Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Tuning Masterpiece

The Essen Motor Show has always been a playground for automotive dreams, but this year one car stole the spotlight. There are cars that define an era, and then there’s the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, a machine so iconic it’s practically our halo car. But what happens when you take one of these legends and decide to tear it down to its bones, rebuild it better than new, and do it all in just fifty days? That’s the madness that unfolded inside the JP Performance workshop leading up to the Essen Motor Show.

The story begins with a car that’s seen more stamps in its passport than most people. It cruised through Tokyo, sat in an Australian shop, and then spent months in limbo before finally arriving in Europe. The plan was simple on paper: restore, repaint, and reassemble the R34 to perfection in time for the Essen Motor Show. In reality, it was a high-wire act with no safety net.

Mine’s inspired Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R

During a recent visit to the Pace Museum in Dortmund, I stumbled upon an extraordinary exhibit: the personal collection of Jean-Pierre Kraemer, better known as JP. If you’ve ever delved into the world of automotive tuning, you’ll recognize JP as one of Europe’s most charismatic car enthusiasts. But here’s the kicker—in one of his latest videos, JP casually revealed that his collection now boasts a staggering 105 cars. So more than enough cars to fill his personal museum.

It’s not just the quantity that’s jaw-dropping; it’s the quality and diversity. This isn’t your stereotypical supercar hoard with endless rows of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. No, JP’s collection is a reflection of his unique automotive vision. You’ll find everything from a Renault Twingo with a Yamaha R1 engine strapped in the back to a classic Lamborghini Diablo. It’s a gearhead’s dream come to life.

Every car in the collection has been treated to JP Performance signature modifications, blending performance with personal flair. One standout is his Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, which he personally imported from Japan. JP’s mission? To create his own interpretation of the legendary Mine’s R34, a car famous for tearing up Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit with a blistering lap time of 57.7 seconds. Keep in mind, that record was set in 2005, and even today, any sub-minute time on Tsukuba is a serious achievement.

Nissan Skyline R34 Carbon Z-Tune or is it?

In today’s market, there are few brave souls willing to slam a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR on air suspension. But did you know this is not a real GTR? Could you spot the difference? Because what we have here is a converted R34 GTT. The transformation is so seamless that I was completely fooled. No expense has been spared to create this Z-Tune lookalike.

Even the interior has undergone a complete makeover, often one of the first signs that you’re not staring at a genuine GTR. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pop the hood to peek underneath, so whether the conversion includes an RB26 engine remains a mystery. What I do know is that the car has since been exported, so perhaps we’ll catch a glimpse of it again at a foreign car show.