Cult of GT-R: A True Story of Crime, Obsession and the World's Most Coveted Car

by Ryan K. ZumMallen

Quick - which car has the most cultish following? Nope, not the Italian supercars that ooze speed and millionaire status, or the German sedans with their bruising horsepower and rich interior leathers. Instead, it's a Nissan. This is the true story of a the Nissan Skyline GT-R, a car that could only have come from Japan. Its sleek silhouette and delicate balance joined a powerhouse engine and clever technology, capable of smoking high-priced rivals. The Nissan Skyline GT-R dominated on the track and bred outlaw culture on the road. Video games and films spread the word globally. But the GT-R was made for Japan. In the US, strict import laws meant that if caught, GT-R owners risked the threat of watching helplessly as their car was hauled off to the crusher. Now the law is nearly expired. Some collectors eagerly await their dream car, while others face prison time. All for the cult of GT-R.

288 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2023

Reviews

[Shinzillamus Prim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few words.
BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!
It's just SO, SO wonderful and entertaining and informative. It's PACKED with loads and loads of information and history lessons. It's just beautiful. The first chapter already was enough to convince me that this book was something. Chapter 2 confirmed this really was something special, and from as early as chapter 3, I got to know that this is one of the best books ever. This book educated me so much about the GT-R, JDM cars and Japan in general. It had info I had never read about or heard of before, and never would've if not for this masterpiece.

The fact the author got a Millenium Jade T-spec GT-R is just badass and the California GT-R cruise was just b e a u t i f u l. The writing is great cuz I find myself completely immersed in it. When I completed the book, I didn't complete a book but finished a journey. As embarrassing as it sounds, I actually shed a few tears during the part near the end where Ryan visits the Nissan Heritage Collection. All the cars, the names, what they mean, it was just too much for me to handle. And it's all text, there's not a single image in this book apart from a photo of the author and YET it was so POWERFUL. So emotional. I am a huge Nissan fan, in fact they're my favorite automaker. I don't care what others think of them, to me, Nissans are the best. They just have, something in them.

The book is a masterpiece, and it MUST be read by any car, especially JDM or Nissan enthusiast. This is not a "should" this a MUST. I like how we get dedicated chapters for persons of interest or some tuning shop, clever tricks people used to bring a Skyline before it turned 25 to American land etc... Sometimes, I forget that this is all real. It feels like fiction, but it's not and that's what makes it even more amazing.

10/10

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't decided between 3 or 4 stars for this. I really enjoyed it. Ryan K. ZumMallen did a great job explaining all about the car, the history, and most importantly the culture around it. His travels through Japan, talking to some of the most famous people involved in the car, people at Nissan, enthusiasts in the US, were really great. As someone in Australia who just purchased an R32 GTR, this was a great read. He really went into the 25 Year Ban for imported vehicles, how it came about, and the various people that tried to skirt the law. The story jumped around a lot, from his trip in Japan, to different other stories, but it worked well. The only thing this book was missing, was photos! It could have done really well with a glossy middle section with various cars, and pictures of his journey.

[Ben Wichner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and the detailed history of the GT-R and great stories surrounding it. A must read for car lovers but also anyone interested in a history lesson.

[Julian De Stefano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic! Detailed and a pleasure to read! Every page is more exciting than the last!

[Raymond Doolittle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book help a lot with giving background knowledge on get community and differences between the models.