Driving the Show or Display Nismo R32 Skyline GT-R

"Took the Nismo R32 Skyline GT-R to Cars and Coffee a couple of weeks back. This is nothing more than a quick couple minutes of driving. No racing, no fast driving, just cruising. This 1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R Nismo is over 21 years old so its EPA exempt. In the video, I show the NHTSA letter granting permission to import the Nismo under the Show or Display exemption. For more information check out :http://www.showordisplay.com"


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HOW YOU MAY APPLY FOR PERMISSION TO IMPORT

Your signed application must include, at a minimum:
1. Your name, address, phone number, and FAX number.
2. Vehicle identification – make, model, model year, VIN or chassis number,
engine number, date of manufacture and mileage.
3. Location where you will store the vehicle in the United States.
4. Statement describing use on the public roads, if intended. If on-road use is requested, identify the Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) that will modify the vehicle to bring it into conformity with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency.
5. Basis for the application.
6. Attachments:
1. Photographs – ¾ frontal, ¾ rear, interior, odometer reading and special features (if appropriate).
2. Document from manufacturer or recognized historical source, identifying total production (production verification).
3. Proof of insurance conditioned on limited on-road use (not more than 2,500 miles accumulated in any 12-month period).
4. Identification of vehicle’s:
1. Technological significance – You must identify (be specific) the technology, engineering, and construction features of the vehicle that are advanced and of an unusual nature not commonly found in motor vehicles manufactured in the same time period; or
2. Historical significance – You must identify the historical significance of the vehicle. If a person of historical significance owned the vehicle, you must submit proof that this person owned the vehicle. If the vehicle was the first or last vehicle of a particular model, you must establish this through the manufacturer’s documentation or, if this is not available, through a recognized historical source. If the vehicle was "one of a kind," you must establish this also.
Items of significance must be numerically listed followed by the reason why the item is of significance.
You may then mail the application to:

Import and Certification Division
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (NVS-223)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Room W45-205
Washington, DC 20590

ON-ROAD USE

A vehicle eligible for Show or Display may receive NHTSA approval to be driven on the highway. The odometer must not register more than 2,500 miles in a 12-month period. NHTSA approval of limited on-road use is to allow the vehicle to be driven to and from nearby displays of similar automobiles. Another reason permission is granted is to maintain the vehicle’s engine, braking, lighting, and other dynamic systems in good working order. The vehicle is still required to meet EPA requirements. If the original engine in the vehicle will be replaced with a non-original engine to meet EPA requirements, it must be identified in your application since it may impact on the technological or historical significance of the vehicle. Email me if you need help importing vehicles.

1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT : Approved

1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT

There were only 80 1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT's made, and as a special version of the Lamborghini Diablo, it was determined eligible for Show or Display exemption. Less than 500 made, and determined to be technologically significant enough to be exempt from NHTSA requirements.

"The Diablo SE30 and its optional Jota upgrade kit had been quite sporty and race-oriented, but Lamborghini took this concept a step further in 1999 with its introduction of the very limited production Diablo GT, of which only 80 examples were produced for sale. The Diablo GT was a completely race-oriented model differing in nearly every aspect from the more mainstream Diablos. The cars were fitted with radically altered aggressive bodywork, a stripped-down interior, and an enlarged engine. With the exclusivity came a large price tag of nearly $300,000 and availability limited to Europe. Some GT models were imported into the US and a few may have been converted to road-legal US specification."

Source: Wikipedia

HELP

HOW YOU MAY APPLY FOR PERMISSION TO IMPORT

Your signed application must include, at a minimum:
1. Your name, address, phone number, and FAX number.
2. Vehicle identification – make, model, model year, VIN or chassis number,
engine number, date of manufacture and mileage.
3. Location where you will store the vehicle in the United States.
4. Statement describing use on the public roads, if intended. If on-road use is requested, identify the Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) that will modify the vehicle to bring it into conformity with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency.
5. Basis for the application.
6. Attachments:
1. Photographs – ¾ frontal, ¾ rear, interior, odometer reading and special features (if appropriate).
2. Document from manufacturer or recognized historical source, identifying total production (production verification).
3. Proof of insurance conditioned on limited on-road use (not more than 2,500 miles accumulated in any 12-month period).
4. Identification of vehicle’s:
1. Technological significance – You must identify (be specific) the technology, engineering, and construction features of the vehicle that are advanced and of an unusual nature not commonly found in motor vehicles manufactured in the same time period; or
2. Historical significance – You must identify the historical significance of the vehicle. If a person of historical significance owned the vehicle, you must submit proof that this person owned the vehicle. If the vehicle was the first or last vehicle of a particular model, you must establish this through the manufacturer’s documentation or, if this is not available, through a recognized historical source. If the vehicle was "one of a kind," you must establish this also.
Items of significance must be numerically listed followed by the reason why the item is of significance.
You may then mail the application to:

Import and Certification Division
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (NVS-223)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Room W45-205
Washington, DC 20590

ON-ROAD USE

A vehicle eligible for Show or Display may receive NHTSA approval to be driven on the highway. The odometer must not register more than 2,500 miles in a 12-month period. NHTSA approval of limited on-road use is to allow the vehicle to be driven to and from nearby displays of similar automobiles. Another reason permission is granted is to maintain the vehicle’s engine, braking, lighting, and other dynamic systems in good working order. The vehicle is still required to meet EPA requirements. If the original engine in the vehicle will be replaced with a non-original engine to meet EPA requirements, it must be identified in your application since it may impact on the technological or historical significance of the vehicle. Email me if you need help importing vehicles.

