The NISMO 400R is one of the rarest, most valuable Skylines in existence. Just 44 examples of this R33 GT-R were built in the mid-1990s, although millions got the chance to drive one (virtually) thanks to its appearance in Gran Turismo on the Sony PlayStation. It cost three times that of a standard GT-R when it was new and now values are in the seven figures.
As such, the chances to get behind the wheel of one are vanishingly small, but Henry Catchpole has been allowed to drive one properly on track. It is an extraordinary chassis with ATTESA ETS-Pro and Super HICAS making it incredibly, almost unnervingly agile but also fabulous fun once you get acclimatised. It’s a car that you have to drive hard and slide in order for it to make sense.
The engine produces 400 horsepower and is 2.8-litres in size, both facts that make it unusual. It has long been asserted that the turbocharged straight six was originally developed for Le Mans, but in this film we dispel that myth. There is, however, a link between Le Mans and the wonderful set of gauges hiding in the glovebox…
Watch more Episodes of The Driver’s Seat
The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the Range Rover Sport SV
The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the Lamborghini Revuelto
The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the Honda NSX-R
