1996 Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R V-Spec LM Limited

“it has been bought to our attention that the odometer has recently stopped operating”

• Founded on saloon car racing dominance, and almost implausible lap times of the Nürburgring, few cars have built up quite such a mantle of invincibility as Nissan's Skyline GT-R
• The R33 came in several flavours and sitting near the top in the R33 GT-R hierarchy is the ‘LM Limited’ (model #GGJPRWFR33ZDA-ARAA)
• All LM Limited examples were Series 2 models and registered in 1996; one of the rarest GTRs, with only 188 examples produced, 86 wearing the standard GT-Rs and 102 adorned with the special V-spec badge
• LM standing for Le Mans to celebrate Nissan's participation in the 24-hours race; only available in stunning Championship Blue (BT2), exclusive to this model
• The cars also featured commemorative GT-R decals, a carbon spoiler-blade and N1 cooling ducts/bonnet lip
• Personally imported and owned by an enthusiast in 2016, well-serviced and showing just 56,000 miles, and wearing the registration 'GTR 99M' 
• It has been bought to our attention that the odometer has recently stopped operating

In the world of GT-R geekery, being able to recite every model and its associated tweaks is like currency. First there’s the obvious ones – Z-Tune, 400R and V-Spec. Then you’ve got the slightly more obscure ones – N1, M-Spec and S1.

Based on the R33 GT-R, the ‘LM Limited’ isn’t to be confused with the R33 GT-R ‘LM’. The LM (not limited) was a one-off built for homologation so Nissan could go racing in the GT1 class at Le Mans and is housed at Nissan’s Zama storage facility.

The car presented here is an LM Limited, another model with its roots buried in Le Mans, but much more subtly. Only available in stunning Championship Blue paintwork, which was exclusive to this model, and featuring commemorative GT-R decals, a carbon spoiler blade and N1 cooling ducts/bonnet lip, all LM Limited cars were Series 2 models and were registered in 1996 – make no mistake, this model is right up there with the rarest of GT-Rs.

Only 188 examples of the LM Limited were produced from May 1996; 86 of these wore the standard GT-R badge and the remaining 102 were built on V-spec models. Subtle but effective, there wasn’t a different engine block like in the N1, and the interior didn’t change at all. Powered by the legendary RB26 engine, it still sounds and goes very much like its predecessor the GT-R, plus it's starting to follow the family trait with interest and values on the rise in the past few years.

To quote Japanese performance cars specialists ‘Torque GT’: “When you open up that glorious RB26 on an open road there is nothing quite like it, it's one of those distinctive howls that cannot be mistaken for anything else. The linear surge of power through the revs gives the GTR a very different feel to other high performance JDM metal".

Everyone will have their own preference as to what kind of power delivery they prefer, but the RB26 feels unburstable and hugely addictive. The R33 GT-R LM Limited is a perfect example of a time where cars screamed personality, something that is often seen as missing in modern cars.”

So, if the homologation LM already existed, and Nissan never won any class at Le Mans with a Skyline, what was the point of the LM Limited? The short answer was to commemorate Nissan’s return to Le Mans. Like having an ultra-successful big brother who could do no wrong, the launch of the R33 meant it had some Godzilla-sized boots to fill. But Nissan had the perfect solution in 1995 – a rejuvenated Le Mans program spurred on by both Nismo and GT-R fans. What better way to promote the new Skyline than to do something not even the R32 could boast?

This specific car, 1 of the 102 V-spec examples, was personally sourced, bought and imported by our Japanese-performance-car-enthusiast vendor in 2016. As part of his collection, and having recently been SORN’d, he has used it sparingly with the indicated mileage now showing 56,000 (approximately). We understand the car was previously repaired in Japan, but we welcome any inspection. The car is not modified (apart from obligatory large exhaust) and is all the better for it, there being some room for improvement in minor areas. GT-Rs of this era are now rightly recognised as performance icons, with rarity and originality playing a big part in demand/values – this is real opportunity for both.