When Nissan took over the Prince car company in 1966, it inherited the Skyline model range of mid size family cars. Nissan incorporated the Skyline range into it's own, and have continued the model to date (with many redesigns along the way!).
In 1971, a high performance 2 door Skyline was introduced, the 2000 GT-R. This is the version represented by this fine Kyosho model. In many ways this car puts me in mind of a Japanese Lotus Cortina. Both cars were great performers with 2 door bodyshells and highly tuned engines, and both were based on humble family type cars. This Skyline has an advanced for its day 2 litre straight six 24 valve engine, giving it a great turn of speed. The same engine was found in the Fairlady Z432R and in the rally versions of the 240Z. Other neat period performance touches include all black steel wheels with no hubcaps or wheel trims (but Kyosho have painted the wheel nuts silver), a small bootlid spoiler, twin headlamps, plastic wheelarch extenders at the rear, bucket seats, a three spoke steering wheel and an extra large fuel tank.
Competition versions of this car enjoyed great success in Japanese Touring car racing. Kyosho also make the racecar version which I have in my collection too. The descendants of this car have also distinguished themselves in Touring Car racing and the latest version, the Skyline R34 GTR, is a cult car worldwide.
I rate this model very highly, as it is well made with a lovely silver paint job, a detailed interior, engine bay and boot, and it has lots of nice touches such as the aforementioned painted wheel nuts and "GT-R" badging on the grill and rear end. It looses some marks as it lacks the latest in model car door hinge design (making do with a single "dog leg" hinge, and perhaps the underside of the boot and bonnet lids could have been painted a different colour to the bodywork. Brake detail is pretty basic but the front end gets silver discs with rudimentary callipers and the rear brakes appear to be drums. Given that you can't see the brakes through the almost solid wheels, Kyosho deserves credit for including brake detail on this model.
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