Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32 and Mazda RX-7 FD3S: Two Cars That Led The 90’s Trend

Two cars led the 90’s sports car trend. The Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32 and the Mazda RX-7 FD3S released in 1991. So how are they alike and different?

Two cars from the Heisei era of Japan

The two cars, the Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32) and the Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) were both sports cars introduced at the dawn of the Heisei era.

The great ancestor of the RX-7, the RX-3, was the car that prevented the Skyline 2000GT-R KPGC10 from winning 50 consecutive races at the 6th Fuji Tourist Trophy in December 1971. I am pretty sure that there are many people who saw the rivalry between these two because of this episode.

BNR32 and FD3S
BNR32 and FD3S

Although they were both sports cars, the Skyline GT-R was more power-oriented and the RX-7 was lighter with more agility. Let’s look at the characteristics of the two cars.

Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32 (Introduced August 1989)

Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32
Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32

The eighth-generation Skyline was introduced in 1989, and the GT-R model was also included in the lineup.

This was the first time the GT-R name was revived since the fourth-generation Skyline GT-R, known by the catchphrase “Ken and Mary’s Skyline”, “ken-meri” for short.

The R32 GT-R came with an RB26DETT 2.6-liter inline-6 twin-turbo engine boasting a maximum output of 280 hp mated with a 5-speed transmission. The car also featured an innovative technology called “ATTESA E-TS”, which brought the car a great performance with the four-wheel drive system. 5-link suspensions were mounted on both front and rear.

Its body style was based on the 2-door coupe model with featuring additional wide fenders to accommodate wider tires, a special front bumper, and a larger rear spoiler.

“When the R32 GT-R was announced, I immediately ordered one. I think it was the most popular car at that time. The car had great power with comfort features, and I thought that we were entering the new Heisei era with this new type of a car.”, says an owner who previously owned an R32 GT-R.

“As for the RX-7, to be honest, I didn’t really care for it. I couldn’t accept its slender and naive image, and at the time I thought that the GT-R was the most powerful car. I didn’t have much of a driving technique, so I guess I was more concerned with my self-esteem that I was driving the best car rather than the car’s performance itself.

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In 1993, the R33 model was introduced, but Nissan continued to sell the R32 GT-R until the introduction of the final “GT-R V-spec II” model in November 1994. Since then, the GT-R moved on to the R33 in 1995, the R34 in 1999, and the R35 in 2007.

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Two models representing the Heisei era