There have been countless Nissan GT-R special editions over its lifetime, but what if you were to pick your favorite bits from all of them to create the ultimate GT-R? If you're a particular fan of the R33, perhaps it’d look something like this.
You see, this is a one-of-87 R33 N1 chassis (the N1 was slightly lighter with no ABS and a race-prepped engine) that pinches design elements from the 400R, with the RB26 engine modified to produce close to 800hp. Good grief.
Built by Aussie tuner Andrew Hannason and his team at Legendary Garage over three years, the car is an N1 but fitted with original 400R bumpers, side skirts and diffuser, while the vented bonnet and carbon-tipped rear wing are also genuine.
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In period each N1 was finished in ‘QM1 White,’ just as this car is. Hannason has even sourced the Rays Nismo ‘LM1 GT1’ five-spoke alloys and furnished them with blue accenting. Yeah, stunning.
Mechanically, things are a little more bespoke. The 800hp output is courtesy of an original N1 block, but with forged internals using parts from renowned aftermarket brands like HKS and PRP. So there’s a stronger pair of turbos, a bigger intercooler, and titanium valves under the bonnet.
No word on performance figures, but the standard R33’s 0-100kph time of 5.4sec and 251kph top speed should both see significant improvements. The R33 was also the first-ever production car to lap the ‘Ring in under eight minutes, but these changes should nudge it close to the time of a modern R35.
Inside, you’ll spot original 400R front seats, steering wheel, and floor mats, with Hannason apparently having to spend a particularly large chunk of time sourcing the latter. There’s a five-speed manual shifter perched right in the middle of all this retro goodness too. TG very much approves.
“The N1 is a little misunderstood,” Hannason told TG. “It’s a rare car and was never sold to the public, but was a homologation for teams and Nissan executives to take racing.
“The 400R on the other hand, while a rare specification, is by no means a rare car. Nismo took even base R33 GTR models off the production line and turned them into 400Rs. What I’ve done is take an N1 and added tributary 400R styling to it, which is how I believe the 400R should have been done in the first place.”
Hannason has also confirmed that this Frankenstein’s monster will be going under the hammer at some point in the near future, with a guide price of around £315k. So it’s this or a lightly spec’d 296 GTB: Where’s your money going?
More photos of the Nissan GT-R R33 400R N1 Styling:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
