User:CPhinny/sandbox

1990 Nissan R32 GTR Group E Falken Bathurst 12 Hour

One of only 5 remaining Bathurst racer R32 GTR's from the period. Nissan owned prototype and media car 1990 - 1992. 4th outright, 3rd in class in 1993 Bathurst 12Hr.

"You’re a pack of Arseholes…” and with that delightfully accurate summary, on live national television no less, the FIA Group A era ended in Australia with a very suitable bang. Many repeatedly state that the mighty R32 GT-R forced a rewrite of the CAMS rule book and while it certainly was a factor, it was Bathurst 1990 that killed the GT-R…

How could GTR's be being banned? Because, the 1990 miracle Bathurst victory by Win and Gricey in the TWR / HRT VL Commodore was so incredibly popular with the punters, that the business heads in the ATCC scene could not help but take notice for the following reasons;

Sponsors love popular winners. The sport needs happy sponsors. Imported, turbo-charged cars dominating the local products are not as popular. Therefore, let’s make a series purely of popular winners and everyone is happy…right? So they eventually banned the turbo cars for the 1993 season, and when it looked likely that the mighty BMW M3 Sport Evolution was going to kick everyone’s butt, they hobbled it, just prior to the 1993 ATCC.

CAMS Group 3A, 5 Litre Touring Cars, V8 Supercars and the current Supercars had a great run for a while there. It’s a shame the rule makers / business heads, did not foresee that letting everyone “eat cake” for a couple of decades can get a bit onerous on the punters.

It’s a well-known fact that the GT-R was very effective wherever it raced and in whatever category; An undefeated, 29 wins straight in the JTCC, winning the 1991 Spa 24 Hour by 19 laps and winning the 1990, 1991 and 1992 ATCC as well as the 1991 and 1992 Bathurst 1000, pays testimony to that fact. The road going variant was also quite the winner, with an astounding 43,937 of these twin-turbo, AWD, multi acronymed monsters being sold from 1989 to 1994. Of that total sum, only 106 were officially sold outside of Japan, with that select group of 106, making their way down to Australia.

Officially, only 100 were supposed to hit Australian shores, but prior to that batch arriving, 6 cars were imported for development, testing, ADR compliance and media purposes. These prototypes were August / September 1990 built cars, with chassis numbers about 4500+ cars before the 1st of the official “ADM” cars that were later imported. There were two KH2 grey cars, one AH3 red car, one KG1 Silver, one TH1 Blue and finally, one 732 Black Pearl Metallic, this car.

Victorian registered EPX 118 and sporting chassis number 11268, this black GT-R, one of 31 imported new to Australia and 5667 made by Nissan, was destined to lead an extraordinary life. What it experienced between its 1990 build date and final “official” duty, at the 1993 Bathurst 12 Hour is remarkable, by any car’s standards. You could write a book with the very beneficial, expert help of all the journalists whose first experience in a Godzilla was with 11268.

1990 -1993 She was a Nissan-owned prototype, for a global icon’s only market outside of Japan. Used for high speed testing and analysis. Photographs show it was the 1st R32 GT-R to get pulled over for speeding in Australia. A multitude of high-profile media tests, performance comparisons, cover shots and special features, including the prestigious Wheels Car of The Year (COTY) awards. Served as the official Pace Car at the infamous 1992 Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst. 1st car to get the chequered flag at the highly contentious 1992 Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst. Sold internally via Western Plains Dubbo Nissan, then Australia’s biggest Nissan dealer, for motorsport purposes, to Falken / OHTSU Tyres Australia. Prepared in Brisbane, tested and developed at Lakeside Raceway. Raced by Keith Carling, Bill Gillespie and Graeme Neilsen in the 1993 Bathurst 12 Hour. After 1535KM's flat out, she came 4th outright and 3rd in class in the globally renowned Bathurst 12 Hour. Direct assistance - via race team personnel and parts - by the 1991 and 1992 Group N1 “Super Taikyu” Championship winning Falken / OHTSU tyres team from Japan. Retained by OHTSU tyres, for Falken Tyres promotional work in Australia.

After a whirlwind first few years, the GT-R’s life became much more conventional following the 1993 Bathurst 12 Hour. She was to become a humble promotional car, for Falken Tyres Australia. She went from Falken Tyre dealership, to dealership, all over Australia.

To this day still wearing her original, globally renowned Falken painted livery, the GTR resides in private hands in Melbourne, this is one of Australia’s most significant R32 GT-Rs