Nissan Skyline V36 2007 Review

Nissan's Skyline Coupe has long been one of Japan's best-kept secrets. For years the Skyline legend in Japan has been entwined inextricably between a powerhouse all-wheel-drive coupe and the initials GT-R. But those in the know will tell you that, in its own way, the less heralded two-wheel-drive Skyline Coupe has also been a highly desirable bit of kit.

Lighter and cheaper than the GT-R, but still quick and with rear-drive handling ideal for drifting, the Skyline Coupe has been one of the great performance bargains. Now, happily, Nissan is building us a new one.

Enter the V36 Skyline Coupe, which is released in Japan this October and has already been drawing rave reviews in the US where it's sold as the all-but-identical Infiniti G37 Coupe.

Clearly an evolution of the excellent V35 Skyline Coupe that arrived in 2003 (but which tragically never made it to Oz), the V36 is sharper and sexier, and comes with Nissan's new-tech 3.7-litre VVEL V6 to deliver more power, torque and better response than the outgoing 3.5-litre.

The Coupe is shorter and wider than the new Skyline V36 sedan, and gets all-new panels, although the stiffer, second-generation FM platform and 2850mm wheelbase are shared.

In Hokkaido, Japan's scenic northern isle, the cars are punted around Nissan's test track were officially prototypes. Not that you could tell. Not a squeak or unseemly rattle anywhere, and with perfect panel gaps and doors that shut with a high-quality clunk.

But it's the "kinetic and seductive" design by Hiroshi Hasegawa (who also penned the new GT-R) that catches the eye first. That, and the fact Nissan has come up with a raunchy V6, rear-drive 2+2 coupe that sells for around $40,000 in Japan. Alfa, Audi, BMW and Mercedes should be worried.

Settle into the new Skyline, and the seat and driving position are spot on, the cabin high on premium feel. In the back there are two smaller bucket seats (headrom is limited) and a wide, flat, yet rather shallow boot that is more than capable of carrying the mandatory set of golf clubs.

Press the (new) engine start button, and the VQ37VHR V6 fires into life. This is the first application of Nissan's variable valve event and lift technology which, like BMW's Valvetronic, improves air flow through the engine (and thus response and efficiency) by continuously adjusting valve timing and lift, instead of using a conventional throttle valve. The enlarged 3.7-litre V6 packs a reputed 246kW and 366Nm (official numbers are not out yet) and revs meatily all the way to a strong-armed 7600rpm. It's like a 350Z engine, only more so. Throttle action is sharp, the V6 soundtrack hard and gritty - some will love that, but BMW and Audi owners will be shocked by how loud the V6 is when gathering steam.

Nissan may have spent a big bag of R&D cash in developing this Coupe, but the six-speed manual 'box is not the last word in precision, and the optional auto still only has five cogs. Nevertheless, using the steering-wheel-mounted paddleshift to zap rapidly through the gears is addictive, the changes swift and smooth, with a nice throttle blip when you change down. Perfect.

Hell would freeze over before Nissan delivered on a Skyline Coupe that didn't handle. The Hokkaido track, with its absorbing mix of slow and fast bends, hills, straights and different surfaces, underlined just how fun, fast and supremely agile this car is.

The V36 Coupe sports stiffer front double A-arms and rear multi-link suspension, wider tracks and lower centre of gravity against the V35. It turns in beautifully, stays flat and precise, with tight body/suspension control over bumps. And with keen, well-weighted and consistent steering, the new Skyline is unfailingly quick to shift direction.

The cars we drove had Nissan's excellent active four-wheel steering, which sharpens cornering response without the car feeling squirmy. Some serious Bridgestone rubber (225/45R19s up front, 245/40R19s at the rear) also helps keep it nailed to terra firma - powersliding is not the work of a moment, as you'd expect. Traction control off, the Skyline's main tendency is to doggedly understeer, but in a tight wet bend, oh yes, it'll go sideways all right.

On the high-speed circuit, the Skyline was rock solid and unruffled at a Japanese speed-limited 185km/h, and a new set of all-ventilated brakes with aluminium calipers repeatedly hauled it down from speed without fade or juddering. A new pop-up bonnet for pedestrian safety (which lifts slightly in the event of a collision to absorb the energy) also joins the V36 Coupe party.

The killer blow for Australia, however, comes at the end. As wholly desirable as this V36 Skyline Coupe is, Nissan says there are no plans to ship it Down Under. Globally, they see it as an Infiniti model, and until Nissan's premium brand launches in Oz, there's no chance of it being on the boat.

Wake up, Nissan. Would this V36 Coupe work in Australia? Would it hell.

'ZILLA WHO?
So what does this compelling Skyline V36 Coupe have in common with the new thunderous GT-R? The answer, according to a very well-placed source, is "nothing".

While you might think that Nissan would have wanted to save both time and money by basing it off this brand-new Coupe, the fanatical team behind the GT-R have gone the other way.

Thus, the new GT-R's a completely exclusive package, built from scratch. We expect it to be about the same overall length (4650mm) as this V36 Coupe, but it'll be massively wider, lower - and heavier, of course.

Although unconfirmed by Nissan, the GT-R is now expected to run a unique 3798cc twin-turbo V6 packing 353kW and 540Nm, power going to all four wheels via a seven-speed SMG-style box. And selling for under A$80K in Japan.