KPGC110 the chassis rendering of the Nissan Skyline GTR, had a short sales history. Just as it arrived on the scene the oil shock hit and the Japanese public sentiment moved against gasoline guzzling sporty vehicles. Only 197 were sold and it would be the last GTR to be made before Godzilla (Australian nickname for the first of the GTR R32 series) arrived in 1989.
As only 197 were made and sold it has become one of the most expensive nostalgic Nissan’s on the market. A tidy one sold Sotheby’s classic car auctions for US$160,000. A good investment, and something that should be stored nicely and not in the rain.
The car was nicknamed the Kenmeri based on the Nissan TV add using the actors Ken and Mary. The name can be flipped, “Merican” with the obvious hint a what sort of car Nissan wanted the Skyline to be thought as. Ken and Mary were two young American actors who met for the first time on the production. Neither of them were old enough to drive. The advertising series created a mystique of them being in love. On what shoot in Okinawa one of the cars was hit by another car so all shots had to be carefully done so as not to reveal the damage! The advertising series was a big hit in Japan and lasting over the sales period of the 2 years.
