2024: year of the R34? Japanese legend can now be legally imported into the US

At long last! North American JDM fanatics can finally import the legendary Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R into the US of A, though this does create an interesting predicament for buyers: opt for a now 25-year-old cult hero, or wait for the impending arrival of the R36.

The GT-R lineage first began in 1969 with the PGC10, but the badge didn’t truly take off until the monstrous third-generation R32 arrived and set fire to the Japanese Grand Touring Championship by winning all 29 of the races it entered over a four-year period. The R33 which followed wasn’t half bad either, and from its foundations came the unicorn-like LM.

Arguably, though, the GT-R’s zenith came with the R34. Built between 1999 and 2002 (and between 2003 and 2007 in Z-Tune form), the R34 became an instant pop culture icon with its role in 2 Fast 2 Furious as the late Paul Walker’s big introduction car. And the one he proceeds to jump over an A80 Toyota Supra with.

Powered by the same 2.6-litre inline-six engine (RB26) as its two immediate forebears, the R34 produces a sumptuous howl that’s instantly recognisable to the archetypal Japanese sports car enthusiast. Turbo flutters are plentiful too, so prepare to gurn like a child.

Though its output was limited to around 276bhp and 289lb ft of torque - meaning the R34 remained pretty much par for the course with anything emanating from Great Nihon at the time - this engine had an incredible amount of tuning potential. Pretty soon, this meant R34s became the street kings of the underground Daikoku car scene.

Plenty of nifty tech which hints towards the R34’s intentions as a genuine performance machine also resides inside. The 5.8in display, for instance, features real-time engine data and vehicle telemetry, including temperatures and readings. Yes, you do indeed get one of those super cool boost gauges which indicates your turbocharger pressure. And no, it won’t ever go out of fashion.

Sadly (and as with most Japanese sports cars from this era), very few examples remain unmolested, so anyone genuinely interested in importing one should leave some room for compromise. If you want a factory-fresh Nissan, it might have to be the Juke instead. 

This is a prime example of what you can expect to find and duly import, which in itself is expected to cost anywhere from $2,500 to an offering of your left kidney depending on location, shipping container type and delivery time.

North American fans have been waiting an eternity for this to happen, and with a substantial quantity of R34s still roaming around Japan’s used car wilderness waiting to be rehomed and restored, is 2024 set to be the year of the R34? Quite possibly.