To me, this is the embodiment of a modern day tuned Skyline GT-R.
Back when I started covering this scene, anything over 600 to 650hp was regarded as an undrivable track or drag car. It was surely noisy, clunky, and hard to tame. But these days, power figures like this Garage Mak-built BNR32 churns out are becoming the norm. The 920hp produced here resides in a car that is legally road registered, passes the bi-yearly shaken test, and retains a full interior with air conditioning and all the creature comforts and gadgets you’d expect in modern street-driven car.
The impressive figure is thanks in part to the rather large HKS T51R turbo that sits proudly alongside the fully built RB28.
You aren’t going to get these sort of numbers if you don’t have every possible angle of the engine upgraded to spec, from a bottom end able to take the abuse of such savage forced induction, to the ability to match that appetite for air with an equal dose of high octane fuel. Not E85 mind you; here in Japan we still don’t get the good stuff because the market thoroughly protects the domestic oil companies. If you’re able to get E85 at the pumps locally, consider yourself very lucky.
Here’s another example of some of that awesome welding I was talking in the previous R’s Meeting post, a beautifully fabricated lobster-tail titanium intake pipe to add even more drama to an already highly impressive engine bay.
The HKS V-Cam system has become a must-have addition for many Skyline GT-R owners chasing higher horsepower, especially when there are generously sized turbos in the mix. Nothing is more important than helping an engine spool up and respond sooner and stronger in the low-RPM range.
I’m from the school of thought that the less you do to an R32 GT-R aesthetically, the better. But trust Garage Mak to come up with a few simple additions, like these side skirts, to add more presence to the car. In fact, I even had to spotlight the R35 GT-R next to it as they’ve got a mean looking kit for it too, but more on that on another post…
The rear is how it should be, untouched, save for those simple finishers on the the flanks. The stock wing along with a Nismo trunk lip helps nail the look.
There’s a lightweight sealed battery relocated from the front laying flat on the trunk floor, along with a billet swirl pot for the fuel system. The latter must pack a pair of pretty hefty pumps to supply all the juice the engine would need at full chat.
The cabin hasn’t been treated to any strip out; in fact it’s been added to with auxiliary gauges and modules, a full sound system, and even a tablet mount. The most interesting aspect is the unsuspecting shifter, topped with a black Nismo knob and actuating the OS Giken OS-88 6-speed sequential transmission. No expense has been spared in making this GT-R the best it can truly be.
Hidden away behind the 19-inch Yokohama Advan Racing RS wheels is a full Endless monoblock brake setup. The 6-pot calipers up front and the 4-pots in the back give piece of mind to the driver, who knows that no matter how fast the car can pile on the speed, he’ll always be able to rely on proper anchors to haul it back down.
So what do you think – is 920hp a little too much for the street? What would your ideal power goal be on a similar car? As always I’m keen to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com