NISMO

400R | Z-tune

Excitement Beyond Control.
400R - 1996

(Main Text)

At the end of 2023, in the bitter cold and strong winds of Reiwashima, this photoshoot took place. This complete car, based on the second-generation Nissan Skyline, is valued at 500 million yen or even more. The owner of this Midnight Purple car is a collector residing in Europe, who owns numerous other treasures, both imported and domestic. According to the owner, "I find special value in NISMO's 400R and Z-tune." When asked why, he replied, "Because of their extremely limited production numbers and the fact that they were built as complete cars and restomods (Z-tune) directly by the manufacturer."

The NISMO 400R was unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January 1996. It appeared as the production version of the "400R Prototype," which had been revealed at the previous year's Auto Salon and generated a lot of buzz. The fact that it was presented at a tuning car event (which had an even stronger tuning focus at that time) suggests that there were several enthusiasts within NISMO back then.

The base for the 400R was the 1995 R33 Skyline GT-R (BCNR33) V-Spec. The concept was to elevate the public image of "third-party modified cars," which were generally categorized as "tuning cars," to the level of "complete cars" directly from the manufacturer, similar to Mercedes-Benz's AMG or BMW's Alpina and M divisions, which were rapidly evolving in Europe at the time.

The target power was set at 400 horsepower, linking to the model name, compared to the base R33 GT-R's 280 horsepower. The goal was to develop a car that was not only fast on the circuit but also easy to drive on the street, balancing solid speed and maneuverability. Initially, there was a phase within NISMO where the direction was to develop it as a circuit special, but the focus shifted to achieving a total balance unique to a manufacturer works car, rather than just aiming for extreme speed or power like a tuner-built time attack machine.

The engine installed was the "RB-X GT2," bored up from 2.6L to 2.8L. This complete engine, infused with NISMO's long-accumulated motorsport expertise, featured components such as N1 race metal turbines and was hand-assembled by craftsmen who had also built engines for the Group A R32 GT-R (manufactured by Nissan Koki / REINIK). The RB-X designation referred to 2.8L engines used in LM and GT cars within Nissan Koki. Every detail was meticulously adjusted to achieve the best power and feeling while meeting emissions and noise regulations for street-legal cars.

After countless chassis setups on circuits and winding roads (the development team's favorite being the Hakone Turnpike) and thorough testing at Nissan's Oppama test course, the car was finally praised by the racing driver in charge, who said, "It handles incredibly well!" The NISMO 400R, a complete car reminiscent of GT machines, was priced at an astonishing 12 million yen and limited to 99 units, with 55 ultimately sold.

The 400R established the concept of "complete cars" in the Japanese market and laid the foundation for NISMO's street car business, which later expanded with models like the CRS (Clubman Race Spec). Its achievements are immeasurable.

The 400R's catalog at the time described it as "Excitement Beyond Control." Some might dismiss this as exaggerated, thinking, "It's just 400 horsepower," but this perspective misses the point. The true value of this Japanese complete car is evident in the words of its owner.

"This car has only a few thousand kilometers on it. While I hesitate to increase the mileage, driving the 400R even a little today made me want to keep driving it forever. The ultimate balance of this legendary complete car is unmatched. Just cruising around, you can feel everything coming together harmoniously. The thought of reaching even higher levels of performance kept me excited for a long time."

The 400R achieved the highest possible balance as a complete car. It will undoubtedly be remembered as the ultimate Japanese complete car for generations to come.

(Catchphrases)

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"The impact of establishing the concept of complete cars in Japan is immeasurable."

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"Just cruising around, you can feel everything coming together harmoniously."

(Captions)

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Powered by the "RB-X GT2," an upgraded 2.8L engine based on the RB26DETT. Infused with NISMO's race-proven technology, including N1 race metal turbines, this hand-assembled engine delivers a highly precise and solid rotational feel. The maximum output of 400 horsepower might seem modest, but the craftsmanship involved sets it apart from typical tuning engines, providing superior total balance and high performance in any situation.