Here's What The Nissan 'GT-R' Model Name Means

Some may only know the Nissan GT-R as it currently exists in the United States — as a four-seat, 565-horsepower, all-wheel-drive, $121,000 track-munching monster. Others may know it as the Skyline, a name that refers to a long history of vehicles spanning two automakers and 70 years of manufacturing. Maybe your familiarity with the GT-R goes as far as its major roles in Hollywood films such as "The Fast and the Furious," — but the GT-R is so much more than just a movie star.

While Nissan doesn't officially spell it out, most experts will tell you that the GT in GT-R stands for Gran Turismo or Grand Touring. "What's a GT car?" you might ask. While the definitions vary depending on which automaker you ask, for the most part, a GT car is comfortable, typically high-horsepower, and adept at long highway journeys.

With its powerful turbocharged six-cylinder engine and relatively quiet highway ride, the GT-R certainly fits that bill. What about the R? Well, that stands for Racing or Racecar. The GT-R has blistering acceleration, super-grippy handling, and plenty of trophies to stand behind that part of its name. Put them together, and what have you got? Gran Turismo Racing.

Technically, the GT-R's roots go back to even before Nissan existed. Prince Motor Company produced the original Skyline in the late 1950s and a version called the GT Skyline in the 1960s. After Nissan and Prince Motors merged in 1966, the GT-R name was introduced with the debut of the first Nissan Skyline GT-R at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1969.

Originally, the Skyline GT-R was a four-door sedan. Many versions of the standard Skyline existed over the years, including sedans and wagons, but the GT-R was the high-performance leader of the pack.

A two-door version of the GT-R was introduced in 1970 with the model designation of KPGC10. According to "Cult of GT-R" by Ryan ZumMallen, it had an inside nickname. "Hako," the Japanese word for boxy, and "sukarain," a type of mountain road, were combined to give it the moniker Hakosuka.

The GT-R's performance focus earned it several nicknames over the years, all part of cementing its legacy on the racetrack and in performance testing. According to "Cult of GT-R," another famous nickname for the GT-R popped up in the 1990s when an Australian magazine put the R32 GT-R on its cover titled "Godzilla on Wheels" — a nickname that still exists today. When the current-generation GT-R (the R35) debuted in 2007, virtually every magazine cover or review included some reference to the movie monster.

Technically, the R35 Nissan GT-R is the only variant of the Skyline we've ever received in the United States. Previous generations were restricted to overseas markets, leaving U.S. buyers to lust over their expertly engineered powertrains like the RB26DETT and hang-up bedroom posters graced with the GT-R's gaping grill. The current GT-R's impressive performance, however, has helped it solidify its place in history and live up to the GT-R name.