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JDM · Fast & Furious cars · Nissan

Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 (BCNR33): specs, RB26 engine and what owners say

Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) in bright yellow, AI illustration

Skyline GT-R V-spec R33 (BCNR33) · 1995–1998

276horsepower
5.30–60 mph, sec

2.6-liter twin-turbo RB26DETT, 280 PS (276 hp), 5-speed, all-wheel drive. Japan only.

In the films

  • The Fast and the Furious (2001)Leon

    Leon, one of Dom’s crew, drives a bright yellow R33 GT-R. The film car started out white with black graphics, and years later it was seized and crushed in a VIN-tampering case.

Never sold new in the US. Never sold new in the US. Each car becomes legal to import under the 25-year rule once it is 25 years old by its month of build. The R33 GT-R went on sale in Japan in January 1995, so the first cars qualified in January 2020.

On this site: Skyline GT-R R34 · Nissan GT-R (R35, sold in the US)

Film facts are plain text from the sources listed: no film stills, logos or likenesses. The picture above is an AI illustration of a stock car, not the film car. Every JDM car

Sources
  1. Wikipedia: Nissan Skyline GT-R
  2. Motor Authority: The story behind Leo’s Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R from "The Fast and the Furious" (Sean Szymkowski, Oct 2019)
  3. Jalopnik: Japan wants you to stop buying all its Skyline GT-Rs (Ken Saito, Nov 2019)
  4. The Drive: The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is finally legal for U.S. import in January (Nico DeMattia, Dec 2023)

R33 (BCNR33) Skyline GT-R · 1995–1998

How fast is the Skyline GT-R?

Coupe, 1995–1998. 0–60 times are magazine tests where we have one, otherwise the maker's figure.

Skyline GT-R

1995–1998

276 hp280 PS at 6,800 rpm, Japan’s gentlemen’s agreement figure (JDM)

Torque
271 lb-ftat 4,400 rpm (368 Nm, JDM)
0–60 mph
5.1 sMotor Trend test
Gearbox
5-speed manual, all-wheel driveATTESA E-TS; the Pro system was optional
Weight
1,530 kg (3,373 lb)curb, JDM; Wikipedia gives 1,540 kg for the base car
Sources
  1. Nissan Heritage Collection: Skyline GT-R Nürburgring Time Attack (BCNR33) specifications
  2. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Jun 2023)
  3. 0-60specs.com: Nissan Skyline GT-R 0-60 runs by magazine (Motor Trend, Car and Driver)
  4. Wikipedia: Nissan Skyline GT-R
  5. Hagerty UK: Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 buyer’s guide (Alisdair Suttie, Sep 2025)

Skyline GT-R V-spec

1995–1998

276 hp280 PS at 6,800 rpm, Japan’s gentlemen’s agreement figure (JDM)

Stiffer suspension, the ATTESA E-TS Pro all-wheel-drive system and an active rear differential.

Torque
271 lb-ftat 4,400 rpm (368 Nm, JDM)
0–60 mph
5.3 sCar and Driver test
Gearbox
5-speed manual, all-wheel driveATTESA E-TS Pro with an active rear differential
Sources
  1. Nissan Heritage Collection: Skyline GT-R Nürburgring Time Attack (BCNR33) specifications
  2. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Jun 2023)
  3. 0-60specs.com: Nissan Skyline GT-R 0-60 runs by magazine (Motor Trend, Car and Driver)
  4. Wikipedia: Nissan Skyline GT-R
  5. Hagerty UK: Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 buyer’s guide (Alisdair Suttie, Sep 2025)

The engine: Nissan RB26DETT

Nissan RB26DETT engine, AI illustration

2.6-liter inline-6, twin-turbo

LayoutInline-6, DOHC 24-valve, iron block, aluminum head, belt-driven cams
Output280 PS (276 hp) at 6,800 rpm, 368 Nm (271 lb-ft) at 4,400 rpm in the R33
Bore x stroke86 x 73.7 mm, 2,568 cc
TurbosTwo turbos in parallel with ceramic turbine wheels; the R34 got ball-bearing units
ThrottlesSix individual throttle bodies instead of one

Engine's YouTube owner tone 52/100 (videos about the Nissan RB26DETT in every car that uses it, so it differs from this car's own tone below)

Nissan RB26DETT engine page →

Known issues

  • Ceramic turbine wheelsOutlet report

    The stock turbos have ceramic turbine wheels, which Wikipedia says are weak at high boost. PistonHeads warns that overspinning a turbo can break the wheel off its shaft, and that a noisy turbo points to worn bearings.

