RE: Wild 1,000hp Nissan GT-R for sale
RE: Wild 1,000hp Nissan GT-R for sale
Wednesday 19th April 2023

Wild 1,000hp Nissan GT-R for sale

There's no such thing as a slow R35, but some are even more berserk than others...


Big power GT-Rs have been a thing for 30 years now, right back to those R32 Godzillas ripping up the touring car rulebook in the early 1990s. The R33 arrived just in time for the 1990s tuning boom, with unbelievable power figures dominating pre-internet crazy car culture. The reality was often madder than the rumours. The R34 continued in a similar vein, with better technology even more capable of handling whatever lunacy the engine could churn out. The Skylines, like so many cars of its ilk, were born to be tuned; the irony now is that standard ones tend to be more highly prized. But given they should nominally have the power of a Hyundai i30 N, an untouched one could fall a little short of lofty expectations…

Whatever, we’re talking about the R35 here, a car that dropped the Skyline name but continued a whole lot of GT-R traditions: it looked like nothing else, the technology meant it drove like nothing else, and - guess what - an incredible twin-turbo six-cylinder engine gave it performance like nothing else as well. The RB straight-six may have gone for the VR38 V6, but it still delivered more than ample power out of the box and plenty of tuning headroom for those that way inclined. Indeed, it’s hard to find a standard R35 of any kind out there now, given how simply and effectively they can be upgraded.

But then there are modified GT-Rs, and then there’s this one. Once upon a time (just four years ago, in fact), it was a high-spec Track Edition, a very rare car by 2019 with just eight registered in the UK according to the ad. The first owner didn’t skimp, either, adding the ceramic brakes, carbon seats and a carbon roof to what would have already been an £80k car. Then the fun really started…

Despite three owners in just 5,000 miles, every single one has used Litchfield for servicing and tuning, spending more than £75,000 in the process. Yes, really. The LM20 styling kit isn’t just for show - this is apparently a bonafide, 1,000hp Nissan GT-R. Even in the world of EV hypercars and with all that Skyline heritage, there’s something tremendously exciting about a combustion engined with a four-figure power output. Or 989hp, to be precise (but what's a few horsepower between friends?). 

Of course, that sort of power, from 580hp as standard, has not come easily. The twin-turbo V6 is now forged (and rated to more than 1,000hp, if you’re a lunatic), benefitting from bigger Borg Warner turbos, new pistons, new valves, Litchfield cams and conrods, uprated injectors, an Akrapovic exhaust, a beefier intercooler… there’s not much left that’s stock. That’s in addition to ECU work, stronger gears, a front Quaife LSD, Litchfield’s handling upgrade, braided brake lines and more. It’s very, very easy to see how the money was spent very quickly, as nothing has been left untouched in pursuit of the ultimate GT-R experience.

Quite what a 1,000hp GT-R feels like isn’t obvious, given the c.600hp ones already feel flippin brisk enough - but if we're all agreed that speed really does matter then the appeal is easy to see. Especially given it looks the part. This R35 doesn’t have a crazy bodykit on it, the Rays wheels aren’t ridiculous, the lights are just lights and - if still not exactly subtle - this one is pretty unassuming given the performance potential. At £160k it’s obviously one of the most expensive ways into an R35 GT-R; on the other hand, it’s one of the most affordable cars out there with 1,000hp at its disposal…


 

Author
Discussion

Robertb

Original Poster:

3,884 posts

268 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Very impressive for bragging rights I’m sure but I’m left thinking ‘what’s the point’?

Three owners in 5k miles would seem to agree.

I can’t remember the last time I fully deployed my car’s 320bhp on todays crowded potholed roads!

Macron

13,411 posts

196 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
989bhp.

That's not 1000bhp.

75k to not quite get there. Gutting.

Still, bet its fun on a wet roundabout at 2am in Luton, where most of these seem to live.

Don1

16,840 posts

238 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
If I were that close, I would want to be over the 1000bhp figure. Even though David Yu (ex EVO) reported that the car was better as a 750 bhp thing and had his detuned to that.

MissChief

7,997 posts

198 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Robertb said:
Very impressive for bragging rights I’m sure but I’m left thinking ‘what’s the point’?

Three owners in 5k miles would seem to agree.

I can’t remember the last time I fully deployed my car’s 320bhp on todays crowded potholed roads!
My thoughts exactly. Short of a 1 second prod of the accelerator it feels largely pointless in the UK.

wistec1

801 posts

71 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
I just a question of how long the engine will hold out until it sts itself.

Don1

16,840 posts

238 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
wistec1 said:
I just a question of how long the engine will hold out until it sts itself.
As USA drag cars are putting out over triple that figure, pretty well I'd say.

Edit R35 street and roll racing cars that is.

