Nissan Skyline 1986 News

Aussie motorsport heritage flexed its muscles last weekend with a spectacular show of local racing champions and their cars. Held at Sydney Motorsport Park, the ninth annual Australian Muscle Car Masters once again included a gathering of our most famous racing cars and drivers from the past half-century. This rolling history spanned several categories and eras of Australian motorsport, including Group N, S, A, and C, V8 Supercar, Formula 5000, plus a variety of current historic racers.  Notable examples included the 1986 Bathurst 1000-winning Grice/Bailey Chickadee Commodore, the 1992-winning Richards/Skaife Winfield Skyline GTR, and the Perkins/Ingall Castrol Commodore driven to victory in 1997.Legendary drivers in attendance included Allan Moffat, Fred Gibson, Harry Firth, John Goss, Leo Geoghegan, Jim and Steve Richards, Kevin Bartlett, Allan Grice and Neil Crompton.The highlight of the event was easily the ‘Bathurst Grid Spectacular’ held on the Sunday, where 60-odd previous Bathurst entries lined up on the grid for an hour of high-speed parade laps, and the variety of machinery and sounds proved that Australian motorsport runs far deeper than just Ford and Holden-badged racers.There were hundreds of classic road cars also on display, plus nearly 30 individual races held over the two days.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

The R34 GTR, up until the R35’s release, was Nissan’s true performance flag ship car. A car that, to this day, fetches prices ranging up to a staggering $150,000 on the second hand market. Japan, and the rest of the world, just couldn’t get enough of this Skyline. Hundreds of them have been heavily modified with some pushing in excess of 1,000hp at the wheels. In the years following the final run of GTRs, in 2001 Nissan’s tuning arm, Nismo, even purchased quality second hand examples and rebuilt them into the now infamous Z-Tune GTR … with over 400kw from the factory. In celebration, Skyline Australia recently arranged a R34 cruise to Mount Wilson west of Sydney. This picturesque location at the top of Bells Line of Road presented a typical Japanese autumn photo-op for close to 100 Skylines that turned up. The view of an endless line of stove-top tail lights was truly as site to behold as the procession led its way up the mountain. A show and shine, Japanese sword skill demonstration, and traditional Kimono wearing grid-girls were all part of the day. However it was the sound of all those straight six engines that truly stole the show. From a Mines GTR replica to well sorted original R32 GTRs the event was one of the largest ever gatherings of Skylines in Australia and a real tribute to the passion of the Australian Skyline owners community. Happy anniversary and long live the mighty GTR.

It will be five years before Nissan Australia is ready for a second shot at the top end of the local car business. It's working hard on a plan to re-establish the Infiniti brand as it pushes its prestige arm into Europe off the back of success in the US, but admits there is no firm deal. “I wouldn't say it's definitely happening,” Nissan Australia marketing general manager Ross Booth says. Infiniti is launching a European attack in 19 countries, including Britain. There's a range of models, from the compact EX to the G coupe and sedan, luxury M sedan and heavyweight QX four-wheel-drive. “The UK is the first right-hand-drive market, in March 2009. It's a global push now,” Booth says. But he isn't convinced of the need for Infiniti, or the right timing. The brand came to Australia in 1980 at a time when Japanese makers were moving quickly into extra luxury channels, including Lexus for Toyota, Amati and Eunos for Mazda and Acura for Honda. The only Infiniti model sold here was the portly Q45, which failed alongside the working-class Nissan models. The brand was withdrawn after less than three years. But Lexus starred for Toyota, Acura has done well for Honda, and Infiniti is doing a good job in the US with vehicles which are surprisingly good to drive and also good value. This time around, Booth believes Infiniti can work . . . but only with the right package of products, price and performance. “We will do it only if I'm sure it will be successful. It has to be done properly. It's a matter of launching at the right time in the right market with the right dealer network. There is no immediate plan,” he says. Even so, he is taking a keen interest. “The model is about the customer experience and making sure they are looked after properly. It's not just about whacking up a dealership. We'd have to establish a dealer network that would meet the high demands of customers in that segment.” Booth also believes Infiniti must have the right products, and not just high-powered petrol engines. “At this stage for Infiniti, there are no diesel vehicles. In Australia, the requirement is for a diesel variant from launch.” So, when will Infiniti be coming? “Not any time soon. Five years sounds like a long time, but that's the sort of time frame you have to be talking about,” Booth says.  

Previous Bathurst 1000 Winners 1963 Harry Firth/Bob Jane Ford Cortina GT 1964 Bob Jane/George Reynolds Ford Cortina GT 1965 Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 1966 Rauno Aaltonen/Bob Holden Morris Mini Cooper S 1967 Harry Firth/Fred Gibson Ford Falcon XRGT 1968 Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland Holden Monaro GTS