Explore the GT-R family tree

If our post-show blog's anything to go by, you're all rather impressed by the Nissan GT-R

And rightly so. It goes faster than cars many pounds more expensive than it - namely the XKR-S, which, at £97,000 is £27,050 pricier - and it makes Jeremy's face wonky.

So to celebrate this daft, visceral machine's appearance on the show, we've traced the brief history of the GT-R letters under Nissan's rather excellent stewardship.

Some cars may seem unfamiliar, because the earlier models were only built for Japan's domestic market. Nevertheless, we want them all.

The C10 Skyline launched in July 1968 and, after its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in autumn that year, the GT-R appeared in February 1969. The engine - named S20 - is a high-performance DOHC 24-valver that's famed for its 200km/h top speed and ability to cover 400m from a standing start in 16.1 seconds. Nice.

The next-gen C110 Skyline spawned a GT-R version in 1973. Only 197 units were produced before stricter exhaust emission regulations came into force. This was the last mass-production GT-R to be built until the R32 in '89.

OK, so the eagle-eyed may have noticed that this isn't actually a GT-R. But it deserves a mention. Here's why. Firstly, GTS-R is nearly GT-R. Secondly, the seventh-gen Skyline (R31) - which launched in August 1985 - was the first to reintroduce a six-cylinder DOHC engine after the discontinued C110. In May ‘86, the coupe GTS appeared then in August 1987 the coupe GTS-R came along, which had an engine based on Group A race specifications.

In May ‘89 the eighth-generation Skyline was launched and, later that year, the GT-R badge was revived after 16 years. The R32 featured a straight six, DOHC, 2.6-litre engine, electronically controlled 4WD torque splitter and four-wheel multilink suspension. It holds the honor of not losing a single race in the All Japan Championships.

The ninth-gen Skyline (R33) was launched in August 1993, but it took a while for the GT-R to come along. After its display in autumn ‘93 at the 30th Tokyo Motor Show, it was finally launched in January 1995.

Built as a homologation special so NISMO could take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this rather special thing was actually offered for sale, though never marketed. The car pictured was registered in the UK. Don't race it at the lights. You will lose.

Launched in January 1999, the R34 model Skyline GT-R was the first to feature an LCD screen with the now-legendary lateral g-meter display. There was also a turbocharged 2.6-litre six-cylinder engine and six-speed manual gearbox.

It doesn't bare the Skyline name, but the R35 GT-R's more than a distant relative. Like the R32, R33 and R34 GT-R, it's four-wheel drive with a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine (albeit in a v configuration, not inline). It's been tinkered with already since its European launch in 2009 - the new model's been boosted to 530 bhp.