Nissan Skyline R33: the one everyone slept on
The R33 is the middle child of the Skyline family, built from 1993 to 1998, and it got treated like one. Too big, people said. Too heavy. Not as raw as the R32, not as cool as the R34. The internet spent years dunking on it while quietly ignoring the fact that it's stiffer, better balanced, and cheaper than both its siblings. The GTS-t came with the RB25DET inline-six and rear-wheel drive — basically a drift car with leather seats. The GT-R got the RB26DETT twin-turbo and AWD, same as the R32 but in a chassis that actually handles weight transitions better at high angle. Drifters who tried one figured this out fast. Everyone else is still catching up.
The engines and what they'll do
The RB25DET in GTS-t trim is the sweet spot for most drift builds. Smooth power delivery, massive aftermarket support, and 400+ horsepower is common without touching the bottom end. It's a reliable platform that doesn't need you to refinance your house to make good power. The GT-R's RB26DETT plays in a different league — 600+ horsepower with proper upgrades, and the iron block can take significantly more if you want to keep going. Both engines respond to the same bolt-on turbo kits, fuel systems, and engine management that every RB builder already knows. The GTS-t is the popular drift choice because it's already rear-wheel drive, lighter without the AWD hardware, and costs less to buy. Some people convert the GT-R to RWD for competition, but that's a longer road when the GTS-t already starts where you want to be.
Chassis setup and why the haters were wrong
The longer wheelbase that everyone complained about? It makes the car more stable through transitions and more predictable at high angle. Turns out those are things you actually want when you're sideways at 150km/h. The factory multi-link rear suspension takes coilover upgrades well — Cusco is a common choice — and responds to Tomei tension rods and Tein angle kits for maximum steering lock. The chassis is measurably stiffer than the R32, which means less flex and better feedback when you're pushing hard through linked corners.
Getting one while you still can
Daigo Saito and Mad Mike Whiddett have both run R33s in Formula Drift and D1GP, which should tell you everything about whether the platform works at the top level. But here's what matters to most people: R33 prices are still lower than both the R32 and R34. The "middle child" stigma that kept values down for years is the same thing that makes it the best deal in the Skyline lineup right now. Clean GTS-t examples are out there, and they cost less than what you'd pay for a comparable R32 — let alone an R34. The gap is closing, though. People are figuring it out.