GTP Cool Wall: 1996-2001 Nissan Stagea Autech 260RS

[Murcie_LP640]

The appeal of an R33 GT-R in a wagon body is very strong but the 260RS is destined to be Uncool.

It's not particularly handsome, and it's one of those cars that are only spoken of in engine and chassis codes, although WGNC34 doesn't quite roll off the tongue quite as well as R34 or even ECR33, as examples.

 

[jezboosted]

I gave "cool" my vote.

I might be biased for owning a stagea though

 

[mustafur]

That's not the problem- I do my best not to be ignorant- I just sometimes make statements when I think I know what I'm talking about. I'm sure plenty of users on here didn't know much about BBS either but because I'm arguing against it I'm the one who ends up looking like an ass.

There's definitely no need to be so nasty to me for being incorrect. I'm not like that toward you guys, I usually only want clean debating. I can barely admit I'm wrong when I'm constantly being made fun of.

I wouldn't say your being made fun of, just the assumptions made.

 

[20832]

A Skyline wagon? Hell yeah, sub zero!

 

[ScottPuss20]

It doesn't look great, but it still has some performance. Meh

 

[Mikeybc]

Reminds me of what a teenager would do with Grandpas hand-me-down, but since it can perform to a level up to its somewhat ridiculous looking body kit implies in can't be uncool. Meh.

 

[mustafur]

Reminds me of what a teenager would do with Grandpas hand-me-down, but since it can perform to a level up to its somewhat ridiculous looking body kit implies in can't be uncool. Meh.

Not really, 280hp and over 1700kg is worse power to weight then a V6 Camry.

However unlike the Camry it has an RB26DETT one of the best engines ever made.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

The output was more like 320hp as is per usual for vehicles part of the Japanese 280PS agreement.

 

[Mikeybc]

Not really, 280hp and over 1700kg is worse power to weight then a V6 Camry.

However unlike the Camry it has an RB26DETT one of the best engines ever made.

That's true, but it's still quicker than its looks without the body Kit would imply, one would think a K-car or a 4cyl Cavalier or Sunfire would give it a run for its money.

Maybe I'm influenced by the fact that the quickest vehicles I've ever owned are a 190 hp 4 cyl Accord coupe and a 250 hp Ridgeline. The Stagea would probably be pretty exciting to me.

 

[Tunerguy21]

WGNC34 doesn't quite roll off the tongue quite as well as R34 or even ECR33, as examples.

I've always pronounced it Wagon C34, so I can't say I've run into that problem.

I vote cool. It may look ricey now, but that was just the style back then-most performance cars tended to be at least a little ostentatious, especially when modified (whether from the factory or otherwise). Plus, with the "ricey" looks, most wouldn't think much of it till it blasts by. Reverse psychology!

 

[niky]

Not really, 280hp and over 1700kg is worse power to weight then a V6 Camry.

However unlike the Camry it has an RB26DETT one of the best engines ever made.

There is also torque to consider, and the fact that a V6 Camry is a lot quicker than most people would like to admit a boring car can be.

 

[silverman_GT]

Seriously Uncool because bodykit.

But childhood memories from GT2 bumps it up to Cool.

 

[mustafur]

There is also torque to consider, and the fact that a V6 Camry is a lot quicker than most people would like to admit a boring car can be.

Yeah The stagea has 40nm more but at the end of the day it's not fast for today's standards, as most V6 sedans these days are at that level at least power to weight wise.

 

[Crispy]

Very, very cool car.

However it is a wagon with a wing. No wagon/SUV should have a wing. Uncool.

 

[Stotty]

Good God, what a complete eyesore of a car

How anyone could think it cool is beyond me.

SU

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

I read once an article in a magazine, a mild tuned Stagea easily beaten a Porsche on a traffic light drag to 3rd gear. A street sleeper
Next time see one in flesh, beware It might be tuned, and RB26DETT can easily put out 500+PS with mild tune up ( stock bottom end )
Imagine 600+PS awd stripped out wagon.

 

[Aki Ko]

I read once an article in a magazine, a mild tuned Stagea easily beaten a Porsche on a traffic light drag to 3rd gear. A street sleeper
Next time see one in flesh, beware It might be tuned, and RB26DETT can easily put out 500+PS with mild tune up ( stock bottom end )
Imagine 600+PS awd stripped out wagon.