  • Oil pushed past the turbosOutlet report

    PistonHeads says crankcase pressure can push oil past the turbos into the intake, and too much oil in the head can starve the sump and spin a bearing. It says to change the oil at least every 6,000 miles.

  • Coil packs and misfiresOutlet report

    PistonHeads lists failing coil packs as an R34 weak spot, and names plugs, coil packs and airflow meters as the usual causes of poor running on the R33.

Engine sources
  1. Nissan Heritage Collection: Skyline GT-R Nürburgring Time Attack (BCNR33) specifications
  2. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Jun 2023)
  3. Wikipedia: Nissan RB engine
  4. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Mar 2020)

What owners say on YouTube

50This car's YouTube owner tone, out of 100 · videos about this generation only (the engine's tone above covers every car with that engine)

Owners praise

Looks20%
Power and acceleration8%
Handling and steering8%
Everyday comfort7%

Owners complain about

Rust7%
Fuel pump / fuel system6%

Share of the 166 most-watched Skyline GT-R videos that praise or criticize each topic (a praise or trouble word near it in the title or transcript).

Most-watched videos

Old Top Gear 1996 - Nissan Skyline R33 GTRDeano Clarke · 1.2M views1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec (R33) Start Up, Exhaust, and In Depth ReviewSaabkyle04 · 1.1M viewsNismo R33 GTR | 4KHartnett Media · 944K views

Should you buy a Skyline GT-R?

  • YouTube likes the 1998 best (50/100).
  • Repair costs: we don't have owner-reported repair costs for the Skyline GT-R yet.
  • Never sold new in the US, so NHTSA has no owner complaints or recalls for the Skyline GT-R. Imports: check the car's history and paperwork before you buy.
All sources (10)
  1. Nissan Heritage Collection: Skyline GT-R Nürburgring Time Attack (BCNR33) specifications Nissan
  2. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Jun 2023) outlet
  3. 0-60specs.com: Nissan Skyline GT-R 0-60 runs by magazine (Motor Trend, Car and Driver) magazine tests, aggregated
  4. Wikipedia: Nissan Skyline GT-R Wikipedia
  5. Hagerty UK: Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 buyer’s guide (Alisdair Suttie, Sep 2025) outlet
  6. Wikipedia: Nissan RB engine Wikipedia
  7. PistonHeads: Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 PH used buying guide (Tony Middlehurst, Mar 2020) outlet
  8. Motor Authority: The story behind Leo’s Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R from "The Fast and the Furious" (Sean Szymkowski, Oct 2019) outlet
  9. Jalopnik: Japan wants you to stop buying all its Skyline GT-Rs (Ken Saito, Nov 2019) outlet
  10. The Drive: The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is finally legal for U.S. import in January (Nico DeMattia, Dec 2023) outlet

Quick answers

How fast is the Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec?

The R33 (BCNR33) Skyline GT-R V-spec makes 276 hp and 271 lb-ft. Car and Driver measured 0–60 mph in 5.3 seconds.

What engine does the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) have?

The R33 (BCNR33) Skyline GT-R (1995–1998) uses the Nissan RB26DETT, a 2.6-liter inline-6, twin-turbo.

Which Fast and Furious movie is the Skyline GT-R in?

The Fast and the Furious (2001): Leon, one of Dom’s crew, drives a bright yellow R33 GT-R. The film car started out white with black graphics, and years later it was seized and crushed in a VIN-tampering case.

Was the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) sold in the US?

No. Never sold new in the US. Each car becomes legal to import under the 25-year rule once it is 25 years old by its month of build. The R33 GT-R went on sale in Japan in January 1995, so the first cars qualified in January 2020.

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