‘Fast & Furious’ Nissan Skyline going to auction
On the eve of the release of Fast X, tenth film in the ‘Fast & Furious’ series, Bonhams announced the auction of a special car from an earlier instalment in the globally successful film franchise.
In a one-lot, week-long online auction that gets underway on 28 April, Bonhams will offer a 2000-model Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R that featured in Fast & Furious 4, was driven by the late Paul Walker in the movie and also used for promotional stills.
Released in 2009, Fast & Furious 4 (aka Fast & Furious) followed a similar formula to the previous films, and while it was released after The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, the events depicted preceded that film.
Returning characters included Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) and Han Lue (Sung Kang), while the plot revolved around the still-on-the-run Toretto crossing paths with FBI agent O’Conner again, the pair reuniting to bring down a Mexican drug lord
Of the 200+ vehicles that were purchased, hired or built for the film, the R34 Skyline GT-R that’s to be auctioned featured in a sequence where O’Conner is sourcing vehicles from an FBI impound lot to use in a high stakes street race. The Bayside Blue R34 is one of three GT-Rs O’Conner selects and sees the most action, including a drawn-out race through the streets of Los Angeles that’s won by Toretto.
A later scene where cars are smuggling drugs through tunnels under the US-Mexico border sees the Skyline blown up, but that was one of several stunt cars mocked up to resemble the original, genuine GT-R that’s being offered at the Bonhams auction.
This car started its off-screen life in Japan as a 2000-model Series 2 R34 GT-R and was imported into the US by Kaizo Industries, using a loophole that allowed the RHD vehicle to be brought in as a ‘kit car,’ sans engine. Once in the US, a correct twin-turbo RB26 2.6-litre engine was hooked up to the Getrag six-speed manual gearbox, with other modifications made to meet US Department of Transport standards.
By this stage, Walker was a bona fide revhead and had Daryl Alison of Kaizo Industries further modify the Skyline GT-R to his own specification for filming on Fast & Furious 4. Additions and upgrades included a Turbonetics front-mount intercooler, ARC strut brace, Nismo exhaust, Nismo lowering springs, a custom roll cage and Rotora brake upgrade (six-piston front, four-piston rear calipers).
External cosmetic changes included a set of Volk Racing RE30 19-inch wheels, East Bear bonnet and a Nismo bumper and side skirts. Walker also requested this car not be a “Sticker Bomb,” so there’s none of the lairy graphics seen in the earlier films. Indeed, the car has no JDM-style decals at all, accentuating the impact of the Bayside Blue paint.
Inside, a pair of customised OMP racing seats with five-point harnesses were fitted up front and the rear seat deleted. A Momo sport steering wheel was added, along with Nismo V-Spec pedals, a Sony head unit, custom head-up display and MFD Xenarc monitor connected to the car’s ECU to display vital engine information.
Described as the only true Skyline R34 GT-R used the film (the others being mock-ups based on RWD, non-turbo Skyline GT-Ts), this car was the ‘hero’ car, driven by Paul Walker in close-ups and used for promotional photos, including one of the late star sitting on the bonnet.
Some time after filming of Fast & Furious 4 was completed, this car was seized by US authorities in a dispute over its road legality. It became the subject of a legal battle that wouldn’t be resolved until 2012, after which it was exported to Germany and became a display car at the Motorworld Museum in Munich, where it remains today.
As it has never been registered in Europe, this Skyline R34 GT-R comes to auction mostly untouched from its movie days, including a seat position that’s said to be unaltered from when Walker last sat in it. While the car is described as running, a long period as a static display vehicle means some recommissioning work would be required by the next owner.
Bonhams describe this Skyline R34 GT-R as “one of the most notable vehicles from the most celebrated automotive film franchise of all time,” adding “This street racer merits every superlative accolade and represents the opportunity to own a genuine piece of cinematic and automotive history.”
Bidding for the online auction opens on 28 April and closes 5 May. For more details, go to: bonhams.com
