This R34 Skyline-Style Nissan GT-R Build Is a Killer Throwback Supercar
Only a few dozen of these carbon-bodied retro GT-Rs will be built.
For decades now, we've watched old car designs be born anew. From the hot rod-inspired Plymouth Prowler to Lamborghini's aping of the Countach, there's always an appetite for the re-imagination of old ideas. That phenomenon has at last reached the Japanese cars of the 1990s in the form of an R35 Nissan GT-R styled after the R34 Skyline—and it looks absolutely phenomenal.
This R34.5 (if you will) was penned by Roman Miah, design director at Artisan Vehicle Design, which says it will produce the car in partnership with German Porsche resto-modder Rensla Automotive Design. (Rensla confirmed the partnership when contacted.) Miah told me he conceived the design back in 2019, and that he expects parts prototyping to begin within the next couple of weeks. The goal? An R34 tribute with a body made completely of carbon fiber, but based on the R35's predecessor.
"What if there was a modern day version and a true spiritual successor of the Skyline GT-Rs of the past?" Miah asks on his company's website.
The car's makeover of course extends to its interior, where Artisan says it will use Alcantara with carbon fiber on major touch points—the seats, steering wheel, shifter, et cetera. Such heavy use of composites is expected to reduce weight by 440 to 660 pounds, increasing performance too. Miah said Artisan is working with a U.K. GT-R specialist to make the most of that, with a built engine, transmission, and upgraded aero, suspension, and brakes. The Ultimate package will further optimize those for track use.
Miah tells me he expects the first prototype will be complete in Spring 2024, after which it'll be tested before customer cars are delivered. He expects a price around $467,000, which is a towering amount of money for a car once renowned for its affordable performance. That said, it's less than half what the nearly $1.2 million Italdesign GT-R50 cost, so there might be no issue selling the 36 that'll be built—especially if R34 prices continue to soar.
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