A piece of Japanese racing history has found a new home. 1987 nissan skyline “Type HR31” GTS-R nismo Group A, known as the first Skyline to wear the iconic Calsonic livery, recently Bonhams cars‘ scottsdale auction. Chassis HR31-128388 is said to be the only surviving Nismo Calsonic GTS-R, making it an exceptional acquisition for any collector.
The GTS-R was programmed by Kazuyoshi Hoshino’s Impul/Nismo team and competed in the 1988 and 1989 Japan Touring Car Championship (JTCC). With drivers such as Moto Kitano, Takao Wada and Hoshino, it achieved notable results, including a victory and multiple pole positions at the Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land Raceway in the 1989 season. The chassis also introduced the now blue-and-white Karsonic livery later immortalized by the R32 GT-R “Godzilla”.
The car completes its 30-year private series in 2024. Highlights include a complete rebuild of the RB20DET-R Engine by Nismo engineers, restoration of its magnesium intake manifold and refined recreation. Calsonic livery. The transmission, brake hydraulics and air jack were also checked and flushed to return the car to track-ready condition.
This beautifully restored GTS-R represents an important milestone in Nissan’s automotive history and is priced at $201,600.