Nissan never built a wagon version of the outgoing GT-R, so a custom vehicle shop in New Zealand has stepped in to fill the void.
Chris Watson of Tofu Auto Works in New Zealand has meticulously grafted the front fascia of an R35 GT-R to a Nissan Stagea wagon to create a unique vehicle.
It was a painstaking two-year process, documented in detail in a 38-video series on the Tofu Auto Works YouTube channel.
Beginning with a 2007 Stagea Autech Axis, Mr Watson retained its Nissan VQ engine – a 3.5-litre V6 with 206kW of power – along with its five-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive setup but swapped its front end with that of the most recent GT-R.
He also resprayed it, fitted aftermarket wheels, and installed a custom widebody kit as part of his project.
While R34 GT-R fascias have been fitted to many first-generation Stageas in the past, this custom wagon takes the less common route of pairing a second-generation Stagea body with the front of the V35 GT-R which only recently ended production after 18 years.
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The Nissan Stagea was a Japanese market-only wagon produced in two generations from 1996 to 2007. Earlier models shared the same RB-series inline-six engines and platform of the R33 Skyline GT-Rs of the time.
With a 2.6-litre twin-turbo inline-six RB26 engine and a five-speed manual, the Stagea 260RS Autech was the closest Nissan came to making a full-blown GT-R wagon.
The second-generation Stagea was launched in 2001 on the same platform as the V35 Skyline, many of which have had GT-R front-ends grafted on by car customisers.
Mr Watson’s custom wagon is a second-generation model and is fitted with the most powerful engine available, which was shared with the 350Z coupe.
His Stagea wasn’t completely stock to begin with, as previous owners had fitted aftermarket Tein coilovers and installed the upgraded brakes of a 350Z.
He first set out to “fix” some of the cosmetic issues of the Stagea by removing the affected panels before preparing new pieces like GT-R headlights and a front bumper.
Then came two years of modifying, sanding and fibreglass work before the final coat of Milennium Jade was laid down in recent months, creating a GT-R wagon that nearly looks like one Nissan itself could have made.
The full build process is shown on Tofu Auto Works’ channel, and the company will also be selling an 11-piece conversion kit for people aspiring to complete their own Stagea build, priced at NZ$6500 (A$5913).
As for its stock drivetrain, automatic Stagea models are reportedly more common than manuals, as they were cheaper to produce and sold better. They were also better suited to the daily commuter leanings of the Stagea wagon.
Mr Watson also steered away from swapping in the iconic RB-series engines and said he would rather use a VR-series motor, like what’s found in the standard R35 GT-R – money permitting, of course.
Image credit: tofuautoworks on Instagram
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