Does Nissan Still Make The RB26 Engine?

If it ain't broke don't fix it — or at least don't stop manufacturing it. That appears to be the lesson for Nissan as it gradually resumes production of the RB26 engine, also known as RB26DETT. This engine had earned high acclaim and legendary status after powering three generations of the Nissan Skyline GT-R Godzilla — rightfully earning the nickname "Heart of Godzilla." The Japanese automaker phased out this engine with the arrival of the updated GT-R model late last decade. 

However, demand for the engine has been reignited since the launch of the company's new Nismo Heritage Parts Program midway through 2018. Initially created as a source of repair and replacement parts for the R32 GT-R, the organization has expanded to also cover components for the R32, R33, and R34. As of 2019 Nissan announced that the Nismo Heritage Parts Program would carry core RB26 engine components as standalone parts, allowing consumers to customize and build their own version of the engine. The company has stated that the program will continue to expand the scope of its service as members of GT-R community become more involved. 

Introduced in the late '80's the RB26 quickly set a reputation as a tough, 2.0-liter 6-cylinder powerhouse of a motor that propelled the R32 (1989 – 1994), the R33 (1995 – 1998), and the R34 (1999 – 2002) Nissan GT-R Skyline models. The latter iteration of this model went on to achieve international recognition after its debut in popular franchises like the video game "Gran Turismo" and the blockbuster series "The Fast & The Furious." While the Skyline model had been in production worldwide since 1957, this custom GT-R trim was only available in Japan at a time when Japanese automakers were making great strides in engineering such as maximizing engine power without resorting to severe displacement increases. 

When looking at the individual components of the RB26 it's clear to see how this robust engine lived up to its racing and motorsports heritage. Designed for tuning versatility and to achieve max performance efficiency the motor consists of a cylinder with no oil port, two parallel turbochargers, and six individual throttle bodies. The RB26 is capable of reaching up to 375 – 400 horsepower yet maintained durable functionality at speed because of the additional technical additives like sodium exhaust valves. Reaching 266 lb-ft of torque at 4400 revolutions per minute complete with aluminum head and oil-cooled pistons, the RB26 is a tour-de-force in the motorsports industry that elevated the standard for all competitors. 

So while Nissan may not be selling the RB26 engine in its entirety, it has started manufacturing parts of the engine allowing customers to build their own version of the legendary RB26. At the moment Nismo Heritage Parts is only offering these components of the RB26 engine for purchase to local consumers in the Japanese domestic markets.

So far, the current list of available RB26 parts include the engine block, harness, exhaust system, and fuel pump assembly. The RB26 cylinder block and head are currently listed on the Nismo Heritage Parts website at 366,100 JPY and 294,200 JPY (which converts to $2,381.23 and $1,913.57 at the time of this writing) respectively.

Despite the limited scope in sale this is still welcome news to North American consumers because models like the R33 GT-R are reaching their 25-year limit (15-year limit in Canada) of the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act, which prohibits the import of vehicles manufactured outside of the U.S. unless they are considered "historic cars" or surpass the term limit. Now that the actual engine parts are returning to the market — albeit in limited capacity — it will still be easier and cost-effective for owners and collectors to maintain their GT-R Skyline models. Hopefully Nissan will make more of the RB26 components readily available to broader markets in response to growing excitement of the GT-R community to hear the robust "Heart of Godzilla" roar again.