You Can Now Retrofit Your Vintage Skyline GT-R With a BMW Dual-Clutch Transmission
Godzilla’s got it all: a tunable engine, advanced all-wheel drive, and now, lightning-quick gear changes.
Operating a performance car with a manual transmission is an art, one that takes hundreds to thousands of hours on a racetrack to perfect. Winning, however, is a science, and the numbers don't lie; twin-clutch automatic transmissions deliver faster lap times than three-pedal setups. That's why Norwegian speed shop HPR Tuning has elected to take the fallible driver out of the otherwise near-perfect equation that is the Nissan Skyline GT-R, and offer conversion kits to upgrade Godzillas to dual-clutch transmissions.
Originally announced on Facebook, the conversion will adapt a Getrag GS7D36SG seven-speed for use in the three most popular generations of Skyline GT-R, from the touring car racing-dominating R32 to the silver screen-immortalized R34. Installation doesn't even come at the expense of the GT-R's signature ATTESA ET-S AWD system, whose rear-axle bias makes the Skyline less likely to understeer during acceleration.
HPR told The Drive that the BMW M4-sourced Getrag is known for its torque capacity, with stock clutches capable of holding 738 pound-feet of torque. If your RB26DETT produces more than that, aftermarket clutches that can apparently take its capacity all the way to 1,250 pound-feet, making it ideal for anything short of a dedicated drag car.
HPR states that three prototypes of its conversion kit are headed out for testing now, and that if they're satisfied with their work, pre-orders will open October 1. Converting a Skyline GT-R is expected to run about $9,000, while switching compatible rear-drive models like the Skyline GTS-T or Toyota Supra Turbo to dual-clutch transmission will start just north of $6,500, donor boxes included.
To many, though, swapping out the Skyline's proven manual for a costlier, more complex dual-clutch might be taking the obsession with performance too far. After all, if you want the fastest GT-R money can buy, the R35 is where it's at. As for the fastest stick-shift Nissan? Let that crown be retaken by the new Z.
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