The legendary Skyline, first introduced in 1957, was originally built by Japan’s Prince Motor Company. Production of the Prince Skyline lasted from 1957 until 1966, when Prince and Nissan merged. With humble origins as a rather modest 4-door luxury car, the Skyline began to evolve into a performance-bred sportscar following the merger. Today the Skyline is most recognized as the influential predecessor to the modern GT-R. Skyline finally became a Nissan in 1969, when the first performance-bred Skyline GT-R was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. It was still a sedan, but it now boasted an inline six engine and (impressive for the day) 160 horsepower. The first generation Nissan Skyline was available from 1969-1972. The 1969 GT-R version of the Skyline was a touring car like no other. Taking cues from the Nissan Prince R380 racing prototype, it relied on a four-valve Dual Overhead Cam engine for power and four-wheel independent suspension for its remarkable handling. The car obliterated the competition in Japan's domestic touring races, winning 52 races in its first three years of competition. The first two-door version was introduced in 1970 with a successful launch and was well-received, but a global gasoline crisis and a move towards stricter emissions standards put the Skyline GT-R on the shelf for a time. SKYLINE C110 From 1973 to 1977, the C110 generation Skyline was produced, known as the Kenmeri thanks to the commercial with owners named Ken and Mary. It too had a GT-R version but only for 1973, which would make it the last GT-R branded Skyline until 1989. R30 SKYLINE The R30 was a successful and remarkably versatile design, available as a coupe, four-door sedan, five-door hatchback, and a four-door wagon. All told, the R30 was available in 26 variations, none of them really hinting at what the Skyline would one day become. R31 SKYLINE 1986 saw the introduction of the R31. It was a little bigger and boxier than previous models, and was the first to get the famous "Red Top" Skyline FJ20 engine with red cam covers and the Nissan Induction Control System. THE R32 SKYLINE GT-R The Skyline had been through many phases, but it was in 1989 that the real precursor to the GT-R of today was introduced. The R32 Skyline GT-R had all-wheel drive and the famed Nissan RB26DETT inline six engine that pumped out 280 horsepower. It still wasn’t sold in America, but the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) model was and still is a legend in the American tuner community. A stripped-down version of the R32 entered the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1989 and won every race it started—29 in a row—over the next four seasons. It was then that the legend of the GT-R was truly born. That was a lot and I'm sorry.
