This is a race car that actually participated in Group A of the JTC (Japan Touring Car) championship in 1991. Kenji Takahashi, the development test driver of the R32 Skyline GT-R, and Keiichi Tsuchiya, the "Drift King", were at the wheel of this car.
At the time, the GT-R was so dominant in Group A that it virtually looked like a one-make race series, as most teams opted to run the GT-R. The reason for Taisan’s success was its unique brake water-cooling system.
In the opening race of the season, the brakes were cooled normally, by air, as with all the other teams, but they were overwhelmed by the performance of the GT-R and team Taisan had to retire from the race. To address this issue, team principal Chiba, decided to turn the tables by using the technology from his company, Taisan Industrial, which mainly manufactured pumps. With a 20-litre water tank, the team sprayed water directly onto the brake rotors to cool them down. This proved to be very effective, and the team finished 2nd in round 2 at Suzuka, followed by another 2nd place in the following round at Tsukuba. Of course, this water-cooling system is still installed to this day, and the water inlet can be seen behind the driver's seat.
The engine has been replaced with a stock N1 engine, but the majority of the suspension parts have been kept to the original Group A specification. The battle-scarred Volk Racing Super Fine magnesium centre-lock wheels also remain.
The R32 Skyline GT-R was an iconic car for Team Taisan, and there are only two surviving examples, this one which competed in Group A in 1991, and the other one on display at the Nissan Museum, which was used from 1992 to 1993.