Aaaand this is partly why this car gets a "uncool" or "SU" vote.

 

[mustafur]

I read once an article in a magazine, a mild tuned Stagea easily beaten a Porsche on a traffic light drag to 3rd gear. A street sleeper
Next time see one in flesh, beware It might be tuned, and RB26DETT can easily put out 500+PS with mild tune up ( stock bottom end )
Imagine 600+PS awd stripped out wagon.

The thing is though, the stagea with the RB26 looks like a complete rice wagon from F&F.

A Sleeper is something that draws attention away from it, this just draws weird faces towards it's hideous exterior.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

Aaaand this is partly why this car gets a "uncool" or "SU" vote.

Uncool for the losing driver For me, a sleeper is a cool car, regardless if it's a wagon, pick up or sedan. Back when I was in college, the Stagea was rare import, and a good example was sought after by turbo car enthusiasts along with other Autech cars like 4 door R33. There was one that once saw regular track day owned by tuning garage and it can beat Ferraris, Porsche around the track. It was a DD car too.

The thing is though, the stagea with the RB26 looks like a complete rice wagon from F&F.

Well, that depends on the owner, you can make any car a ricer. Just because it's a wagon and has RB26, then it's a ricer

 

[Sage Ages]

Well, that depends on the owner, you can make any car a ricer. Just because it's a wagon and has RB26, then it's a ricer

Look at it...


A normal Stagea could get away with it, but not this one.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

I have no issue with the car appearance, looks fine for a boxy wagon from the 90's.

WC34 Stagea

 

[Aki Ko]

I have no issue with the car appearance, looks fine for a boxy wagon from the 90's.

WC34 Stagea

I clicked for full resolution.

Nothing happened.
I'm disappointed.

 

[Sage Ages]

View attachment 281599

This is exactly what we're talking about.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

I clicked for full resolution.

Nothing happened.
I'm disappointed.

Already fixed Maybe because I spent my teenage to mid 20's with mostly japanese turbo cars. My 1st turbo car experience were Lancer Evo GSR and EP82 Starlet GT Turbo back in mid 90's then the next 10 years or so was the best years of my life.

This is exactly what we're talking about.

I can appreciate your preference Not all people will like certain cars, I encountered a lot of them IRL, sometimes they mock my ride back in the day I just replied with loud BOV and wastegate I was bad boy then

 

[Sage Ages]

What I'm saying is that a wagon that looks like that will never get away as a sleeper.

A standard Stagea however will draw less attention.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

What I'm saying is that a wagon that looks like that will never get away as a sleeper.

A standard Stagea however will draw less attention.

So, what gives it away ? the side skirts and bumpers ? or the badge ? What I consider sleeper would be stock appearance with plumb back BOV, internal wastegate and not so loud exhaust. I'm sure not many will look at it and say that wagon has 450-500PS under the hood or will beat most European sports car on a drag to 3rd gear.

A Subaru Legacy / Outback H6 also share similar styling and can be a sleeper when the power is upgraded.

 

[Sage Ages]

So, what gives it away ?? the side skirts and bumpers ? or the badge ? What I consider sleeper would be stock appearance with plumb back BOV, internal wastegate and not so loud exhaust. I'm sure not many will look at it and say that wagon has 500PS under the hood.

As discreet and subtle as possible. Doesn't matter if the exterior if stock or not. An Autech Stagea is not any of those things.

 

[Aki Ko]

So, what gives it away ?? the side skirts and bumpers ?

That spoiler.

 

[jezboosted]

If this car was driving down the road, visually all you would notice is the wider offset wheels.



Then you see it on the track and think - hmm I know its a heavy car, must have bad brakes and needs a chute




A funny little bit of trivia about the Autech stagea. Autech acquired only automatic Stageas from Nissan to be converted to the Autech model. This means that even though they converted them to a manual gearbox, all of the 260RS stageas from Autech came with the auto dash which has the "P R N D 2 1" lights in between the tacho and speedo.

 

[mustafur]

Well, that depends on the owner, you can make any car a ricer. Just because it's a wagon and has RB26, then it's a ricer

Not what I mean, what im saying is the Stagea with the RB26 (Autech) definetely comes across as such, an RB26 on the otherhand is not rice it's an engine lol. And an epic one at that.