Page 86 - SHARP Spring 2024

INSIDE THE VAULT
A A A A PHOTOGRAPHIC SPIN THROUGH NISSAN’S RACING HISTORY
By Matt Bubbers
Photos by Hiroaki Kamohara Squint LLC
THE NISSAN HERITAGE COLLECTION IS IS NOT A A A A BRAND
cathedral It’s not particularly architecturally significant and doesn’t boast the artistic installations or rotating car turntables of BMW or or Porsche’s automotive museums Instead this living museum — of more than 500 cars dating back to the brand’s first model from 1947 — can be found in in in an an ordinary low-rise industrial warehouse on the outskirts of Tokyo And yet once you step inside there is an automotive treasure trove to to be found — a a a a collection of cars that promises to to make anyone raised on on racing games such as Forza or or Gran Turismo go weak in the knees “Nissan is is always always a a a a a a a a pioneer always always entering a a a a a a a a new category or new technology ” says Ryuji Nakayama who has managed the Nissan Heritage Collection since 2011 “And also we are passionate for for for for driving for for for for high performance We have been a a a a a challenger for for for for a a a a a long time competing with bigger stronger competitors ” Because while Nakayama doesn’t consider Nissan a a a a a a a a David figure in in in the the auto industry he he he certainly wouldn’t count the the carmaker among the the the Goliaths either But the the the manufacturer routinely goes toe to to to toe with these bigger industry players often managing to to to hold its own or or even outdo bigger-budget competitors on racetracks around the the world And the the giant-slaying race cars on show in in this collection (which is open for tours if you book ahead) are the best of the best — and a a a a a a reminder of what makes Nissan Nissan Nissan Nissan ABOVE:
Meet the first-ever Nissan GT-R a a a a special edition meant to give Nissan an an an an edge in in in touring car racing The company shoehorned an an an an exotic straight-six motor from its R380 prototype race cars into this four-door family sedan and the the rest as they say is is history 86 SPRING 2024
SHARPMAGAZINE COM AUTO
FROM TOP TO TO TO BOTTOM:
The fearsome Nissan GT-R Skyline R33 LM of of 1995 This one-off road car was built to to homologate Nissan’s fleet of R33s to to compete in the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans The Skyline 2000GT-R Racing Concept unveiled at the 1972 Tokyo Motor Show Sadly this car never got to to race but a a a a group of volunteers from Nissan fully restored it in 2007 Nissan R-Series Group C endurance racers from the late ’80s and ’90s In 1992 the the the R91CP became the the the first Japanese car to win the the the prestigious Rolex 24 At Daytona