Nismo GT-R Show or Display Covered by GT Channel

This was fast.  GT Channel just shot this video yesterday, of the #500 Nismo Nissan Skyline GT-R, and they have it up already.  Check it out below.

www.gtchannel.com for exclusive photos of the GT-R. We feature the first 1990 Nissan GT-R NISMO R32 imported under the show or display exemption. Sean Morris, the owner, gives us a look at the car and how he brought it to the US.

HELP

HOW YOU MAY APPLY FOR PERMISSION TO IMPORT

Your signed application must include, at a minimum:
1. Your name, address, phone number, and FAX number.
2. Vehicle identification – make, model, model year, VIN or chassis number,
engine number, date of manufacture and mileage.
3. Location where you will store the vehicle in the United States.
4. Statement describing use on the public roads, if intended. If on-road use is requested, identify the Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) that will modify the vehicle to bring it into conformity with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency.
5. Basis for the application.
6. Attachments:
1. Photographs – ¾ frontal, ¾ rear, interior, odometer reading and special features (if appropriate).
2. Document from manufacturer or recognized historical source, identifying total production (production verification).
3. Proof of insurance conditioned on limited on-road use (not more than 2,500 miles accumulated in any 12-month period).
4. Identification of vehicle’s:
1. Technological significance – You must identify (be specific) the technology, engineering, and construction features of the vehicle that are advanced and of an unusual nature not commonly found in motor vehicles manufactured in the same time period; or
2. Historical significance – You must identify the historical significance of the vehicle. If a person of historical significance owned the vehicle, you must submit proof that this person owned the vehicle. If the vehicle was the first or last vehicle of a particular model, you must establish this through the manufacturer’s documentation or, if this is not available, through a recognized historical source. If the vehicle was "one of a kind," you must establish this also.
Items of significance must be numerically listed followed by the reason why the item is of significance.
You may then mail the application to:

Import and Certification Division
Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (NVS-223)
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Room W45-205
Washington, DC 20590

ON-ROAD USE

A vehicle eligible for Show or Display may receive NHTSA approval to be driven on the highway. The odometer must not register more than 2,500 miles in a 12-month period. NHTSA approval of limited on-road use is to allow the vehicle to be driven to and from nearby displays of similar automobiles. Another reason permission is granted is to maintain the vehicle’s engine, braking, lighting, and other dynamic systems in good working order. The vehicle is still required to meet EPA requirements. If the original engine in the vehicle will be replaced with a non-original engine to meet EPA requirements, it must be identified in your application since it may impact on the technological or historical significance of the vehicle. Email me if you need help importing vehicles.

1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R: Show or Display Approval and 25 Year Update

Nismo R32 GT-R number 500. The Show or Display story did not end with an approval letter. The car was imported, used, developed and driven.

Important 2026 update

The 1990 Nismo R32 GT-R no longer needs Show or Display

I originally published this story in 2012 after NHTSA approved the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R for importation under Show or Display. That approval was a big deal at the time. Today, every genuine 1990 Nismo R32 is more than 25 years old, so it is exempt from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards based on age. It can now be imported under the normal federal 25 year exemption without applying for Show or Display.

The approval still matters. It documents what the Nismo R32 was before the broader R32 GT-R market became legal by age, and it shows how a rare Japanese homologation model earned recognition from the federal government for its historical and technological significance.

1990 Nismo R32 GT-R production year

560 Total Nismo homologation cars produced

2012 NHTSA approval received and this story first published

What Show or Display did for the R32 Nismo

Show or Display is a federal exemption created for vehicles with exceptional historical or technological significance that were never certified for normal sale in the United States. An approved vehicle could be permanently imported before it reached 25 years old, subject to NHTSA conditions. Limited road use could be authorized, normally with a maximum of 2,500 miles in a 12 month period, and EPA requirements still applied separately.

In 2011, a normal 1989 or 1990 R32 GT-R was not yet old enough for the federal 25 year exemption. The Nismo was different. Nissan launched it on February 22, 1990 as the homologation base for Group A and N1 competition. Nissan produced 560 Nismo R32 GT-Rs. You will often see the claim that 500 were sold to the public and Nissan retained 60 for racing, but the chassis history we have been able to document does not support that story. It appears Nissan retained the first six cars. Chassis number 7 is, as far as we can determine, the first car sold. It was sold to a Nissan executive and is now in the United States. The model's limited production, specific configuration and direct connection to the R32 GT-R racing program made it a serious Show or Display candidate.

