Hiroshi Tamura
BNR32 - 1989

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"I have indeed staked my life on the existence of the GT-R. This isn't an exaggeration; even though my love for the car came first, I threw myself into my work with such dedication that I practically wore myself down to the bone. This applied to both the R34 and R35. As a product planner, I poured my beliefs into creating these cars and sent them out into the world. The R33 was my entry point to working with the GT-R professionally. Work, when you throw yourself into it, brings endless hardships and sometimes even absurd challenges that make you want to give up. There's a saying, '千三つ (senmitsu),' which means that even if you pursue a thousand things, you'll only achieve three. This illustrates the tremendous difficulty and rigor involved in the process of creating a mass-market car. So, the GT-Rs I've worked on have carried so much of 'Nissan's Tamura' that it's hard for 'Tamura the individual' to face them with genuine emotions.

But the R32 is different. It's the only one I can face with my true self. Because the R32 wasn't work—it was pure passion. It was something I, Hiroshi Tamura, devoted myself to with all my heart."

Hiroshi Tamura joined Nissan in 1996, taking on product planning for the later models of the R33 and R34 GT-Rs. In 2000, he conceived the GT-R concept, which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001. From April 2013, he became the Chief Product Specialist (CPS) for the R35 GT-R, overseeing all aspects of the R35. Even after retiring from Nissan in March 2023, he continues to promote the GT-R and Nissan as a brand ambassador globally.

This man, who could be called "Mr. GT-R," owns a 1989 R32 Skyline GT-R (BNR32), a precious first-year model revered by second-generation GT-R enthusiasts. We'll discuss the details of this car later, but it's known as a legendary tuned R with "total balance fast tuning," a concept Tamura passionately pursued.

When Tamura bought his R32, he was on assignment from Nissan to Autech Japan. After joining Nissan in 1984, with a background in chemistry, he was assigned to the Materials Research Institute. However, wanting to be more directly involved in car-making, he requested a transfer to Autech, the new special vehicle division led by Shinichiro Sakurai, "Mr. Skyline" and the father of the GT-R.

"At Autech, under Mr. Sakurai, I learned so much that shaped my career. The project for the Zagat Stelvio, which we put together somewhat haphazardly, was a significant challenge for a young person but became a valuable memory. Around that time, I got my R32. It was just released and very popular, so it wasn't easy for Nissan employees to buy one. Naturally, customers came first. But I got lucky and secured one through a senior who had to cancel their order. I couldn't choose the color or specifications, and I had to keep it a secret from the company, but it was fortunate nonetheless."

When Tamura acquired his R32 GT-R, he was just 27 years old. The car cost 5,083,000 yen, and he took out a full loan for 96 months, a significant burden for a young man whose annual income barely exceeded 3 million yen. He said it was like jumping off the top of Tokyo Tower, not just a leap of faith. The car was registered in October 1989, marking 35 years of Tamura's ownership this October (2024).

"Before its release, I got to drive a prototype of the R32. It was an unbelievable opportunity, thanks to Yoshiyuki Ishida, who worked on the RB26 engine. He invited me to test it at Nissan's Tochigi test course. At the time, my car was a tuned Mazda RX-7 (FC3S). Back then, it was common to push your car to the limit on midnight street racing circuits like the Wangan Line or the C1 Inner Loop. Though Tamura won't confirm, it's hard not to imagine he was pushing his car as hard as anyone.

As a student, Tamura was into mechanical tuning of the L-series engines in cars like the Kenmeri and 240ZG. Without much money, he practiced 'under-the-eaves tuning,' covering for a lack of funds with ingenuity and perseverance. When he joined Nissan, he developed an interest in turbo and rotary engines, leading him to the FC3S. He fell in love with the lightweight feel of the rotary engine and delved into the world of tuning, pursuing a total balance approach to chassis and suspension.

"So, when I drove the prototype R32 on the test course, I knew immediately my FC was done. The R32's four-wheel multi-link suspension was worlds apart from the struts and semi-trailing arms of the FC. The steering was precise, the rear was stable, and the overall balance from the all-wheel-drive system and minimal camber change was out of this world. There was even a Porsche 959 for comparison, and I thought, 'Maybe this could be better.' From my deep immersion in tuning, I believed that with some tweaks, the R32 could rival a Porsche. For me, the R32 GT-R wasn't just an innovation; it was a revolution."

In late April 2024, we photographed Tamura's beloved gunmetal R32 GT-R on the Wangan Line in the rain. Despite the drizzle, the car performed beautifully.

"In the first year, I kept the R32 almost stock. Understanding the car's fundamentals is crucial—recognizing its strengths and weaknesses, pushing its limits, and identifying areas for improvement. That's my unchanging philosophy on tuning. Honestly, I couldn't afford to tune it much with the loan payments. I often did side jobs working on friends' engines and suspensions to earn extra money."

