R31 skyline is the E-HR31 model (Nick name: R31 or 7th) assigned to the 7 generation Skyline.
Sales period: 1985 ~ 1989
Shinichiro Sakurai, the “Father in the skyline”, took the leadership as the person in charge of development,
and Naganori Itou took over the development after Shinichiro Sakurai got sick.
Shinichiro Sakurai
He is well known as "Mr. Skyline" and "Father of the skyline" because of his involvement from the initial stage of the skyline as the person in charge of development for a long term until the last stage of development of R31.
Naganori Itou
Naganori Itou, the junior and the best disciple of Shinichiro Sakurai and also participated in the vehicle development, was moved from the development manager of the other car in a hurry, and took over as the development manager from Sakurai as Shinichiro Sakurai was hospitalized due to illness.
R31 Skyline GTS-R is one of the special cars among the R31, and a limited number of 800 cars was sold as the Homologation model of group A class in 1987.
The engine is RB20DET-R based on RB20DET equipped with the GTS twin cam 24V turbo, long stainless steel exhaust manifold, Garrett TO4E turbine, and front intercooler.
The maximum output of 300ps is achieved only by the boost improvement though it is able to maintain at 210ps and plus 20ps for RB20DET.
In addition, it is possible to aim at same 400ps as group A machine by strengthening of piston and connecting rod, ensuring the capacity of fuel system, and high flow processing of turbine. GTS-R has kept this much potential as a secret.
It produced and sold a limited number of 800 cars with the specification
by tuning the engine and including original aero. It is R31 Skyline
GTS-R.
The skyline returned to the race by Gr.A and showed off unrivaled
strength, and revived the strongest myth.
In addition with the revival
of the “R” emblem….
Afterwards, it worked as a test mother body for
the R32-GT-R revival, and it became the base of the R32GT-R birth as a
test vehicle for development.
R32 Skyline GT-R
The majority of
the R31 Skyline GTS-R are still maintained with care by the owners even
now because R31 Skyline GTS-R is a rare car, and only 800 such cars were
made.