Midnight Purple R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R Sells For $235,000

The Nissan GT-R has become an icon. Sure, when it came out, people lamented the gearbox and the V6 engine, but now that it's been besting Italy's finest for years, it's truly well-loved. As it enters its twilight years, however, we doubt that it will be as loved as the original or the R34.

Another Nissan product that has that problem is the middle child that is the R33 variant. While the R32 was revered and became known as Godzilla for its legendary racing exploits and the R34 brought all the best parts of Skyline history into one stunning package, the R33 was viewed as the heavy and ugly variant, even earning the nickname "The Boat". But in the right spec, these cars are still worth insane money, as the immaculate example below demonstrates.

This car just sold on a US title (part of the high value) for $235,000, following an RM Sotheby's auction earlier this month. It could have sold for more had it been equipped with the optional bi-xenon projector headlights, but it's still got loads of awesome details. Along with its US registration, the car is completely unmolested and unmodified - something exceptionally rare among JDM legends such as this.

With just 28,650 miles on the clock, it's been used but appears to have been stored in bubble wrap when not on the road. That helps with the value too, as Skyline enthusiasts will be especially enamored by the flawless Midnight Purple paint. This shade shifts from almost black to violet with hints of plum, and while later iterations of this color (called Midnight Purple II and III) were a lot more vibrant and adaptive to light, this remains a highly sought-after finish.