Expert opinion
An icon almost 20 years after it went off sale, and with good reason. Because while the RB26DETT straight-six is known for its almost unburstable tuneability, and the R34 has become a movie star in its own right, neither of those should take away from the standard Skyline’s ability as a driver’s car. At the turn of the 21st century, little could match it.
Officially the 2.6 twin-turbo made 280hp, but the suspicion was that no R34 made less than 300hp. Moreover, with a suite of technology now seen as commonplace - ATTESA E-TS Pro that could vector torque across the rear axle, Super-HICAS four-wheel steer - the GT-R revolutionised expectations of large, heavy, four-wheel drive coupes. It was like nothing else.
Today, the R34’s legend is not only helped by its role in popular culture, but also its status as the last GT-R using the infamous RB26. When the R35 GT-R made its debut in 2007, power, weight and capacity were all up. Leaving the R34 as the final derivative of one of the 1990s’ ultimate cult sports cars - no wonder you’ll now need at least £50k for a good one.