“Father of Drifting” Honored By Nissan With Special Exhibit In Japan

Known as the “Father of drifting”, Kunimitsu Takahashi was so skilled at controlling a car that he was able to throw his vehicles into a corner at full speed, break traction on all four wheels, all while maintaining a racing line.

Nissan is paying tribute to Kunimitsu with a special exhibit in Japan, showcasing some of his most legendary vehicles. Also known as Kuni-san, he passed away due to Lymphoma on March 16, 2022, at the age of 82.

Kunimitsu started his racing career with motorcycles, but injuries sustained from an accident at the 1962 Isle of Man TT led him to transition to driving four-wheeled cars. In 1964 Kuni-san started racing for Nissan, setting numerous lap records in the brand’s prototype race cars such as the R380, R381, and R382. His most ubiquitous vehicle, however, would be the Nissan Skyline GT-R.

Kuni-san brought Nissan its 50th victory with the GT-R at the March 1972 Fuji Grand Champion 300km race, and the brand was eager for him to drive the latest model to more victories in the coming season.

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The 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R Racing Concept was unveiled at the 1972 Tokyo Auto Show, with the number 73 on the side suggesting that it might race in the upcoming season. Featuring the same S20 2.0-liter straight-six as found in the first generation GT-R. Producing 160 horsepower, sent to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission.

However, at the end of the 1972 season, Nissan disbanded its works racing team, choosing to focus on anti-pollution tech instead. The KPGC110 never got to turn a wheel on track, and the GT-R name was shelved for over 27 years.

Just 197 KPGC110 Skyline GT-R were produced, as the fuel crisis of the early 70s reduced the demand for performance cars.

Kinimitsu would launch his own racing team in 1994, notably running a Porsche 911 RSR Turbo in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship with Keiichi Tsuchiya (whom learned to drift from watching Kuni-san’s antics).

The display will feature three vehicles from Kuni-san’s history, including a 1969 Nissan R382, 1993 Skyline GT-R Group A, and the never-raced KPGC110 Skyline 2000GT-R.