Photo credit: Neil Fraser/RM Sotheby’s
Few names carry as much weight in the Japanese performance automobile market as the Nissan Skyline GT-R. The 1996 NISMO 400R was one of the model’s rarest versions, with only 44 cars produced. This one, heading to RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week auction, is a time capsule of automotive history.
Born from Nissan’s 1995 and 1996 campaigns at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 400R was a celebration of grit over glory. NISMO saw an opportunity to channel that racing spirit into something special. Originally planned for 100 units, only 44 were built due to Japan’s economic troubles in the late 90s. Each car was hand-built with a 2.77-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine producing 400 horsepower – a daring move beyond the 280 horsepower gentleman’s agreement among Japanese manufacturers at the time.
- BUILD AN ICONIC CAR – Adults can relive their favorite movie moments with the LEGO Technic 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34), a detailed...
- CAR MODEL KIT FOR ADULTS – Fans of model car kits and building blocks will enjoy discovering details as they build, like functioning steering, a...
- GROUNDBREAKING DRIFT FUNCTION – The first-ever LEGO Technic drift mechanism raises the car so builders can recreate the movie's most impressive...
This 400R, in Dark Gray Pearl, was first registered in September 1996. It later lived in Hong Kong before returning to Japan’s Gunma Prefecture in 2021. Three years later, it arrived in the US, ready for its moment in the Monterey spotlight. The exterior sports the original white decals on the sides and white 18-inch three-piece wheels – straight from the Le Mans racecar – looking like they’ve never been touched. Every detail, from the carbon fiber rear wing to the titanium strut brace, shows NISMO’s attention to performance and style.
Get in, and the interior feels like 1996, starting with the NISMO branded sports seats that show almost no wear. The NISMO steering wheel, only gripped by a few hands over the years, adds to the car’s sense of preservation. With 4,408 miles, this 400R has led a sheltered life, its interior and exterior condition is showroom like.
Under the bonnet is the RB-X GT2 engine, a 2.8-liter evolution of the GT-R’s twin-turbo six. Bored and stroked from the standard 2.6 liters, it produces 400 horsepower with 1.1 bar of boost, managed by Nissan’s advanced ATTESA four-wheel-drive system and Super-HICAS four-wheel steering. These were cutting-edge technologies for the time and give the 400R a balance of power and handling. A carbon fibre bonnet, driveshaft and Bilstein dampers lower the car by 30mm, so it’s more connected to the road.
Beyond its engineering, the 400R has cultural significance few cars can match. It starred in the original Gran Turismo video game, so for millions of players worldwide it’s a legend. Nearly 11 million copies of the game were sold and for many the 400R was their first taste of Skyline glory. Its rarity – only 40 of the 44 chassis are fully documented – adds to the mystique. Priced three times the cost of a standard GT-R in its day, its value has only gone up since.
RM Sotheby’s notes that California emissions laws mean the buyer must be a dealer or out-of-state resident, a small price to pay for a car of this magnitude. The estimated $900,000 to $1.1 million price tag reflects not just the condition but the history. As Skylines continue to appreciate, this 400R is less a purchase and more an investment in a legacy. For collectors, it’s a chance to own a piece of Nissan’s bold past – one that still turns heads and gets pulses racing nearly 30 years on.
[Source]
