- Electric motors and a 62 kWh battery from a Leaf Nismo power the 90s icon
- The project leader wants future generations to experience this unique impulse
- The electrical performance equals the 280 HP of the original.
In a move that will have purists furiously tapping their keyboards, a veteran Nissan electric vehicle powertrain engineer has made it his personal mission to electrify arguably the Japanese brand’s most iconic car: the R32 Skyline GT. R.
That’s right, the high-performance machine that is intrinsically linked to the best-selling model. Grand Tourism The series has had its 2.6-litre twin-turbo heart removed and replaced with a pair of 160kW electric motors that now drive each axle.
But far from being an exercise to generate buzz on numerous internet forums, electric vehicle powertrain engineer Ryozo Hiraku believes it is important to “replicate the appeal of the R32 GT-R so that future generations can experience it.”
In short, Hiraku essentially admits that modern EVs lack that special something that makes a classic like the Skyline a joy to drive, no matter what decade you were born in.
Additionally, with most traditional automakers (including Nissan) having committed to an all-electric future, it may soon not be possible for staff to embark on projects that aim to rescue combustion engine heroes. from the past. There simply won’t be the resources to do it.
The R32 GT-R project itself was a serious undertaking, with the team completely dismantling the ’90s sports car and creating 3D renderings of individual parts, because, as Hiraku points out, CAD didn’t really exist in early the 90s.
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What’s more, team members carefully synthesized the original vehicle’s engine note and inserted the soundtrack into the cabin to make it a more visceral driving experience.
Additionally, there is a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N style ‘shift shock’ that has been programmed into the paddle-mounted gearshift logic and which replicates the mechanical jerks experienced when shifting up or down through a mechanical gearbox. appropriate.
The rear seats were removed to make room for the Leaf Nismo’s battery, while larger brakes and rotors borrowed from an R35 GT-R were added to bolster the stopping power of this 367kg heavier machine. As a result, the custom wheels have grown from 16 to 18 inches to accommodate everything.
Apart from that, it is a faithful electric replica that aims to distill the spirit of the original car into something that can be enjoyed daily in a world that is increasingly moving towards electrification.
There are no plans to market a conversion kit, but instead project leader Ryozo Hiraku says it is important to “safeguard” the legacy of cars like the R32 GT-R for future generations and this could be a way to do it.
Analysis: Electrifying classics are a trend that is catching on
An increasing number of companies are emerging that specialize in ensuring that classic vehicles can remain usable by swapping their internal combustion engines for modern electric powertrains.
Electrogenic in the UK, for example, already makes ‘plug and play’ kits for the Mazda MX-5, stock Land Rovers, Jaguar E-Types, air-cooled Porsche 911s and the iconic DeLorean DMC-12, that I have driven. .
These kits are shipped to a certified installer on one platform, making the changeover relatively painless, quick, and almost affordable, while customers can go as crazy as they want with custom conversions, if their pockets are deep enough.
Owners of said classic can choose to store their internal combustion engine, in case they want to change it back, but the general idea is that it makes these iconic machines much easier to live with and usable in places like London, where they now There are strict emissions regulations. practically ban anything that produces CO2.
It’s a similar story in the United States, where companies like Gateway Bronco are adding powerful electric vehicle motors and battery packs to classic Ford Bronco 4x4s to surprising effect. Everrati is another company making waves in the resto-mod scene, electrifying everything from the Mercedes-Benz SL to an 800hp Ford GT40.
Electrifying celebrity automotive idols like this one are guaranteed to get used to, rather than being stored in a garage, museum or private collection, where they will never be able to do what they do best, causing passersby to stop in their tracks and look twice at a exterior that is has since disappeared thanks to today’s safety-focused automobile designs.
