacing these parts using substitute, rebuilt or overhauled products". So there'll be no excuse not to finish that project!
The NISMO Heritage range will be launched at this weekend's NISMO festival at Fuji, which sounds a National A licence test away from a GT fan's wet dream. While it could be said that a range of parts being launched in Japan for a car only ever sold in Japan is of limited relevance here, it could mean an even higher quality of R32 imports eventually making it to the UK. And with other parts, including those for other Skyline GT-Rs, under consideration for future release, the scope of the programme could be even greater still.
Should you be unable to wait until then though, this 1991 GT-R looks wonderful and is priced at £25K. And when even double that can't get you into a 100K-mile E30 M3, perhaps there's still room for some Heritage enhanced Skylines to push prices up.