NZPC heads Stateside to take a close look at one of the world’s quickest point-to-point GT-Rs

Although the name Eric Hsu may not be a familiar one here in New Zealand, in the US performance tuning world, it is one of the biggest. Having worked for some of the greatest names in the business (A’PEXi, Cosworth and his company, XS-Engineering) over the last 10 years, Eric is one of the most respected car builders and tuners in the States.

Surely a man with his good reputation and such a wealth of tuning ability must own a car to match his stature? He does – this street-legal time attack BNR32 Nissan Skyline GT-R. Eight hundred and fifty horsepower at the wheels from a stroked twin-turbo, straight six-cylinder RB26DETT, housed in a perfectly weight-balanced, seam-welded and widened body. This machine is what happens when you combine expert car building ability with pure hard-tuned Nissan pedigree.

Although the XS-Engineering GT-R has been around the traps for a few years now, it is in no way an old dog of the time attack world, and still clocks up win after win all across North America. Besides Eric’s own skill and knowledge, this can be attributed to the abilities and input of some of the incredible drivers who have had seat time in the BNR32. Think Eiji ‘Tarzan’ Yamada, Shinichi Kobayashi of Matchless Crowd Racing, and, more recently, X-Games gold medallist and Formula D drift champion Tanner Foust.

These sorts of guys are used to driving fast cars. Very fast cars. But even Foust was impressed by this one. “It’s hard to describe the XS R32, but it’s almost like a violent, fire-breathing thoroughbred that someone has p*ssed off one too many times,” Tanner told us from his base in California.

So just how rapid is the XS GT-R? “The first time I drove the car, I pulled out of the pits, accelerating through first and second gear onto the track. I remember thinking that it felt quick, but not 850hp quick. Then I hit third gear and it was the first time the engine had enough load to build full boost. The Toyo RA-1 tyres were admittedly a little cold, but all four lit up on the straight instantly,” Foust recalls. “There are other fast cars out there, but this one makes you feel like you got away with something every time you return to the pits.”

As a drift and rally champion, is the Skyline enough car to make Tanner swap codes? Almost. “I’d love to drive this beast again and help it get fully dialled in,” he says. “Circuit and Super Lap-style racing is awesome, I love the outright speed involved. But drift and rally are a completely different beast. I’ll keep racing grip but I don’t think I’ll be leaving my other codes in a hurry.”

Outside of the GT-R’s homeland of Japan, this is quite possibly the toughest R32 in existence, a car that has spent a huge amount of time both on and off the track over the last few years as it edges closer and closer towards becoming the perfectly tuned all-round car. According to Eric, as long as the GT-R continues to out-drag, out-corner, out-brake and out-last the competition, there will always be a place on the start line for this perfect storm.

1990 NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R (BNR32) – Specifications

Engine: Nissan RB26DETT DOHC 24V, HKS Step 2 2.8-litre system, Tomei 77.7mm stroker crankshaft, Cosworth bearings, Tomei headgasket, Tomei custom camshafts, XS-Engineering race ported and polished head, Cosworth valve springs & retainers, HKS valve guides, HKS duraluminium cam gears, 2x HKS GT2835 turbochargers, XS-Engineering Power intercooler SPL, Tomei N1 oil pan, NASCAR oil pump, 2x XS-Engineering oil coolers, XS-Engineering power pack ignition amp, HKS EVC V boost controller, HKS turbo timer, HKS F-Con V-Pro V3.24 ECU, RC Engineering 1000cc injectors, ATL fuel cell, HKS fuel pressure regulator
Driveline: 5-speed straight-cut dog box, HKS GD Pro triple plate clutch, XS-Engineering custom centre diff, Nismo 1.5-way front diff, Kaaz 2-way rear diff
Suspension/Brakes: KW coil-overs, Front – Stoptech ST-40 4-pot callipers, 355mm slotted rotors, Rear ­– Stoptech ST-22 2-pot callipers, 330mm slotted rotors
Wheels/Tyres: CCW 18×11.5-inch alloys, Toyo RA-1 305/30R18 front tyres, Toyo RA-1 335/30R18 rear tyres
Exterior: Full Veilside E3 widebody kit, Veilside carbon fibre bonnet, custom carbon wing, custom carbon canards
Interior: Sparco Pro 2000 seats, custom rails, Sparco Lap 3 steering wheel, Sparco Globe-X knob, Sparco Grip pedals, Sony Xplod head unit, HKS DB meter package, HKS F-Con navigator

Performance: Dyno Power – 851hp @ wheels (28psi boost), 0-400m – 10.4 @ 220kph

Words: Peter Kelly Photos: Alistair Ritchie