For a car never sold new in the U.S., the Nissan Skyline GT-R has an enviable reputation here. Enthusiasts know it as a movie and video-game star, and even as a surprisingly common matchbox car.

Peter Lyon is based in Tokyo and writes about the car industry. After a 17-run the GT-R will go out of production in 2024. At the time of its launch in 2007, Nissan’s GT-R R35 was faster around ...