Paul Walker-Driven Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 Breaks Record
The blue Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 driven by Paul Walker in Fast and Furious just sold at auction for $1.18 million. This price is enough to make it the highest ever for a Skyline R34 and is much more than anticipated for the car, despite its movie appearance.
In which installment of the movie franchise did this Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 appear?
Sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with the various titles the Fast and Furious movie franchise uses. You might think this title would have been used for the very first movie, but it was the fourth installment of these films and was released in 2009.
What makes this Skyline R34 special?
In addition to setting a new record for Nissan vehicles at auction, this Skyline R34 was driven by Paul Walker. Of course, this could be said of many cars in the run of movies. Still, this model was a little extra special.
Walker added a few special touches to this particular car. Most of the cars used in street races during these movies featured several stickers and sponsorship logos. That wasn’t the case for this Skyline. Walker insisted it remains sticker-free to showcase the clean lines of the R34 model. This car also received a new hood, Nismo bumper, and side skirts. Another detail ordered by Paul Walker that most would miss is the rear fog lights. These lights were changed from red to white lenses for a better appearance.
Very few Japanese cars have reached over the seven-figure mark
The Drive tells us this auction sale marks one of few times when Japanese-built cars have broken the seven-figure mark. The most expensive car sold is a Toyota 2000GT which hit $2.54 million in 2022 thanks to its connection to Carroll Shelby. The first models of the 2017 Acura NSX and Toyota GR Supra both broke the million-dollar threshold at $1.19 million and $2.1 million, respectively.
The Paul Walker-driven Skyline has a checkered past
In order to utilize the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 in the Fast and Furious, the movie franchise turned to Kaizo Industries to bring this car to America. The auctioned car is a version from model year 2000, which means it hasn’t passed the 25-year mark for import to the United States.
Kaizo Industries tried to get around this problem by importing several Skyline R34 models without engines, calling them kit cars. Upon arrival, the RB26 engines were installed. Unfortunately, the Skyline sold at auction was impounded by customs officials after filming ended. Eventually, the car was released and exported to the Netherlands.
How much power does this Fast and Furious car offer?
The Skyline R34 is supposed to be limited to 276 horsepower, based on a gentleman’s agreement made between Japanese automakers. This model breaks the rules and makes 550 horsepower. It also includes a large front-mount intercooler and Nismo exhaust for more power and performance.
The movie history of this Nissan sports car is more than enough to expect it to fetch a high price, which is certainly the case. Strangely, while this car raked in the money, the classic orange Supra from the first Fast and Furious movie sold for only half as much, making for a head-scratching mystery.
