Classic Find: First-Generation 1970 Nissan Skyline GT-R Coupe S45

What looks to be a pristine (or fully restored) example of the modern day Nissan GT-R's granddaddy, a 1970 Skyline GT-R Coupe S45 with only 89,000 kilometers or a little over 55,000 miles on the odometer, is up for sale by a Japan-based dealer. There's no asking price on the seller's website but understandably, we reckon that a historic model like 1970 Skyline GT-R with such low mileage won't be offered for a low price.

The first Skyline GT-R was launched in Japan originally as a four door sedan in February 1969 (pictured here), followed shortly after by the coupe model you're all gawking at in the photo album below -no need to apologize, we did the same thing, ain't she a beauty?

Like its sedan counterpart, at the heart of the 1970 Skyline GT-R is Nissan's S20 2.0-liter straight-six DOHC 24-valve engine. It produces (or at least it did when it came out of the factory) a maximum output of 160PS at 7,000 rpm and a peak torque of 18.0 kgm or 130-lb/ft at 5,600 rpm. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.

We don't have any official performance figures for the Coupe (maybe some of you Nissan fans can help us out here), but we did manage to find out that the 1969 Skyline GT-R Sedan with the same engine was capable of achieving a top speed of 200km/h or 125mph while it covered the first 400m from a standing start in 16.1 seconds (official data from Nissan).

Link: Wintel

Nissan presents its new-generation VQ 2.5 & 3.5 litre V6 Engines - the all new Skyline will get them first in autumn

Twelve years and 5.5 million units after its introduction in 1994, Nissan announced that its award winning VQ engine is heading for retirement. But don't you Nissan fans get all worried as the Renault's brother-in-arms simultaneously presented it's VQ successor that will be available in 2.5 & 3.5 litre forms.

Although Nissan doesn't give us any information on the engines output, it is expected that the VQ35 will produce over 300 Hp. The 3.5L VQ35HR and 2.5L VQ25HR engines will be built at Nissan's Iwaki Plant in Fukushima Prefecture and will equipped the all-new Skyline to be released this autumn in Japan, as well as the US where the model is sold as the Infiniti G35. Later the engines will find their place in other Infiniti and Nissan models such as the 350Z, the Murano, the FX etc.

Featuring newly designed engine blocks and other key components, the engines promise to offer smooth transition to top-in-class level engine speed of 7.500 rpm. According to Nissan, the new VQ engines achieve a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to vehicles equipped with the existing VQ engine and top-in-class Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle level emissions. SU-LEVs have 75% or less nitrogen oxide (NOx) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions than those stipulated by Japan's 2005 exhaust emission standards.

Press Release

Main specifications of the VQ35HR and VQ25HR engines:

Smooth transition to top-in-class level engine speed of 7.500 rpm

• Reduction of weight and friction through adoption of asymetrical piston skirt configuration
• Reduction of piston-side force through lengthening of con rod
• Addition of rudder frame, newly-designed cylinder block with significantly improved rigidity

Thrilling revving sound and top-in-class output

• Adoption of perfectly symmetrical intake system
• Adoption of continuously variable valve timing control (CVTC) for intake side and electromagnetic valve timing control (e-VTC) for exhaust side
• Reduction of intake resistance through adoption of symmetrical twin intake system and straight intake port
• Adoption of isometric exhaust manifold and perfectly symmetrical exhaust system

Improvement of fuel-efficiency and emission cleanliness

• Reduction of friction through adoption of world's first hydrogen-free, diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating
• Adoption of catalyst substrate with ultra-low heat mass, super-ignition iridium spark plug and fast light-off O2 sensor control