It’s been a while since we had the chance to peek inside Nissan’s iconic Heritage Collection, so, in honour of Japan Month 2025, let’s indulge in some of the automaker’s finest achievements.
Despite its current financial woes, Nissan holds one of the most celebrated automotive histories in Japan. Along with that rich legacy comes a treasure trove of iconic vehicles, each playing a role in shaping Nissan’s storied past.
Fortunately for me and a small group of 30 others, we were granted an exclusive, hour-long window to freely roam the Zama Heritage Car Garage. This was another experience organised by Iso-san from Nissan’s Prototype department. I’ve previously discussed Iso-san’s passion for keeping Nissan enthusiasts engaged, most recently through his work at the Underground Tokyo meet, where he orchestrated a rare public appearance of the Pennzoil R34 GT-R JGTC car alongside the IDx Concept.
At the entrance to the collection, we were greeted by Shirasaka-san’s R33 GT-R LM Edition and Meme-san’s two R35 GT-R Nismos. The street car touch was a nice meeting of the manufacturer and aftermarket worlds, something you rarely see in Japan.
Before being set loose in the collection, we were treated to a brief history of both Nissan and Nismo, delivered by four of the company’s key personalities: Shinyogi-san, Kakimoto-san, Aiba-san, and Kiga-san.
Then, the gates to automotive heaven were opened. The first glance at the collection is nothing short of overwhelming – it’s a sea of Nissan history, from iconic race cars to rare production models that most people don’t even know exist.
It would be impossible to cover every car here, and while each of these vehicles deserves a post of its own, we’ll leave some of the excitement for your own visit. See how to do that here.
The first half of the collection is devoted to production cars. These are displayed chronologically, starting with the first open-wheel Phaetons and Roadsters, and stretching through to the early 2000s heroes.
One of my first stops was at a pair of Fairlady Z models: the 1969 S30 Z432 in its signature orange, paired with a 1970 S30 Z-L.
Directly across from the Z cars was an impressive lineup of early Skylines, from the 1971 C10 base through to the ultra-desirable KPGC10 GT-R.
It was during the 1970s that Nissan truly began to take off, and that enthusiasm is reflected in the sheer number of vehicles from this era on display.
The collection also included GT-R variants, plus Cedrics, Cherrys, Glorias, Sunnys – almost everything you’d expect. There was even a 1972 Fairlday 240Z-G Kanagawa police patrol car that had a staggering 370,940km on the clock.
But there was one section that caught my eye, drawing me in for a closer look – Nissan’s beloved Silvia models.
S-chassis cars are the ones I tie into Nissan’s history so strongly. Released during Japan’s economic boom, the Silvia quickly cemented its place as one of the greatest sports cars of all time.
Tucked behind the Silvias, I found the 1987 MID4 II Concept – Nissan’s four-wheel-drive, mid-engine marvel designed for the Tokyo Motor Show. This car debuted Nissan’s HICAS steering system, which would go on to be featured in the production R32 Skyline GT-R.
And, of course, RB-powered Skylines were well represented. The R32 was showcased in three variants: the GT-R, GTS-T, and Autech.
The R33 and R34 Skyline models followed suit, with examples from the GTS-4 four-door to the R34 GT-R M-spec Nür.
Moving along, I came across the ultimate hot hatch pairing – the twin-charged March Super Turbo, and Pulsar GTi-R.
What truly makes this collection special isn’t just the production models; it’s Nissan’s motorsports pedigree. Stashed in just this one corner of the hall are race cars that represent decades of Nissan’s competition legacy.
Rather than dive into every single model (or risk turning this article into a small novel), let’s skim through some of the racing machines Nissan deems among its most significant.
From Le Mans to JGTC to Group A, Nissan has left its mark on almost every major racing series.
Whether it’s full-blown GT1 race cars or TS Race Sunnys, this collection holds the tangible history of Nissan’s racing ambitions.
But don’t miss the R35 GT-R Test Car and the Usain Bolt Special tucked away in the corner.
Nissan’s racing success wasn’t confined to the tarmac, either. The automaker has also made waves in rallying.
This March and Z combo was a favourite. The Z was used as Omori Factory’s official test car, and the March a Nismo rental car for the March Little Dynamite Cup Race.
The Super Silhouette cars built for the 1979-83 Group 5 races were hard to miss and stunning in person. These iconic, boxy machines inspired what we now know as Kaido Racers.
Of course, no Nissan collection would be complete without the Pennzoil GT-Rs, and the R33 and R34 versions were both on display.
Modern race cars are also well-represented in the collection, with a lineup of R90, R91, R92, and R390 models that ooze 1990s racing perfection. Among them was one of the two road-going homologation-built R390s.
Then there was the rare R33 GT-R 400R, a car that Iso-san graciously allowed us to inspect up close.
With just 44 units built, this car is as rare as it is impressive, featuring the 400hp RB-X GT2 engine.
The Nissan Heritage Collection stands as one of the most remarkable displays of automotive manufacturing history open to the public anywhere in the world. An hour of unsupervised access was a dream come true, made possible only by the passionate efforts of enthusiasts like Iso-san, who as Nissan once said, keep the dream alive.
Alec Pender
Instagram: noplansco
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