All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions, News

2000 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R driven by Paul Walker is for sale

After the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, driven by Paul Walker in the “Fast and Furious” film franchise, was offered for sale last year, another example of this car will soon be up for auction. This 2000 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R was also driven by the former actor, and the sale was announced by auction house Bonhams.

The car is painted in the legendary Bayside Blue, and Walker personally chose it for the fourth part of the popular franchise. Fans will remember how this car raced through the streets of Los Angeles with the BMW M5 (E39) and Nissan Silvia.

Walker was a big fan of this model, so he played a big role in the development and modification of this car, even down to the smallest details. JDM was imported from Japan, and Kaizo Industries prepared the RB26DETT engine. A Turbonetics intercooler, Nismo NE-1 exhaust system, custom roll cage, as well as ARC titanium struts, Nismo springs and Retora brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers are installed. This allowed the 2.6-liter twin-turbo engine to produce 500 hp (368 kW). As a reminder, the factory model has 276 hp (206 kW). Power is transmitted to all four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission with rear differential and limited traction. It is mounted on 19-inch Volk Racing RE30 wheels.

Inside, the standard steering wheel has been replaced by a Momo steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara. The rear seats have been removed to reduce weight, and up front there are two OMP racing seats with five-point seat belts. There is also a Sony sound system, head-up display and MFD Xenarc Display unit.

Walker paid attention to detail and refused to use any decals in order to maintain a “clean look”. The car was seized by US customs due to the fact that it was never actually officially sold in the US. In 2012, it was returned to Japan, and then transported to Germany.

The car’s history is unknown from the time it was in Japan. However, it is currently in excellent condition. The auction will be held 28 April – 5 May 2023.

Gallery:

2000 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R driven by Paul Walker is for sale

Source: Bonhams

Auctions, News

1997 Ferrari F355 Spider is up for auction

In the 90s, Ferrari introduced its first car with an electronically powered automated manual soft-top, the Ferrari F355 Spider. It was produced until 1999, and 3,717 units left the production lines, of which 2,664 were produced with the 6-speed manual transmission. One of them, a 1997 Ferrari F355 Spider is up for auction.

The F355 Spider is powered by a 3.5-liter DOHC V8 engine with 375 hp (276 kW) and 268 lb-ft (363 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transaxle and a limited-slip differential. It reaches 62 mph in 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 183 mph (295 km/h). It is mounted on 18″ five-spoke magnesium wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

This copy is finished in black, has been properly maintained and is in good condition. It is equipped with pop-up headlights, fog lights, an integrated tailgate spoiler, quad exhaust outlets, a vented engine cover, air intakes on the doors and rocker panels and Ferrari-branded brake calipers with ventilated discs at each corner.

Inside, the sports seats are trimmed in beige Connolly leather that also covers the door panels, dashboard and center console. There’s also a leather-wrapped steering wheel behind which is a six-digit odometer showing 28,947 miles. Additional equipment includes a gated shifter, automatic climate control, an aftermarket Sony CD stereo, and drilled aluminum pedals.

The current owner completed the engine-out belt service in 2021, and the water pump and thermostat, drive belts, motor mounts, right-side radiator, spark plugs and wires, battery, clutch master cylinder, oxygen sensors and catalytic were also replaced. converters.

The car has a clean Carfax report that shows no accidents or other damage. It comes with a window sticker, service records, a convertible top boot, and a clean Arizona title in the seller’s name.

The auction ends on April 6th and the current highest bid is $55,000 USD.

Gallery:

1997 Ferrari F355 Spider is up for auction

Source: Bring a Trailer

EV, News

Nissan R32 EV Coming Soon

Nissan has announced that it is working on a unique R32 EV prototype, an electric version of one of its best cars, the R32 Skyline GT-R. It is based on the idea of one of Nissan’s engineers who joined Nissan precisely because of the GT-R model.

The standard Nissan R32 is powered by a 2.6L twin-turbo 6-cylinder engine with 316 hp (232 kW), but it was understated due to the Japanese car makers’ “gentlemen’s agreement” not to exceed 276 hp (203 kW). It was built to handle ~500 hp in racing trim, making it considered indestructible, which allowed tuners to add hundreds of horsepower. How popular the car actually is is shown by the fact that it was nicknamed “Godzilla”. It was also very successful which was transmitted to the road via a “very complicated” four-wheel drive. This car was extremely successful in motorsport and was nicknamed “Godzilla”.

“I want to make a more exciting car by giving my favorite model the latest electrification technology that I deal with,” said the unnamed engineer.

Whether the R32 EV project will simply be adding electrification to the Skyline’s internal combustion engine to create a hybrid despite the video showing the engine firing and running, as this could only mark the beginning of the prototype’s journey, is unknown.

Source: Nissan