WhichCar
motor

GALLERY: Nissan's DNA Garage

Nissan's DNA Garage is hidden behind an innocuous red door at the Oppama plant, but for Japanese car nuts it’s the equivalent of climbing through the wardrobe to Narnia

One of two road-going R390s, built to homologate the 1998 Le Mans car
Gallery26

At Nissan’s Oppama plant, there’s an innocuous red door with ‘Nissan DNA Garage’ written in bold font. It’s not a welcoming door – ‘keep out’ is plainly written next to the handle – but for Japanese car nuts it’s the equivalent of climbing through the wardrobe to Narnia.

Nissan’s DNA Garage is a giant warehouse home to the company’s most treasured possessions. Giant car companies aren’t usually very sentimental; often they’d rather crush prototypes or one-offs than find space to keep them.

Thankfully, Nissan is different, and the DNA Garage is home to one of the most jaw-dropping collections of significant cars you’re ever likely to see.

No matter what style or era you’re into, there’s almost guaranteed to be something to get you drooling. Vintage machinery? How about Nissan’s first car, the 1933 Datsun 12? Or Prince Skylines so clean you could eat your dinner off them? If the ’70s were your golden era, there’s the legendary original GT-R ‘Hakosuka’ and immaculate early Z-cars.

For the computer game generation it’s like walking into your very own Gran Turismo garage. GT-Rs of every type and iconic race cars as far as the eye can see – Group C Le Mans prototypes, historic rally cars, outrageous Group 5 Silhouette racers and more JGTC racers than you can point a Playstation controller at.

Sadly, the museum is very, very rarely open to the public, but hopefully flicking through our gallery is the next best thing. For a full list of vehicles and specs on each click here.

Scott Newman
Contributor
Dino Dalle Carbonare

COMMENTS

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.