This Super Rare Nissan Skyline GT-R Is Hitting the Auction Block at Monterey originally appeared on Autoblog.
A Celebratory Skyline
When the first units of the R32-generation of the Nissan Skyline GT-R rolled off the line in 1989, it didn't take long for it to gain a reputation both off and on the racetrack. Notably, it earned the nickname "Godzilla" from the Australian motoring publication Wheels, and not long after, it became a formidable force in Group A racing.
In Japan, it dominated the Japanese Touring Car Championship for four years in a row and also saw success in the Australian Touring Car Championship, winning the 1991, 1992, and 1993 championships. After its three-peat, the ATCC rulebook was rewritten to prohibit four-wheel drive and turbocharged engines.
Despite this, Nissan sought to fry bigger motorsports fish, aiming for success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which didn't go as well as it hoped. In 1995, it finished 10th overall and 15th the following year.
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Enter the 400R
Although Nissan didn’t win at Le Mans, it was proud that it competed in the first place. To celebrate its Le Mans entry, Nissan let NISMO, its motorsports arm, thoroughly rework the R33 GT-R. What came out was a limited edition model called the 400R, a hand-built monster that made 400 PS; more power than any production GT-R, even the one-off GT-R LM road car built for homologation into the Le Mans race.
Under the hood of the 400R was a special version of the storied RB26DETT engine that was bored and stroked from 2.6 liters to exactly 2,777 cubic centimeters; a special build derived from a privately-owned GT-R in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship.
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The RB-GTX motor, as it was called, also had its boost dialed up from 0.8 bar (11.8 psi) to 1.1 bar (15 psi) coming in from its twin turbos. According to a Hot Rod Magazine test in 1997, these upgrades made the 400R capable of 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of over 400 km/h (186 mph).
To complement the bigger motor under the hood, the 400R also got a carbon fiber wing, hood, and driveshafts, as well as a titanium strut brace, Bilstein dampers, a 30-millimeter ride height drop, and three-piece 18-inch wheels from the LM GT1 racecar.
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Shaky times led to the 400R's rarity
The 400R was already destined to be a rare car upon its release. NISMO aimed for 100 units to be sold, but in 1995, it was not a desirable car. At the time, the Japanese economy was going through the Lost Decades of financial uncertainty, which did not fare well for a GT-R that cost 3 times as much as a normal R33 Skyline GT-R.
NISMO claims that just 44 were made, but only 40 units have been confirmed to exist. Though this car is extremely rare, it has gained notoriety through its appearance in video games like Gran Turismo.
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This particular example, which is being offered by RM Sotheby's at its Monterey auction, has 7,093 kilometers (~4,408 miles) on the odometer and a history across multiple countries. According to the auctioneers, it was first registered in Japan in September 1996, and it is believed to have been registered in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021, when it returned to Japan before being exported and registered in the United States.
RM Sotheby's estimates this car to fetch between $900,000 - $1,100,000 at auction. It is expected to appear on day two of the auction, which will take place on Saturday, 16 August 2025, at the Portola Hotel and Monterey Conference Center.
Final thoughts
I have played with the 400R in Gran Turismo before, and understandably, this listing is one that I find exciting. In the catalog, the auctioneers wrote that the "NISMO 400R would make for a standout addition to any collection," adding that it would be "sure to draw an appreciative crowd at any event it attends." In my purview, this car would have a special spot in my theoretical “unlimited money” garage.
This Super Rare Nissan Skyline GT-R Is Hitting the Auction Block at Monterey first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 12, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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