Nissan Skyline GTR (R33) | Spotted
Standard, UK-supplied and with very few miles - those after the ultimate R33 need look no further
What Nissan wouldn’t do right now for a car with the reach and recognition of the GT-R? The R35 hasn’t actually been out of production all that long, yet already feels like it’s from a bygone era. Over 30 years and across four generations, the design cues, the performance and the giant-killing reputation made for an unrivalled GT-R legacy. Nissan has hinted at a return - and with its electrification expertise it’d surely be perfectly placed to have another go - but there are bigger priorities for the company right now.
And we’ve had big gaps between generations before, with five years between R34 and R35. So, for now, fans must wait, during which time interest in the classics will surely only increase. Or at least not diminish. For many the mid-'90s R33 sits as the awkward middle child of the Skyline GT-Rs, without the shock value of the original or the movie star prestige of the R34. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that this was the Skyline that went to Le Mans, the one that lapped the Nurburgring in less than eight minutes, and which was the foundation for epic thousand-horsepower builds. These days it feels more and more like the R33 is recognised as an equal among peers.
It has additional significance for GT-R fans, of course, as it was the first one officially sold in the UK. There were 100 R33s brought over from Japan, readied for our roads by Middlehurst Motorsport, and sold through dealerships alongside Micras, Almeras and Primeras. What a sight one of these in the window must have made.
Understandably, and alongside the 80 R34s that followed, the UK-supplied Skylines have become the most collectable. This is one of them, and not just any UK R33 either: it’s a one-owner, unmodified, 26,000-mile machine. It’s hard to imagine many others, if any, exist like this.
Because that’s not ‘unmodified’ in a Japanese car sense, where it ‘just’ has an exhaust or an air filter or bit more boost. This is as it was sold (for £50,000) back in 1998, down to the Kenwood CD changer and Middlehurst mats. As such, it presents as something of a GT-R memorial, evidence of where the story began before they were taken to a wilder world entirely. And quite a handsome one these days, too.
Given the flawlessness of the outside, it’d have to be assumed that this Skyline has been mechanically cherished also. But you’d obviously want to see proof of that. Low mileage doesn’t mean low maintenance, after all, especially with an engine as special as the RB26. And especially when the cars are now worth so much: this one is for sale at £90k, about twice what a similar machine was up for in 2022. But with the GT-R story currently dormant, and demand greater for standard Skylines than 10-second cars, it’ll surely won’t be long until it finds a new home. Won’t be long before a 30th birthday celebration is in order…
SPECIFICATION | NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R (R33)
Engine: 2,568cc, twin-turbo straight six
Transmission: 5-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power(hp): 280@6,800rpm
Torque(lb ft): 271@4,400rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1998
Recorded mileage: 26,333
Price new: £50,000
Yours for: £89,995
I m sure this example is lovely, and try finding another but for me it s a resounding no
Wonder where R35 values will go, might just be natural inflation but there arent really any under 40k any more, doesnt seem that long ago they dipped to 30k, even into the high twenties for leggy ones.
When I look at the R33 GTR and hear people say it's the runt of the litter, I'm always left wondering what I'm missing :hehe
I remember when I was a kid and Firsway Nissan in Leigh had an R33 on a rotating plinth! It looked stunning back then. R33 is my favourite shape, but sadly I'm priced out of ever owning one now.
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