Little brother Skyline

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

German carmakers Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen have an unofficial agreement: they electronically limit the top speed of their premium production models to 250 km/h, or 155 mph. Porsche isn't a party to it.

The Japanese have a similar agreement, but with more red tape. It limits not so much the top speed of high-performance cars but the engine's power. The industry standard in Japan is around 205kW (275 bhp), give or take a kilowatt or two.

For example, lickety-split cars like the Subaru Impreza STi, the Mitsubishi Evo VI and VR4 Galant stick to the standard. The Nissan Skyline GT-R - named Godzilla for the way it demolished everything in its path on racetracks in the early 1990s - sneaks past the standard, producing 206kW. So does the luxury Lexus LS400, with 209kW.

Now there's another car with 206kW. It's Godzilla's stablemate, the two-door Skyline GT with four-wheel steering. Nissan New Zealand launched it in the rain on the roads around Rotorua the other day, a year after it made the GT-R available on special order.

But though the GT looks like the GT-R Godzilla, "it acts, sounds and drives like a Maxima," says Nissan product development manager Peter Merrie.

"It's a different car altogether to the GT-R. Whereas the GT-R is a beast, at its best with constant input from the driver, the GT is much more user-friendly, quieter and easier to drive.

"But it's still very quick. I can't recall the official zero to 100 km/h time but it does it in under six seconds. And the car has a lot of very good technology."

There are other important differences. The four-wheel-drive GT-R is powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.6-litre straight-six engine. The two-wheel-drive GT uses a 2.5-litre straight-six boosted by a single turbocharger.

The GT-R costs $129,995 - the GT costs $64,495 for the five-speed manual and $65,995 for the four-speed automatic with a manual function Nissan calls Dualmatic.

"We've been pleased with the response to the GT-R, but it does have a very select appeal," says Nissan sales and marketing director John Manley. "With the GT we can offer a striking performance car to a wider section of the market."

The Skyline R34 range was launched in Japan in May 1998 and received its first facelift a couple of months ago.

"We could have launched the GT turbo earlier in the year," Manley says, "but we decided to wait until the facelift model was available."

Improvements to the GT's engine include a 6 per cent increase in torque, now 363Nm at 3200 rpm thanks to better mid-range oomph from the variable valve system. The gear shift action is more precise, with shorter lever travel.

The car's peak power of 206kW comes in at 6400 rpm and is fed to the rear wheels with the aid of a limited-slip differential and traction control system.

Nissan says the GT has surprisingly nimble handling thanks to the four-wheel steering system, the large footprint from the 225/45 ZR17 tyres and the multi-link front and rear suspension, the same basic design as that used on the GT-R.

The electronically controlled four-wheel steering system uses sensors to monitor the steering wheel angle and change of direction.

At moderate speeds when turning into corners, the rear wheels briefly turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels, creating sharper turn-in. The rear wheels then turn in the same direction as the front wheels. At higher speeds the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels.

Nissan says the system provides faster response, greater vehicle control and improved straight-line stability.

Large ventilated disc brakes with four piston calipers at the front and twin piston calipers at the rear look after the car's stopping power.

Standard equipment includes climate control air-conditioning, electric windows, remote control central locking incorporating a security system and engine immobiliser.

The door mirrors are electrically adjustable and there are variable intermittent front wipers. The stereo/CD player has its aerial built into the rear window.

Comprehensive instrumentation includes a voltmeter, oil temperature, oil pressure and turbo boost gauges.

The muscular-looking body is set off with 17-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, door handles and mirrors, a rear spoiler and front air dam.

The driver's sports seat has independent height adjustment for the front and rear of the squab, while the leather-covered steering wheel is tilt adjustable.

The safety package includes dual airbags, ABS anti-lock brakes with brake assist, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, anti-intrusion beams in the doors and impact absorption zones front and rear. Powerful xenon headlights complement the GT's hustling performance.