Nissan Skyline GT-R

My passion for cars dates back to my childhood. In fact, my key drive for working extremely hard in my academic work was in order to get a decent job so that I could purchase one. Nevertheless, I had not settled on my dream car because every time I saw a new car, I thought that it was even better than the one I had seen earlier. However, I had a change of mind when I paid a visit to my brother who worked in Tokyo, Japan, in 2000 after completing college. Every moment I spent in Japan was impressive; I really enjoyed learning the new Japanese culture. Most importantly, I had an opportunity to get behind the wheel of Nissan Skyline GT-R R34. For numerous years, the Skyline range has been linked to high-tech cars, and Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 that was released in 1999 did not disappoint (Gorodji, 2008). Having largely borrowed from its predecessor, R33, R34 offers the user an amazing and memorable driving experience. Being able to drive the car, especially at the time when many people were uninformed of its existence, let alone owning it, made me feel very lucky. This paper describes my first experience with Nissan Skyline GT-R R34.

Being a fresh graduate from college, my next assignment was to get a job in order to be able to help my parents back in the United States, to afford the basic necessities I needed, and most importantly, to be able to afford a nice car. I got employed by a local track/car dealer to do menial jobs. Even though the job was far below my expectation, it offered me an opportunity to see and even drive different cars. I was able to see various, numerous cars, both European and Japanese; most of which I had not seen prior to my Japan visit. As I anticipated, the technology was incredible; for instance, the in-car TV systems, GPS, the vehicles that had retro styling, as well as active suspension systems among others (Gorodji, 2008). Among all the cars in the shop, one car was very conspicuous; it was the Skyline. A relative of the owner of the dealership had bought himself a second-hand Skyline GT-R and everybody at the shop waited for its arrival with excitement. When I eventually saw the car, I was not really excited by the way its exterior and interior looked. In my opinion, it resembled any other Japanese car at that time, simply basic and boring. In fact, my employer, alongside the other employees at the dealership realized how disappointed I was with the machine. I guess my boss wanted me to have a real feel of being behind the wheel of Nissan Skyline GT-R R34; he handed the car keys, telling me to go for a ride. I was to realize later that the excitement was underneath the car’s conservative skin. This was no ordinary opportunity and no sensible person would let it pass; so I quickly consented to the ride. The machine had all the pieces of technology conceivable during those days, from an all wheel drive, four steering wheel, twin turbo, active suspension, to multiple valves (Gorodji, 2008).

When I started the engine of the car, everything was normal and the inside of the car felt calm and quiet, and it was easy for one to underestimate its performance capability. However, after covering a few miles on the road, the twin turbo rolled up and even before I could think, the car was moving at insane speeds. There was no wheel spin, leave alone a tire chirp; it was simply pure jet-like acceleration. It seemed to me that Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 had a racing heritage (Gorodji & Gorodji, 2010). When the moment came to turn, it seemed like the car flouted all physics laws. Irrespective of the gear that I turned, the car accelerated tremendously. The feeling was amazing and the ride was comfortable. At some point I thought that everything was just a dream. I must confess that driving the car without putting much effort was very amazing, which makes me understand why everybody at the dealership was excited about its arrival. When my ride came to an end, I felt unwilling to give the vehicle back to the rightful owner, but I had to do it anyway. A few hours I spent with the machine seemed like eternity; I felt like loosing a part of me by letting it go. It is vital to state that even if I had driven several cars prior to driving Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, none of those cars compared to the Skyline in terms of performance. It is also felt altogether bigger, tougher and heavier compared to other cars.

The car will forever remain one of the Japanese showcases of brilliance, engineering and excellence. One of the things that set this masterpiece apart from other cars is its technically sophisticated four-wheel steer/ drive that is able to cling to a twisty road, thus making the user very confident and comfortable (Butler, 2005). In addition, I was amazed at the large following the car had on the streets of Tokyo. The noise from the car’s exhaust pipe always turned people’s heads wherever I went. Several times while I was stuck in traffic, different people asked if I could stop so that they can take pictures of the car; the attention was simply overwhelming.

In conclusion, the Skyline GT-R R34 is an amazing car that offers the rider an unforgettable and amazing driving experience, though its exterior and interior looks a bit tacky and ordinary, everything else about this car is awesome, from its performance, handling to acceleration (Butler, 2005). I challenge every person who has not had an opportunity to drive this car to make an effort to have a feel of its comfort and amazing experience. The car has a special connection with the driver, so that when driving, one feels relaxed, confident and at home, making it possible to enjoy the ride. Though several new and better cars have been produced since then, the Skyline GT-R R34 will forever remain a part of me as a reminder of my experience with it in Japan.