Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R - Finger Lickin' Good

With more than 700 hp on tap, the Signal-tuned RB motor turns in 11-second time- slips with ease. Even on street tires.

“What do you mean, I can’t order a Big Mac here?”

Signal President Kousuke Kida’s daily driver is a simple Nissan R34 Skyline GT-R. It has a pretty basic engine configuration that includes an HKS 2.8L stroker kit and a modest Trust T88-34D turbocharger that puts out more than 700 hp at the wheels. Eighteen-inch Volk Racing TE37s, Tein RE coilovers, KAAZ limited-slip differentials—yes, it’s docile enough.

But then again, I’m probably a bit jaded. I lingered around Signal Auto’s garages for the better part of a week and got close-up looks at a 1,000hp Skyline drag car and a 750hp S15 Silvia widebody, among other extreme machines. To these eyes, a Viper ACR is an overpriced toy.

For Kousuke, the Skyline is his second skin. Even at 150 km/h, he couldn’t look more comfortable than if he were snug inside a hammock. When he jumps on the rpms—and when everyone else in the car ducks for cover, grabbing any available patch in the rollcage—his body doesn’t adjust in the seat, his head doesn’t lift from the back of it. His eyes continue their laser lock on the road. His hands leave their spots on the original Skyline steering wheel only to answer the cell phone, which rings often. Hey, I guess if you owned a car like this, you’d be a popular man, too.

For the brief time I am in Osaka, Japan, the Signal Skyline Street Version, as Signal calls it, is my chariot, and I have no other option than to trust in the abilities of the car. The skills of the driver are beyond question. Kousuke has raced the circuit and strip. In the world of import tuners, he plays well above the rim. With the Skyline SV, there don’t seem to be any limitations (at least Kousuke drives as if there aren’t any). Power comes on in droves, and often.

The Trust T88-34D single-turbo upgrade doesn’t take long to spool, and passing is more an art of intimidation than force. After a few neck-jarring episodes, I recognize Kousuke’s pattern of attack: Downshift to Fourth. Rocket up the miles per hour. Fill the target’s mirror with the Skyline’s fire-breathing front end. Stomp on the brakes within a foot’s range. Linger and wait—it doesn’t take long for the target to swing out of the way. Downshift again and repeat. Everything Kousuke does in the car is to the extreme of its capabilities. He doesn’t just turn through the corners, he ambushes them and carves them to within an inch of their lives.

Along with Nissan’s superior all-wheel-drive technology, huge Volk Racing wheels and 265/35ZR18 Toyo tires are to thank for keeping us on the road and in good shape at all times. There’s not one squiggle or shake at even the sharpest of curves. But at these speeds, even the slightest tangent in the highway becomes a Six Flags thrill ride worth standing in line for two hours.

The screaming pitch of the RB26DETT levels off at banshee territory and remains a constant companion throughout the drives. But it is amazingly controlled. Remarkable as it may sound, the Signal Skyline SV retains its interior weight, losing meager pounds to lighter Bride racing seats but gaining them back with the Simpson five-point racing harnesses, which are necessities. Sitting inside the car, it’s easy to forget that it has more horsepower than all World Rally Championship cars and nearly equals that found in a Formula One racer.

It’s hard not to fiddle with the Nismo graphic gauges that are pretty much standard in R34 GT-Rs. The electronic displays are daunting to look at—especially when you watch the boost level rise toward the red—but Kousuke can all but hack into the system. With a blurry series of screen shifts, he tries to explain the applications, not knowing that I can barely describe the operation of putting gas into a car. I understand the most important gauge, and that one is sneaking above 180 km/h.

I’m only mildly worried at all times, which is probably how people feel when they sit shotgun with me behind the wheel. The upgraded AP brake calipers and Hurst brake lines show their competence on more than a handful of occasions. And Signal has done more to strengthen the stock-rigid Skyline chassis. The solidity of the car is present at all times. It feels like sitting inside a freight train. The mere fact that a 2.6L engine (that’s been upped to 2.8L) is powering the thing is startling. But Signal has performed this engine operation enough times to have it down pat.

The recipe is simple. Strengthen the internals with lightweight parts from Toda and Tomei, then boost the hell out of the engine with a monster Trust package.

Finally, raise the fuel levels to keep up with the air and reprogram the computer to maximize the increase. Though Signal’s American branch is just over a year old, t has already been called upon to perform many 700hp upgrades on gray-market Skylines and is slowly building its reputation. (If only they could do the same with my Ford Probe.)

When the Skyline SV isn’t haunting the Kinki Expressway in Osaka, it’s wrestling attention from the S15 Silvia 750hp widebody circuit car in front of Signal Auto’s main garage. Tough tasks for both cars. The Silvia is pure elegance, with the flowing flares extending the car’s natural body lines. The Skyline is raw beast to the Silvia’s beauty; its Nismo body kit brings the belly closer to the ground. It’s a linebacker at scrimmage on Fourth and Goal. Less noticeable is the Signal Auto GT-style wing, though at the Skyline’s higher speeds, you’ll be glad it’s there.

For most people, the Skyline SV may be just a wet dream, but for the rare hip-hop star or celebrity DJ who reads this rag, this car can be a reality. Signal charges $100,000 for the SV conversion. Add that to MotorEx’s $90,000 pricetag for an R34 GT-R, and it’s getting up to 456 country. But there’s room to save; for instance, toss out the Midnight Purple paint job and keep the stock . Yes, that’ll save money for the speeding tickets.