MagicMonkey

100 posts

205 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Jesus... only a handful of comments in and we're already at the “it’s too much power for the road” stage. All we need now is for some muppet to inform us all that “it’s still just a Nissan” and I think we’ll be able to call it a day

cerb4.5lee

44,916 posts

210 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
MagicMonkey said:
Jesus... only a handful of comments in and we're already at the “it’s too much power for the road” stage. All we need now is for some muppet to inform us all that “it’s still just a Nissan” and I think we’ll be able to call it a day
Quite. I'd love a go in this for sure. Sometimes it is just nice knowing that you have the power if you want it I reckon. I was unfortunate to have a 520d once, and I can tell you that having some performance is far better than having none at all.

asci.white

559 posts

103 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
wistec1 said:
I just a question of how long the engine will hold out until it sts itself.
Lichfield upgrades are very robust. They spend a fortune on testing all their upgrades long before they're on sale..

Evolved

4,079 posts

217 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
MagicMonkey said:
Jesus... only a handful of comments in and we're already at the “it’s too much power for the road” stage. All we need now is for some muppet to inform us all that “it’s still just a Nissan” and I think we’ll be able to call it a day
Yup. Always the way. Standard for PH though.

lovely looking GTR. I always find the interior lets it down, but this one looks lovely. The brakes will be something else too. Comment about it stting itself. It won’t, it’s all forged, will take that power for many, many miles.

I’m building a 2.2ltr to handle 900hp, it’ll also do it comfortably for many miles. Materials and tolerances nowadays, along with ECU tech and turbo tech means it’s easy to generate big numbers. Blimey. Even the 1.6ltr 3 pot in the Yaris will make 600hp.

Of course based on the comments, I may as well be sectioned. Far too much for the roads, lunatic.

Edited by Evolved on Wednesday 19th April 20:11

Sheetmaself

6,125 posts

228 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
wistec1 said:
I just a question of how long the engine will hold out until it sts itself.
I would assume that considering who has done the work that this is of no concern whatsoever to be honest. Litchfield don’t mess about with their reputation.

AmyRichardson

1,990 posts

72 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Regardless of the end-product's utility the journey to build something like this must have been fun, and that's probably more than half of the experience.

anonymous-user

84 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Don1 said:
If I were that close, I would want to be over the 1000bhp figure. Even though David Yu (ex EVO) reported that the car was better as a 750 bhp thing and had his detuned to that.
Don’t Litchfield as good as say this on their website as well?

There is definitely a reason why supercar makers cap their petrol engines to around 750bhp and use electrification to make power beyond this. Bugatti who don’t, have a near enough 2 ton car using lightweight construction. Despite having 10 radiators, they said the Veyron’s cooling system still isn't good enough to dissipate all the heat at full power, but that the car would run out of fuel before it got overwhelmed.

Definitely skeptical about these highly tuned cars. They always seem to breakdown on drag races on youtube too.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 19th April 09:23

AlpinaB5

88 posts

95 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
I bet the only thing it won't pass is a petrol station!

Chubbyross

5,002 posts

115 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
AmyRichardson said:
Regardless of the end-product's utility the journey to build something like this must have been fun, and that's probably more than half of the experience.
I reckon that’s why it’s changed hands a fair bit. The journey to get there is pretty much complete and all you’re left with is an extremely powerful car. Good fun but the fun gets a bit boring after a while. Im the same with my cars: it’s great fun for a year or two getting them up to the standard you want them and then move them on and start again.

Jon_S_Rally

4,470 posts

118 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Dear me, more cheerful comments. Of course it's pointless, but aren't pointless cars part of what makes the car hobby attractive?

This isn't my sort of car (I just couldn't have one over a "proper" '90s Skyline), but I bet it's still a mega thing. I'd happily have a go in it.

MDL111

8,915 posts

207 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
bet that would be fun for regular commuting on the Autobahn. Sure you won't be able to use all of the power often, but I am sure I would still enjoy it. and it is always nice to have some in reserve just in case you need it.

C5_Steve

8,999 posts

133 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
I'm torn on this, on the one hand it's been done in exactly the right way with what looks like no expense spared. On the other, that price seems a bit steep. Does the fact it's now modified take away from the rareness of the original and therefore mean it shouldn't command such a high price? At the end of the day you could drop similar money on a bog standard R35 and end up with the same power, it wouldn't be worth £160k would it? Not sure who's going to buy this as if I was dropping the full whack I'd want a stock one.

All that said I'd like a go in one at some point (an R35), they seem like ridiculously capable cars, at whatever power they have.

wpa1975

14,750 posts

144 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
Robertb said:
Very impressive for bragging rights I’m sure but I’m left thinking ‘what’s the point’?

Three owners in 5k miles would seem to agree.

I can’t remember the last time I fully deployed my car’s 320bhp on todays crowded potholed roads!
Agreed

endorium

47 posts

224 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
wistec1 said:
I just a question of how long the engine will hold out until it sts itself.
The whole engine has been forged and also the gearbox. So should last a very long time