One of the rarest Nissan GT-Rs in the world has recently been sold by its Sydney-based owner at a price that looks to be the highest ever achieved in Australia by a GT-R.
The car is an R34 Series and one of only 200 to be equipped with the Nismo S1 upgrade kit. GT-Rs modified in this way are said to produce a reliable 400bhp (297kW) against the standard R34’s claimed 208kW.
When converting an R34 to S1 specification, Nismo would remove and upgrade the entire engine and transmission, with other changes including a larger intercooler, Nismo clutch, brake and steering upgrades.
This car has been in Australia since 2022 and showed fewer than 1500km travelled since in the hands of its sole local owner. Finished in metallic silver, it was sold after some negotiation for $470,000. It joins at least one other R34 S1 that we know of, a metallic blue car imported during 2020, which at the time was said to have a landed value of $140,000.
Leaving aside the Nissan and its potential for 300km/h exclusivity, other late January pickings were more diverse and a lot less expensive. Nothing else was able to exceed $200,000 and while plenty of interesting cars were sold, most prices remained below $100,000.
Echoing the successful sale early in January of a Jolly ‘resort car’ based on a Fiat 500 came another similar replica, this time using the larger Fiat 600 platform and offering more interior space than the ‘Bambino’ version. At $46,250 it was also considerably cheaper.
Decrying predictions from overseas commentators that the market for very early vehicles was faltering came a clearing sale at a motor museum in the rural New South Wales town of Forbes, where several lots dated from the first decades of last century.
Among the oldest cars attracting multiple bidders was a French Clément-Bayard dating from 1909. It sold after a significant battle for $86,000. Slightly older but selling for less was a 1905 Minerva from Belgium that made $70,000 before bidders hopped back across the border for a French 1923 Berliet Tourer which sold at $105,000.
Blowing them all out of the sales arena though and by a considerable margin was a stately Rolls-Royce 20hp also from 1923 and with unusual Tourer bodywork. It registered the top bid of the sale at $170,000.
There were bargains as well amongst the museum’s diverse collection, including a very tidy Valiant R Series with its distinctive ‘bin lid’ boot. Despite being a scarce three-speed manual which might elsewhere be expected to top $50,000, this car with its genuine 43,000 miles went to a new owner for $36,500.
Other seemingly cheap contemporary offerings included a 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SL Roadster at $26,000 and a 1967 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow four-door that made $22,500.
Highlights of the older post-WW2 lots included a pair of British Armstrong Siddeleys – a Whitley sedan and rare Station Coupe. Both had been fully restored and looked impeccable, resulting in sales at $33,000 and $47,600 respectively.
Plenty of onsite and online bidders lied up waiting to pounce one the lineup of locally built cars, which included an XA sedan with the 4.1-litre ‘250’ engine and a 1980 model Escort RS2000.
The Escort was one of only 600 RS2000 four-doors built (European-spec cars were all two-doors) and soared to a winning bid of $52,000 while the equally original Falcon made $49,250.
The sale also featured a couple of excellent Holdens, with top money of $60,000 going to a near perfect EJ Premier, while a very original 3.3-litre HJ Kingswood reached a healthy $39,500.
The best of British alongside Aussie muscle in Queensland
Queensland was the place to be in late January for those wanting a low-cost British collector car. Finding new owners were an unusual four-seat Lotus Elan+2 at $28,000, a tidy 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow that reached $17,000, and a usable 1951 model Jaguar Mark V that went for $11,000.
Desirable Australian offerings included a matching number LH Holden Torana SL/R 5000 in Mandarin Red which at $132,000 just missed its reserve price. An SL/R 5000 of lesser quality did sell to a bid of $94,000, while a tidy FJ Holden Utility reached $30,500.
Desirable Japanese cars were scarce but also not expensive. Heading the results at $34,000 was an underpriced two-door Subaru WRX STi, followed by a targa-topped version of the ST162 Series Toyota Celica from 1988 which cost its new owner a miserly $11,000.
Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices in Australian Dollars (unless otherwise noted) and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.
