One of the reasons why "Godzilla", the Nissan GT-R and its previous generations (Skyline and especially R32, R33, R34) are popular at the level of... legend internationally, is their improvability. Seeing or hearing about 1,000, 1,500 or even over 2,000 horsepower GT-Rs that humiliate any... unfortunate person who gets in their path is not that surprising. But what happens when Nissan and its motorsport division, Nismo, throw GT-Rs that exceed 1,500 horsepower into the fray?
The Japanese brand is very serious about participating in this year's 10th official Jaguar Simola Hill Climb in Knysna, South Africa. On the famous 1.9km course, 14 Nissan vehicles will be racing in the footsteps of last year's champions, Wilhelm Baard and Reghard Roets, and the brand doesn't want to "just" participate, but to star.
To do this, Nissan, of course, has to fight a battle with itself. Baard claimed his third championship at Simola and his fourth South African hillclimb title in 2018 when he drove his "Armageddon", the 1300+ horsepower BB Motorsport-built R35 GT-R, to the top with a record time of 39.463 seconds. How will it be able to break that record this year?
Baard and a Godzilla
"We're much better prepared for this year's race," Baard says. "In our last tests in Gauteng, we just improved our throttle settings and power delivery. All the other work, such as chassis development and engine upgrades, has already been perfected."
The Heart of Godzilla
Baard and BB Motorsport worked with NISMO, Nissan's global motorsport division, to prepare this GT-R for race day. In the saloon and supercar category, two-time champion Reghard Roets will race the Melrose Nissan GT-R, supported by Nissan South Africa.
Eleven GT-Rs will compete in the modified saloon and supercar classes, including a specially modified Hillclimb GT-R, Franco Scribante Racing. This GT-R, features a beastly double front spoiler developed by a World Time Attack expert and is rumoured to produce over 1,600 horsepower !
And a Navara attacks (where else) in mud
In addition, Terence Marsh of Red-Lined Motoring Adventures will compete in the B9 class for pickups and SUVs , in a specially modified Nissan Navara T1 V8, FIA specification. Red-Lined builds off-road racing cars and trucks to special specifications and with sales around the globe.
This year's Jaguar Simola Hill Climb is being held from 2 to 5 May in Knysna, South Africa.
