After seeing the 1996 GT-R LM Le Mans racer at the Nismo Festival the other weekend I thought it would be nice to do a little spotlight on the car you see here. This of course is the vehicle Nissan Motorsport International had to build back in 1995 to homologate the BCNR33 for entry into the GT1 category of the 24h race. It was never sold, as only one had to be built to satisfy the regulations, and it's not really something that has been paraded much over the years despite being one of the coolest GT-Rs ever!
I took these pictures back in 2003 at the Red Park Skyline Museum in Mitsukaido, close to Tsukuba circuit, a museum that since then has been closed unfortunately. Now I believe the car is back at Nissan's Zama warehouse where all of Nissan's historical race and road cars, not to mention concepts, are kept.
The main reason the LM had to be built was to homologate the wider body dimensions. As you can see both the front and rear fenders are much wider than stock…
…as are the front and rear bumpers. The car is also marginally longer than your street going BCNR33.
Wider body aside the main difference between the GT-R LM and a regular GT-R was that the LM was converted to rear-wheel-drive, again to satisfy the homologation for the GT1 class. I have only ever seen this car once and from the looks of it the engine was completely stock. In its first year the LM race car did pretty well finishing 10th overall and 5th in the GT1 class behind four McLaren F1s. With such a great result for the car's first outing Nissan decided to return for the 1996 race with an upgraded car running a stroked 2.8L RB developing over 600 HP, 200 HP more than the 2.6L RB powered 1995 car. Weight was still the same at around 1,150 kg. However 1996 saw the GT1 class get even more competitive with Porsche entering the class with the purposely-built 911 GT1, and despite the Nissan GT-R LM's great set up it was just not a match for the more extreme cars. One GT-R ended up retiring while the second finished 15th overall, 10th in the GT1 class. Nissan decided to pull the GT-R LM out for 1997 and return with the R390 GT1, ending the GT-R's stint in the legendary race.
To commemorate the short, yet pretty successful run at Le Mans, Nissan did a limited edition run of "LM-Limited" BCNR33s in 1996. 98 cars were made and sported a series of modifications like the two square air intakes on the front bumper, a carbon fiber rear wing and the "Championship Blue" body color.
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
grand tourismo all fuckin day the first game back in 98
Nice Dino! One of my favorite cars (ok so I'm biased)
I knew you would like this one Aki
they should sell this bodykit, but it'll be hard to find wheels that fill those massive fenders...
Reminds me of good sleepless times spent playing Gran Turismo... and started my love for Skyline GTR`s
Cool to see this car, photos of it are really hard to come by. I remember trying to find pics of it a while back for a model project but had very little luck finding much. Very cool to see more of, lucky you found it when you did.
for such a great car why does nissan leave it with such sad wheels and fitment?
i like the car tho :]
I WANT THOSE RIMS FOR MY TRUCK
are those wheels supposed to be on that car?
You have to remember, back in the day fitment was not a key as it is today.
So the wheels and such were spot on....for 96.
Yes it really was that much of a difference in tuning back then.
They look like Volk CV-pros.
if it had better fitment it would be absolutelly perfect.
oh, right! back in the fast and the furious days. so it's period correct =P
Something about this car doesn't do it for me........
that is my fave car in the world!
skylines.....ALL OF THEM!!!!
u guys should do like a photo shoot of all skylines ever made!!!
starting from the first. That would be awesome with background pics too. Must have!!!!
Hey Dino, would do a follow up post about the actual LM cars themselves??
ive got a lm gtr in our workshop it belongs to a customer that wants to sell it ,complete car no engine or box he cant give it away
wheels too small. other that that its awesome
Yaaa Awesome kar in Gran Turisimo
RWD skyline yeeah
needs flush !
Reminds me with one of the extra cars in Battle Gear 4 Tuned
Anyone notice the rear lights? They are square shaped under clear round lenses.... weird! I wonder if such a conversion exists for a street R33?
I don't think those wheels were meant for the car. After all it is based on the LM race car, so it would look so much more appropriate with a big fat slick / semi slick tires underneath those fenders. Haha, but I really did hate using this car in Gran Turismo compared to the normal GT-Rs.
BTW, this is also just as awesome:
http://www.bespokeventures.com/blog/2009/12/12/the-find-nismo-r34-gt-r-z-tune-for-sale/
Now if only anyone could afford it lol....
these rims might be Volk GT-C, i have them on my s14 and they look the same
these rims might be Volk GT-C, i have them on my s14 and they look the same
Muzaffar....funny you show that link. There is a Z-tune for sale at a second hand car shop 5 minutes from my house and another one I know of for sale in central Tokyo! I checked the prices and they are far from the collectors item they were meant to be as it looks like the original owner/s took quite a hit on them!
one of it belongs to my friend....
Nice piece of Nissan history there. Interesting that the motor is stock. Q: How did they get those shallow lip wheels to be almost flush with the widebody? Is the car using spacers, or custom wide axles perhaps?
AWESOME KIT..... I HOPE THOSE RIMS ARE ONLY TEMPORARY, NEED TO FLUSH THAT DEMON OUT,
The first time that I saw it was in Gran Turismo intro in 1998... This car is a dream!!!
Digging that R31 in the back of 1st picture.... I used to sit in my dad R31 back when I was 8yrs old
Awesome to finally to see this car in the flesh since i've only ever saw it in gran turismo as well.Any chance on a spotlight on the actual GTR-LM's?
I know someone in Perth, West Australia who owns a LM-Limited BCNR33 !!!
lol not hellaflush approved... that car was so bad ass in gran turismo.
Would it be possible to get a feature on a Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R LM Limited? I only have seen a few pics. You know... better yet, let's do a feature on the 400R!
Can we see some more shots of that R380 in the back of the fourth picture?
It looks street legal. but is it street legal?
Not hellaflsuh at all, and I betcha those are some thick spacers between the volks and the brakes...
That is the sweetest-looking R33 I've ever seen. I love that body kit!
ITS SAD THAT THEY DIDNT CONTINUE AFTER THAT LOSS IN LEMANS
Yes, Dino, a feature on the Nismo 400R would be very nice! A Christmas present for me maybe
how about a feature on the mid4 concept?
Needs better shoes and stance. Other than that, PERFECT!
Great feature Dino. I remember way back when picking up the Ebbro model of this - still have it in a display case today
Wheels were Volk GRC
Rather than heading out to Daikoku once again tonight and risk not finding any GT-Rs, I decided to do
LOL the 1996 race saw GT-R's lost not only to the mighty GT1's, but, pay attention, some of the GT2 race cars ranked higher than the GT1 Nissan GT-R Skyline. What a funny thing to notice. hahahaha LOSER!