The dawning of the twenty first century was a momentous even, kicked off by the arrival in 1999 of Nissan’s R34 Skyline GT-R.
We’re now on the sting of a vital second in Skyline historical past: After 25 years, these within the U.S. who crave the automobile will legally have the ability to import one pretty quickly.
There’s one problem (really, there are a number of): value. In line with Traditional.com as referenced in The Drive, the typical worth for an R34 GT-R is $201,480. Then add the import charges, which may very well be substantial.
Bah. What’s $200K-plus in relation to the R34, which is without doubt one of the most fascinating autos on the planet? Star of “The Fast and the Furious” and numerous basic video video games — and a favourite amongst those that reside to tune Japanese automobiles — the Nissan was legendary.
The R34, the final version to put on the “Skyline” identify, ran with a 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six that was thought of a masterpiece. It was paired to a six-speed handbook and all-wheel drive system. In 1999, Nissan claimed that it made 276 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, though homeowners claimed that these figures had been understated. Tuners typically labored their magic, producing much more energy.
Bah once more: The Skyline GT-R was solely bought in a couple of choose markets, equivalent to Japan, the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. America was shut out.
Concerning the 25-year rule as defined by the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration, after that point expires the automobile is authorized even when it doesn’t adjust to all Federal Motor Car Security Requirements. However — and there’s a however — “the 25-year period runs from the date of the vehicle’s manufacture,” says NHTSA. In different phrases, if the 1999 mannequin yr automobile you need was in-built June of 1999, the import eligibility kicks in in June of subsequent yr, not on January 1.
As soon as a purchaser locates the GT-R of his or her goals, essentially the most painless methodology to proceed is to contact an skilled import firm to elucidate the charges, registration, transport, and different issues. This Autoblog story from earlier this yr affords info on a variety of firms that deal with vehicle imports.