Uchikura & Co., LLC

Before Nissan built the GT-R, there was Prince Motor Company.

 

Prince grew out of Japan's postwar aircraft industry, where former aerospace engineers turned their talents to automobiles. One of their first creations was the Tama Electric Car in 1947, followed by the Skyline in 1957 and the Gloria in 1959.

 

In 1964, Prince introduced the legendary Skyline GT (S54). Powered by a 2.0-liter inline-six, it shocked the racing world by finishing 2nd through 6th behind a Porsche 904 at the Japanese Grand Prix, proving that Japanese engineering could compete with Europe's best.

 

Recognizing Prince's engineering excellence, Nissan acquired the company in 1966. The merger brought Nissan the Skyline, Gloria, advanced engine technology, and many brilliant engineers—including Shinichiro Sakurai, the man who would develop the first Skyline GT-R in 1969.

 

Sakurai's philosophy was simple:

 

"Love the car; love the customer; love driving."

 

Although the Prince name disappeared after the merger, its spirit never did. Every Skyline GT-R—from the original "Hakosuka" to today's GT-R—owes its existence to the innovation and passion of Prince Motor Company.