Following up on its widely celebrated R32 predecessor, the arrival of Nissan’s R33-generation Skyline GT-R in 1995 played a big part in the model’s eventual long-term success. Just prior to its release, several major Japanese auto manufacturers signed a panic-induced “gentlemen’s agreement” with the government, limiting new model performance rating figures to 276 brake horsepower. There had, perhaps, never been a more unattractive moment to release a sports car in Japan. Nissan, for its part, printed official marketing materials for the R33 which did not mention that the engine delivered approximately 300 horsepower, straight from the showroom floor.

The R33 nevertheless debuted at an optimal moment in popular culture. Video games such as Gran Turismo popularized the Skyline and other Japanese performance cars of the era, even in the United States and other envious markets where the GT-R was not be sold. It perpetuated the Skyline GT-R’s nickname—“Godzilla, the monster from Japan”—earned by the R32 after stellar performances in early 1990s Australian motorsport, as car enthusiasts embraced Nissan as a force to be reckoned with. Indeed, the R33 would make appearances in the first few Fast & Furious films of the 2000s, and its R34 successor was notably driven by the late Paul Walker, further publicizing the Skyline GT-R name.

MIDNIGHT PURPLE, PRESERVED

Delivered new to its first owner Japan, this Skyline GT-R—like all examples, a right-hand drive car equipped with ATTESA all-wheel drive—is presented in its desirable factory-original finish of Midnight Purple over a two-tone gray interior. Beneath the hood sits the RB26DETT, a 2.6-liter, twin-turbocharged, twin-cam, 24-valve inline-six engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Though Nissan made many minor improvements to the powertrain between the R32 and R33, the fundamentals of performance and handling dynamics, which had previously garnered the model praise, remained.

This exceptionally preserved and “bone stock” Nissan presently indicates fewer than 1,590 kilometers (~988 miles) at cataloguing. Notably, while the GT-R has always been a popular target for customizers to add performance enhancements and body modifications, this R33 desirably retains its original, “as-delivered” configuration and factory finishes throughout. Collectors would be incredibly hard-pressed to find another R33 example in this factory-correct condition with comparable mileage.

Though the Skyline GT-R had grown to amass fans around the globe, collectors in the United States were not able to lay claim to their own R33 until recently. Only now—through the 25-year historic import rule—can the R33 be imported legally. Having arrived recently from the consignor’s rarely exhibited collection in Hong Kong, this 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R has received exceptional care from new. It is a prime example of a factory-original R33 ready to reward dedicated enthusiasts for their patience.