The other thing you’ll notice is the unique HICAS 4-wheel steering system the R34 employs. 206kW hardly sets the world on fire but it comes across as a very refined engine which can also achieve good efficiency if you drive it sensibly. Get the R34 out on the road and you’ll find it has good mid-range punch from 3000 – 6000 rpm, meaning you don’t really need to rev the tits off it extract all the power out of it. Six cylinders, 2.5L and a single turbo pushing out up to 7psi in standard spec. The RB-25 is one of the most iconic engines to ever come out of Japan and the one you get in the R34 is a real gem. All the switchgear and touch points around the interior have a quality feel about them and are actually quite impressive when you remember the R34 is now 16 years old. For drivers that are 6ft or less it works well. The R34 is actually a mid-sized sedan and while there is plenty of room up front, passengers in the back may struggle for leg room if the front seats are slid back too far. The first thing you’ll notice is the size.

It has a very solid feel to it as you slide in to the low, snug front seats and close the nicely weighted door. Opinions on styling are subjective of course, but I feel the R34 in stock standard form looks great even today. But what is an R34 GT-T like to live with? I’m sure you’ve admired one from afar, or perhaps even ridden as a passenger in one that belongs to a mate of yours. The R34 GT-T has been the darling of Japanese import car enthusiasts for the past decade or so now, thanks to it’s comparatively cheap cost, reliable turbocharged straight-six engine, sharp handling and squared off Japan-tough body styling. For those who didn’t want the all-wheel drive complexity of the Skyline GTR, there was the Skyline GT & GT Turbo, both available in 2-door coupe or practical 4-door sedan body styles. Don’t want a twin-turbo Supra? Go for the Celica. Couldn’t afford a Nissan 300ZX? How about a 240SX instead? Is the Mazda RX7 too hardcore for a daily driven car? Try the MX6. We were spoilt for choice – and if you couldn’t afford their top tier models, there were plenty of others to fall back on. Mitsubishi had the heavy-hitting GTO and Nissan with their 300ZX and various Skyline GTR’s. Every single Japanese manufacturer built a sports car that was beautiful, powerful and desirable.

Perhaps I am just getting old, but to find any truly cool Japanese sports cars, you have to go back in time. It’s still cool and goes like the clappers, despite having all the visual appeal of a gangrenous limb. There’s still a few glimmers of hope left – the Subaru Impreza WRX for example. The best handling Toyota is a Subaru with only 205Nm torque.

If you’re a Honda fan, the sportiest one you can buy is actually a hybrid with 15-inch wheels. There’s a bit of a drought at the moment if you’re a Japanese sports car fan.

Nissan r34 gtr vs gtt