Achieving immortality partly thanks to the Gran
Turismo PlayStation game, the Calsonic GTR was one of Japan’s most successful
racing cars. After the utter madness of Group B racing, Group A reigned things
in a touch and emphasised the use of stock road cars as a base.
The technology that the R32 GTR brought to the table
(especially its electronic torque split and four-wheel steering system) saw it
demolish race-prepared E30 M3s and Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworths. Shining at multiple
endurance races, the Australian press gave the GTR its legendary nickname
‘Godzilla’, a label that has stuck with every generation of Skyline GTR since.
The Calsonic R32 used potentially the most famous RB
powertrain – the RB26DETT. That last bit stands for Dual-Overhead Camshaft
Electronic Concentrate Control System Twin Turbo, in case you were wondering.
This engine was tuned to between 550-650bhp in the Calsonic car depending on
the race and the year, which – when combined with a 1260 kg kerbweight – was
more than enough to see the Skyline set a new performance standard.
