Despite its massive potential, overall sporty looks, and deep racing heritage that goes back more than 30 years, the Nissan Skyline, embodied in the Infiniti G35, is one of the most overlooked rides in the industry. Take a walk around car shows or peruse your favorite publications, and you'd be hard pressed to find modified G35s in the same magnitude as Nissan 350Zs, Acura RSXs, or Subaru WRXs. Maybe it's because of their higher price tag and heavier chassis. Or maybe kids these days aren't really feelin' the Infiniti badge. Or perhaps nobody has really modified one that's inspiring enough to start a trend. All of the above are probable answers. What's definite, though, is the fact that the G35 has been slept on long enough. It's high time tuners get in on the act and take a page out of Lito Torres' book.
Lito's version of the '06 G35 coupe takes the already masculine Infiniti chassis to higher levels of testosterone and virility. With its wide stance and large wheels, Lito's G35 looks like it should be on the cover of Men's Fitness, flexing its bulked up biceps and sticking out its chest like a wild silverback gorilla; a proper analogy, seeing that this car represents the proverbial monkey coming off the back. After many years avoiding the urge to build a car, Lito decided to start hanging out with his nephew, Brian Filoteo of High End Peformance, a company known for its affinity to make super cars more super. Seeing cars transform firsthand at High End Performance, Lito let the urge overtake him. The monkey came off and this G35 mashed right in.
"I was originally going to buy an Acura TL and call it day," Lito explains, "My mistake was to ask what my nephew thought about it. Then I faced peer pressure from the crew at High End Performance. With the right push and shove by the guys, we turned a commuter car into, well, a commuter car with a huge pair of balls." To carry this "huge pair of balls," an equally huge frame was needed, so Lito and friends opted for the Top Secret widebody kit to help with the carrying of the juevos. "The Top Secret widebody was selected right away," Lito says, "Not too many people at that time actually used this kit, and you got to admit, there are a lot of kits for this car." Highlighting the massive curves is a Top Secret Drag Style wing and R34 rear diffuser. The exterior package undoubtedly matches up with the internals, especially under the hood.
Not wanting to disappoint his friends, Lito didn't go cheap on building the motor. "You're not gonna accomplish anything if you're reasoning is 'I want to be cool like him or her' or if you skimp on parts. Build your car to fulfill its purpose," he explains. Force-feeding the motor are two Power Enterprise IHI turbos with custom outlet pipes, a Power Enterprise manifold, and a Power Enterprise intercooler. Handling the fuel transfer is a Power Enterprise fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, APEX'i Neo Air fuel controller, and six 500cc injectors, spitting out fuel like a Black Mamba its venom. The Tanabe exhaust provides the requisite grumbling while driving down the streets, and the HKS EVC VI gives validation to an already stout vehicle. The car hasn't been officially dyno'd, but Lito's plans give us indication of where the G35 will go: "I want even more power in the car. I'll probably switch to a bigger turbo and upgrade all the internals. A 600-horsepower beater is not that bad, is it?"