2002 Nissan Skyline R34 - R34 vs R35

The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R has been recognized as Japan's premiere supercar from its debut in 1999, until production ceased in August of 2002, marking the end of Nissan's fabled, over-engineered, over-powered, European-exotic-killing machine. To many, the R34 is the pinnacle of the Skyline dynasty; one of the best-some say the best-sports car in the world. The Skyline lineage established its reputation with an impressive history in motorsport, dominating every race series in which it campaigned, culminating in the creation of the R34.

On July 7, 2008, nearly six years after the demise of the R34, Nissan released the R35 to much-hyped anticipation. "I was literally salivating when I heard the new R35 was released," says Alex Shen, owner of SP Engineering in City of Industry, CA. Shen, no stranger to the GT-R world, used to own a 1,000 hp R33, and still holds titles to a Nismo R32 and R34. Most recently, Shen has added a new R35 to his long list of exotic cars and hasn't stopped praising the GT-R lineage since. "My first exposure to the GT-R was in '89, watching Japanese Video Options during the same time I was playing around with my 7MGTE-powered MA70 Supra. I saw a video of the HKS R32 blasting down the track and was like, 'Damn, why is that thing so much faster than my car?' My Supra wasn't slow by any means-it pushed 440 whp, and was capable of 12 second quarter-miles-but the R32 made my Supra look like a snail."

We asked Shen to compare the R34 to the R35; he had this interesting statement to offer: "If we were comparing the R34 to the older R33 or R32, then of course, the R34 is definitely more clumsy, bulky, and the heavier of the three cars. Breaking down the R34-versus-R35 scenario becomes more of an apples-to-oranges comparison, since both cars are so different in their own unique way-it's hard to love or hate one more than the other. The R34 has a more rugged, raw, race car demeanor that demands the driver to give it 110 percent of his skills and ability, while the R35 is a more refined sports car that offers comfort and performance, all rolled into one package. When I purchased the R35, my initial reaction was complete shock at how well the vehicle was designed, from the aerodynamics to every nut and bolt assembled. Sometimes I get the impression that the R35 is a very refined and faster version of the 350Z-a car you can rip an 11-second quarter mile with, park, and then have your girlfriend drive to yoga. Honestly, I think my mom can drive it without a problem-it's that easy."

By Scott Tsuneishi

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