Motorex Nissan R33 Skyline

Seventy-three hundred on the tach, clutch in, gear lever in first, heart racing and nothing but 1320 feet of inviting tarmac in front of the car. This isn't easy. Everything in my body tells me this isn't right. But it's the only way--no mechanical empathy here. Bang!

Lucky for us, Skylines don't care about this kind of abuse. Their drivetrains have been known to hold up to ridiculous power levels before showing any signs of weakness and this relatively low power torture test wasn't going to faze the Nissan's robust guts. Even so, the GT-R bangs off a 13.2-second run at almost 104 mph--impressive.

As Skylines go, this R33 model lands right in the middle in terms of weight, looks and technology. Around the SCC offices, the R32 will forever remain the "looker" of the three latest generations of Skylines. It's smaller dimensions and subtle, aggressive lines have forever won us over. However, we still prefer the somewhat larger, yet sleek looks of the R33 to the near appliance-like styling of the R34. When we have a rare opportunity to see all three together, though, it's hard to be that picky. Skylines are simply awesome cars.

This 1996 model GT-R is a gorgeous example of the car that, upon its introduction, the worldwide automotive press gave glowing reviews. It's also proof that, with very few tweaks, an R33 Skyline can reach near-supercar levels of performance. How does 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds sound?

Considering APEXi's N1 exhaust and HKS' Super Power Flow intake were the only power-enhancing mods on the car at the time of our test, this kind of acceleration was outrageous. As discussed, launching the Skyline is an exercise in mechanical stress, unmatched in the automotive world. Side-stepping the clutch at more than 7000 rpm produces about two revolutions worth of wheelspin from the rear tires before enough torque is sent to the front wheels. (Crushing any hopes we had for huge displays of smoking rubber.) And that's probably good, considering we would have been smoking some very expensive Bridgestone Potenza S-02 Pole Position tires (sized 275/35-18) at all four corners. Inside that exotic rubber is a set of Nismo 18x10-inch LM-GT1 wheels.

Skylines are often noticed for their awesome RB26DETT twin turbo powerplants, but it's their rear-biased handling that really makes them unique in the world of Japanese supercars. Most cars this large and heavy get their motivation from eight large pistons driving solid rear axles. However, the Skyline is uniquely Japanese in its balance, grip and power delivery. Without the huge torque of a V8 to turn rubber into smoke at low engine speeds, the Skyline must be wound fairly tight to drive sideways.

However, when it does let go, the slide can be held and the car easily brought back straight, thanks to the advanced electronics distributing torque. We've said before how well this system works and how invisible it can be from the driver's seat. However, this particular car had a problem with its torque split electronics, which would allow it to act like a car with open differentials on hard right turns--easily spinning the inside tire under hard cornering loads.

That problem didn't keep it from cranking out some impressive numbers on the skidpad and through our 700-ft slalom. Driving in circles was most impressive--due no doubt to the huge Bridgestone S-02s mentioned earlier. The R33 managed .95g around the skidpad--more than even the awesome-handling R34 Blackbird also tested in this issue. It shot through the slalom at an average of 68.3 mph--slightly quicker than the older R32.

Around the track, the R33 turned an average lap time of 55.08 seconds, faster than the R32, but considerably off the pace set by the more radical R34. We suspect its time could have been easily improved had it not suffered from inconsistent handling, thanks to the torque split glitch. Even so, it wasn't difficult to drive quickly. Late braking still brought the tail around; mashing the throttle provided a mixture of satisfying forward momentum, combined with frustrating wheelspin.

Perhaps the most impressive number we collected on the R33 was its braking distance from 60 to 0. Stopping in 110 feet puts this Skyline in some rarefied company when it comes to braking. To put that number in perspective, consider we've only tested a few other cars that could match that kind of braking distance. Not surprisingly, two of those cars, the new Toyota Celica and the Integra Type R, weigh at least 800 lbs less than the R33 and yet didn't match its braking distance.

Beyond its near indestructability and its awesome performance, this car has another trick up its sleeve. It's virtually invisible to all the eyes that matter--namely, those covered with mirrored sunglasses looking down the barrel of a radar gun. Yet, it still garners attention from those who recognize its rare appearance on U.S. roads. The R33 doesn't disappear into the crowd like an R32, but it doesn't turn heads like an R34, either. Its subtle good looks are just enough to make an enthusiast look twice.

However, when Justin Styles, this car's owner, finishes his Skyline project, there will be a lot more to gather the wrong kind of attention. With a Skyline, any of the Sport Compact Car staff would likely leave well enough alone and just do the basics--probably an intake and exhaust, which got the car into the low 13s. Not Styles. He's got big plans for a full HKS buildup. HKS GT2530 turbos, a stainless-steel exhaust manifold and downpipe as well as different cams and cam pulleys. Larger 550 cc/minute fuel injectors and an improved fuel rail and will provide fuel to match the increased airflow from the improved turbos, new intake plumbing, Tomcraft intake manifold and a conversion to a 100-mm single throttle body.

Perhaps with all these parts, Styles' car will push the capacity of the R33 Skyline's stout drivetrain. Maybe, but we doubt it.