Nismo R32 GT-R number 500 in Japan.

The application and the approval

I submitted the application to NHTSA in March 2011. The package included a cover letter, photographs, production documentation and a copy of the FIA homologation papers for the R32 GT-R. Then I waited. I followed up, spoke with officials and left enough messages that eventually I assumed the application had disappeared into Washington.

In September 2012, a letter from NHTSA arrived in my mailbox. I opened it, scanned the page and found the word that mattered:

Granted.

The NHTSA letter approving the 1990 Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R for Show or Display.

NHTSA had officially recognized the model. The letter lists the chassis range as ending at 562, but that was not an additional two cars. In my application, I placed a footnote reference number 2 immediately after the 560 chassis range. That reference number was mistakenly read as part of the range and carried into the approval letter. The accepted production total is 560, and the approved vehicle was clear: the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R.

Finding Nismo R32 GT-R number 500

Approval was only the first part. The next job was finding a real Nismo at a price that made sense while the exchange rate was working against us. R International located two cars, number 383 and number 500. Number 500 was the one.

BNR32-100500: Nismo number 500.

That car eventually came to the United States and became much more than a display piece. It has been driven on track, tested, changed and improved. That is the best part of the story. The petition was about preserving and recognizing an important model, but cars make their history by being used.

Best Motoring compares a regular R32 GT-R with the Nismo R32 GT-R.

What made the Nismo R32 different?

The Nismo model was not a normal GT-R with a badge package. It was built to homologate changes for competition. The specification included aerodynamic changes such as the small hood lip, front bumper ducts and rear spats, along with the deletion of equipment that was not needed for its intended purpose. The car also used steel wheel turbochargers rather than the ceramic turbine wheels found in the regular road car, a choice better suited to sustained competition use.

500 and 383 in 2012

More important than any single part was its purpose. The Nismo helped form the foundation for the Group A R32 GT-R, a car that became dominant in touring car racing and built the modern Godzilla reputation.

Looking for an R32 GT-R today?

The federal age question is no longer the hard part. Condition, history, rust, repairs, originality and the quality of the import paperwork matter far more. Toprank imports, inspects, services and sells R32 Skyline GT-Rs in the United States, with current inventory and incoming cars collected on one page.

See current R32 GT-R inventory Visit Toprank Importers

Nismo number 500 in the United States

Frequently asked questions

Does a 1990 Nismo R32 GT-R still need Show or Display approval?

No. A genuine 1990 car is now more than 25 years old and qualifies for the federal age exemption from FMVSS. Its exact date of manufacture and paperwork still need to be verified.

Was every R32 GT-R approved for Show or Display?

No. The 2012 approval was specifically for the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R. A petition for the normal 1989 to 1994 R32 GT-R was not approved. That distinction no longer controls import eligibility because all R32 GT-Rs are now over 25 years old.

Does the 25 year rule also solve EPA requirements?

No. NHTSA and EPA are separate. The federal safety exemption applies at 25 years. EPA has its own exemption for vehicles at least 21 years old when the original engine and configuration requirements are satisfied.

Can an R32 GT-R be registered in California?

Federal import eligibility does not automatically make a vehicle California compliant. California emissions certification and registration are separate from federal importation. Work with an importer that understands the complete California process before buying the car.

How many Nismo R32 GT-Rs were built?

Nissan produced 560 Nismo R32 GT-R homologation cars. The often repeated claim that Nissan sold 500 and retained 60 for racing does not match the chassis history we have been able to document. It appears Nissan retained the first six cars, while chassis number 7 is the earliest known sold example. That car was sold to a Nissan executive and is now in the United States. The approval letter's 562 figure came from a footnote reference number 2 being mistakenly added to the end of the 560 chassis range.

R32 GT-R import and buying resources

Rules change with the age and configuration of the specific vehicle. Start with the current federal source, then look at the car itself, its manufacture date and its documents.

NHTSA vehicle import information Current Show or Display vehicle list R32 GT-Rs for sale R32 GT-R technical articles

Originally published in 2012. Updated in 2026 to reflect the federal 25 year exemption and the current import status of the R32 Skyline GT-R. This article is general information, not legal advice.

1992 Honda NR750 - Approved

The 1992 Honda NR was a 750cc street version of their oval piston bikes. Yes oval pistons, an interesting looking thing. Kind of like a loaf of bread. Interesting shape.  The bike was about $50k, and they made about 300. It meets the requirements for Show or Display.

This was followed during the 1980s by a 750cc endurance racer version known as the NR750. The oval piston concept allowed for eight valves per cylinder which generated more power due to the increased air/fuel mixture throughput and compression. In 1992 Honda produced around 300 street versions of a 750cc model, the NR (often mistakenly referred to as the NR750), with a 90-degree V angle. Whereas the NR500 had used an oval piston with straight sides, the road going NR750 used an elliptical piston with curved long sides. The bike became the most expensive production bike at the time when it was selling for $50,000 and with the rarity, nowadays they rarely change hands.

Source: Wikipedia

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