In an age of big sedans and gas-guzzling saloons, it’s no surprise that a few VIP land barges have slipped through the cracks of mainstream JDM car fandom. The Y32 Nissan Cima is the perfect example.
When you think of big-turbo, luxury sedan drifting, you immediately think of a 1JZ-powered Toyota JZX (Chaser, Mark II, and Cresta) or even the RB-powered Nissan Laurel. Today’s massively inflated used JDM performance car market alludes to that mindset.
Before this shoot I have to admit I wasn’t very familiar with the Cima. Even here in Japan they are rare to come across, let alone in a modified state. But on a recent trip to N-style custom in Gunma I knew that Hiroyuki-san’s car had to be highlighted.
Released shortly after the Y32 Cedric/Gloria in 1991 and still during the R32 Skyline era, the upmarket Y32 Cima was initially offered with Nissan’s VH41DE 4.1L V8, followed by the turbocharged V6 3.0L VG30DET. Sales were modest in a collapsing VIP saloon market – which, over 30 years later, explains why so few remain on the road in Japan.
Hiroyuki-san’s Cima, however, has moved far from the factory specification and intent. With a number of modifications, he has reinvented the chassis as a road car, show car and drift car all in one.
How did Hiroyuki-san do that, you ask? Well, it all stems from what’s up front. Here, the Cima’s original engine has been swapped out for a Trust-built RB26, now pumped up to 2.8 liters. Sitting atop the straight-six is a NAPREC-machined DOHC 24-valve cylinder head with HKS 288-degree camshafts.
With such a strong base comes a single turbocharger to match, Hiroyuki-san sticking with an old-school KKK K27. Those familiar with this turbo will know it makes all the right noises; something that is amplified by an HKS GT wastegate for that signature RB howl.
And just in case he forgets, Hiroyuki-san has written the engine specifications on the underside of the hood in hand-brushed and color-matched lettering.
Outside, a full Sessions kit completes the look. You don’t see this type of body kit very often in the Kanto (Tokyo) region; VIP style is more common in the south of Japan, especially Kansai (Osaka). The fenders are perfectly flared, even to the rear doors, to match the kit. No tek-bolted flares here.
The car sits on a full set of Work Meister L1s, with a Sessions Big Brake kit up front and R32 GT-R discs and calipers at the rear.
Jumping inside, the contrasting luxury of an early 90s VIP car and a drift/show machine make Hiroyuki-san’s Y32 so interesting to photograph. A 6-point roll cage wraps the entire interior, but keeps the rear seat functional. Up front, a pair of Hardcore carbon fiber bucket seats and a matching shifter for the R33 GTS-25t 5-speed conversion sit.
The Y32 Cima is the kind of car you don’t know you want until you find out it exists – especially when they look and drive like this. That said, Hiroyuki-san’s is far from an out-of-the-box purchase. And for that reason, the Y32 Cima will remain a quiet underdog.
Alec Pender
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