The R34 Skyline GT-R has cemented it's status as a true “unicorn car”. Especially in America, where the car wasn’t sold; at least not in the traditional way.

Thanks to games like Gran Turismo, videos from Best Motoring, and publications like Option Magazine, American-based JDM fans were all too familiar with the Skyline GT-R and how amazing it was.

This made the fact that Americans couldn’t get them all the more painful. Then, in 1997 everything changed. Out of nowhere a company called Motorex appeared with a bold promise: a way to purchase R34 Skyline GT-R’s in America legally.

Motorex was a registered importer that did all the legwork, including crash tests, to create a pathway to legal GT-R ownership in the United States. Motorex sold plenty of R33 GT-Rs but only a handful of R34 GT-Rs before the business ultimately shut down (that’s a whole other story).

With Motorex gone, enthusiasts thought the prospect of driving a street-legal R34 Skyline GT-R on American roads went with it.

Since then there have been rumors, stories, and anecdotes about legal Skyline GT-Rs and illegal Skyline GT-Rs. The question is: what’s the real difference?

In an episode of Fast Class Taro Koki spoke with Sean Morris of Toprank Importers in California to discuss the only three ways that someone can legally import a R34 Skyline GT-R to America currently.

As Sean covers each method he takes extra steps to debunk some of the myths out there regarding legal R34 Skyline GT-Rs and illegal R34 Skyline GT-Rs.

I’m going to give a quick breakdown of each method of obtaining one of the best JDM cars out there, a legal R34 Skyline GT-R as detailed by Morris.

1. Import it as a race car

This R34 Skyline GT-R race car used to compete in Japan before it came to America.

Anyone who wants a R34 Skyline GT-R purely for motorsport purposes can import a car right now. However, it is still a pretty involved process. According to Sean, the R34 chosen has to be a car that has already raced professionally in a sanctioned series; Not just a street car that's been converted to a race car for a few track days.

Furthermore, a letter from the manufacturer stating that the car was built for racing purposes is required by the NHTSA and the EPA. The owner must also detail all the modifications that make the car unsuitable for daily road use.

It’s a lot of paperwork but it is a perfectly legal process to take for anyone looking to race a R34 GT-R in America.

2. Import it as a “show-or-display” car

This R34 Skyline GT-R VSpec is one of only 282 to come in the "Midnight Purple" color.

The “show-or-display” rule is a very narrow and exclusive set of circumstances in which the NHTSA will allow someone to import cars (including the R34 Skyline GT-R) to America that weren’t originally sold here.

The key is that the car in question has to have historical or technological significance and it has to be very rare (fewer than 500 made).

That last part means this rule won’t apply to just any R34 GT-R, only very limited edition variants. For example a R34 GT-R V-spec in a very rare color.

Even if a car is approved for show-or-display it is still not guaranteed that the owner will be allowed to drive it on the road. Furthermore, if the car is approved for road use, it can’t be driven more than 2,500 miles in a year.

Considering the stipulations, the show-or-display route is best suited to very wealthy collectors who are ok with not getting much seat time in their R34.

3. Find a Motorex car

This R34 Skyline GT-R was originally purchased by Paul Walker from Motorex

As I mentioned before, Motorex was the first registered importer to sell street-legal R34 Skyline GT-Rs in America. When they started their operations the R34 wasn’t even out yet so they really got in on the ground floor.

According to Sean, Motorex didn’t have to crash test the R34 models due to the fact that underneath the body panels, the R34 is very similar to the R33; which Motorex did crash test.

So, all Motorex cars are nice and legal. Here’s the catch: when Motorex shut down, they had only sold 15 R34s. That means anyone who wants one would have to track down one of those cars and convince the owner to part with it. Likely with a lot of money. Some people of note who owned Motorex R34 Skyline GT-R include the late Paul Walker and Craig Lieberman who served as a tech advisor on the first two Fast and Furious movies.

BONUS: Wait until 2024

There is an exception in vehicle import rules that allow cars to be brought into the United States much simpler if the car is 25 years old. This is why it is “easier” to get a R32 or R33 currently. Since the R34 Skyline GT-R was originally released in 1999, that means it can officially qualify for the “25 year rule” in 2024, so start saving your money now!

Only 3 Ways To Drive A LEGAL R34 Skyline GT-R Right Now.