Author: GATER KAZUKI

Hello everyone, this is GATER KAZUKI.

Today, I'll be talking about design. It might be unusual for me to discuss design rather than mechanisms, but I believe this is an unavoidable topic.

The theme is "surf line."

That sculpted body side, the surf line, that symbolizes the Hakosuka and Kenmeri. It disappeared from the R32. To be precise, it started getting questionable around the R30, and by the R32, it became something completely different.

Why was it removed?

Considering a future (present) where the surf line remained... that's what I'll be talking about today.

What exactly was the surf line?

The surf line is an undulating bulge on the body side of the Skyline, flowing from front to back. It was first adopted on the Hakosuka (C10 model) and further refined on the Kenmeri (C110 model).

This line wasn't just decorative; it was at the core of its identity, declaring, "This is a Skyline." When viewed from the side, you could tell at a glance if it was a Skyline just by the presence of that line. It was that strong of a design language.

In the case of the Kenmeri, the surf line ran from the front fender to the rear, combined with the four-round taillights, completing its distinctive silhouette. Along with the commercial slogan "Kenmeri's Skyline," that body line was deeply etched into the minds of the Japanese people.

That was "the Skyline," wasn't it?

What happened with the R30 and R31?

After the Kenmeri, the Skyline's design began to wander aimlessly with each generation.

With the R30 (from 1981), the body lines shifted to a straight-line basis. The angular form, dubbed "Super Silhouette," prioritized sharp character lines over the undulating surfaces of the surf line. As the automotive design trend of the time was moving towards a wedge shape, the focus shifted towards emphasizing straight lines and angles rather than organic curves.

The R30 is still understandable. It's comprehensible that designs were moving towards angularity as a trend of the era. But the moment that surf line began to fade, I had an unpleasant feeling, thinking, "Ah, it's starting to go in a different direction."

By the R31 (from 1985), this trend became even stronger. The body, while still angular, gradually started to become rounded, and almost all traces of the surf line disappeared. By this generation, I had almost given up hope.

Reasons why the surf line disappeared on the R32

Look at the body of the R32 (from 1989). It has a smooth, rounded form, designed with aerodynamics in mind. The powerful undulations on the body side, like those of the Hakosuka and Kenmeri, have completely vanished.

Why did they disappear?

One reason is the demands of aerodynamic performance. The R32 was designed from the outset with Group A racing in mind, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the body directly impacted its performance. Undulating surfaces like the surf line could disrupt airflow, so a smoother body side was considered aerodynamically advantageous.

Another reason is the design trends of the era. In the late 1980s, rounded, aerodynamic body shapes were globally mainstream, and the R32's design fit within that context.

But every time I hear this, I can't help but wonder: Was it really okay to lose its identity?

Aerodynamics and design identity should have been compatible. There must have been ways to achieve good aerodynamics without completely eliminating the surf line. If you look at European cars from the same period, there are countless examples that maintained unique character lines on their body sides while ensuring aerodynamic performance. Saying "the surf line was removed for aerodynamics" sounded like an excuse, blaming aerodynamics for a lack of design capability.

How much more "Skyline-like" would it have been with the surf line?

This is purely my personal fantasy.

If the R32's bulging blister fenders and its silhouette emphasizing all four corners had been combined with a Kenmeri-esque surf line...

I'm sure it would have been much more like a Skyline.

Mechanically, the R32 is a near-perfect car. But in terms of design, its persuasive power as "a Skyline" is overwhelmingly weaker compared to the Hakosuka or Kenmeri. When you see it on the street, you might think, "Oh, it's a Skyline," but you don't get that same profound emotional impact of "Oh, it's a Skyline...!" I believe a large part of that difference in emotion comes from the presence or absence of the surf line.

The surf line wasn't just a design line; it was a declaration that "this car is a Skyline." By removing it, even though the R32 was mechanically excellent, I feel it lost a bit of its "face" as a Skyline.

However, I don't completely dismiss the R32's design.

Let me add one point of clarification.

Am I saying I dislike the R32's design? No, that's not it. Those bulging blister fenders, the air intakes in the front bumper, the rear trunk spoiler – they all contribute to the functional beauty of a racing car. The R32 looks truly cool on the track.

However, from the perspective of "inheriting Skyline design," I believe it's a generation where something was clearly severed. The disappearance of the surf line is a symbol of that discontinuity.

And after the R33...

With the disappearance of the surf line in the R32, the design identity of the Skyline became even more ambiguous from the R33 onwards. It grew larger, heavier, rounder, became more luxurious, and before I knew it, it had simply turned into a rounded sports sedan.

Beyond the surf line, it became a design that even raised the question, "Does this even need to be a Skyline?" I plan to write an article about that transformation in the future.

That's all from GATER KAZUKI.