For six months, he didn't even remove the speed limiter, but he learned a lot. The early R32 GT-Rs had several weaknesses, especially with the clutch and brake rotors.

"Back then, production cars weren't designed for the track, so pushing them hard revealed their flaws. Upgrading brake pads led to cracked rotors, and the clutch was also an issue. Nowadays, manufacturers develop reinforced parts, but back then, users had to address these shortcomings themselves."

"But that's where tuning comes into play," Tamura says. The introduction of the R32 GT-R revitalized the Japanese tuning scene, laying the foundation for future developments.

"In the early days, I stuck to a stock engine and turbo, but 290 km/h was the limit. After a few years, I turned to Pentroof's Kitabayashi, who has taken care of my car for over 30 years. Our goal was clear: over 320 km/h top speed and a quarter-mile in the 10s. We wanted to achieve high-level tuning while keeping the modifications subtle."

They improved the stock turbo to reach 300 km/h but continued to aim higher. Currently, Tamura's R32 features an RB26DETT engine with the original 2.6L displacement, an N1 block, forged pistons from Group A, meticulous adjustments, and NISMO RR581 (Le Mans) turbos for balanced torque from low to high revs. This "very enjoyable 600 horsepower setup," as Tamura calls it, maintains a nearly stock appearance, reflecting his aesthetic.

In the mid-90s, Tamura's R32 clocked 314.5 km/h at Yatabe's high-speed oval and a quarter-mile under 11 seconds, nearly achieving their goals.

"We tried many things over the years, even chasing peak power. But more power makes the car harder to handle. A 1000 horsepower car is undeniably fast, but the extreme torque curve makes it challenging to drive. Chasing high numbers isn't necessarily bad—there's a thrill in breaking records—but I realized true enjoyment lies in the torque curve's balance. Group A R32s had around 550-600 horsepower, with slick tires translating to 150 horsepower per wheel. That's the ultimate 'traction master.' The concept of 'total balance fast tuning' introduced by AutoWorks in the late '90s perfectly aligns with what I've pursued."

Wangan Line, Ichikawa Parking Area—once a gathering spot for midnight racers. Tamura parks his car there, as if it's the most natural thing.

"In 2001, when we unveiled the GT-R concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, my secret code for the project was 'TM,' representing 'Traction Master' and 'Trend Maker.' As a product planner, I believe it's essential to feel the real users' needs and the era's demands.

When I planned the M-spec for the R34, my experience with overseas exports, mainly to the UK, taught me about the concept of 'maturity.' Instead of just speed, I wanted to create a mature, refined world with the M-spec as an alternative to the more Spartan V-spec. With the GT-R concept for the R35, despite harsh criticism for the two-pedal paddle shift design, I insisted on the concept's realization, knowing it would be essential for the future. That's the duty of a trend maker."

Tamura takes a breath and continues.

"The most important concept for the GT-R is the 'ultimate road-going car' envisioned by Shurei Ito for the R32 and 'pursuit of ultimate driving pleasure' by Kozo Watanabe for the R33 and beyond. We're not gods, so we'll never reach the ultimate. But knowing this, we keep striving for the ideal, always seeking the higher peaks of 'ultimate driving pleasure.' Evolution never ends, both for commercial cars and my passion for tuning. We must keep chasing it, or it'll become boring once we find the answer."

The rain had stopped without us noticing.

"I have so much more to say about the R35 and other topics, but let's save that for another time. Please cover these stories in your book someday. After all, Motorhead will keep evolving too, right?"

With a mischievous smile, Tamura settles into the cockpit of his beloved R32, the sound of the finely tuned RB26 reverberating deeply, and disappears into the midnight Wangan Line.

(Main Text)

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The R32 is the only one I can face with my true self. It's not about work, but about pure passion and genuine enthusiasm. For Hiroshi Tamura, it has always been a source of true enjoyment.

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The R32 wasn't just an innovation; it was a revolution.

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A master of traction with impeccable balance.

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Understanding the real needs of users firsthand. That's what I believe is the crucial mission of a product planner.

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The pursuit of the ultimate driving pleasure—I've been chasing that all along.

(Captions)

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Located in Meiwa, Mie Prefecture, the "CREWCH Museum" (crewch.com/) includes the "Hiroshi Tamura Museum". Showcasing models like the Zagato Stelvio and the R32 Skyline Autech Version, it features cars that Tamura has been involved with over the years. Also displayed is the K11 March, which Tamura used as his daily ride, meticulously tuned inside and out. (Bottom left photo) Haru Kitabayashi, the representative of "Pent Roof" (pentroof.co.jp/), has known Tamura for 30 years. Pent Roof is famed for setting the domestic speed record of 343.13 km/h in November 1997 at the JARI test track in Yatabe with a street-legal R32 GT-R, known as the "Demon King" from the movie "Wangan Midnight". Remarkably, this record-setting car was equipped with all the comforts for daily driving, including air conditioning, showcasing the tuner’s mastery of total balance.