This is a scale model of an eighth-generation Nissan Skyline transmission. Despite the convincing level of detail covering every square inch of its surface, it sits less than nine inches tall – far too small to link an engine to a driveshaft. It’s intricately modeled, meticulously crafted, and made of 100-percent silicone. It’s also a sex toy.
But where does the idea to make an R32 transmission sex toy come from, and how does that idea evolve into ? To find out, I talked to the toy’s designer and the company that’s now made it a reality.
The story of the Skyline stimulator begins with , who operates under that username for her design endeavors and asked to be referred to as such in this article. She’s a fan of all things JDM, from her Y33 to her , but her heart belongs to the of fame. That car had such an impact on her that it inspired her own R32 build — a four-door model, decked out in a pink-and-white livery inspired by HKS’s distinctive design.
That Skyline recently needed a transmission rebuild, which — as you’d expect with an out-of-production car that was — required Saber.Driift to purchase a spare transmission for parts. Eyeing the gearbox, a thought came to mind. She had designed automotive-themed sex toys before, including one shaped like her own R32 Skyline. Why not make a silicone transmission?
At first she envisioned a more cartoonish design, but she threw together a quick, straightforward sketch and posted it on Twitter. She put a call out to sex toy producers, asking if anyone would be willing to take up the challenge. That’s where came in.
Not that Velvet Alley expected customers to get hung up on those kinds of details. In fact, the company didn’t really think about car enthusiasts at all while designing the toy. They merely saw a challenge — a novel and interesting design to bring to life, something that could, as Olsen put it, “transcend the idea of toys into the realm of art.”
Saber.Driift, however, always knew the toy would have enthusiast appeal. She thinks of gearheads as an “untapped market” for , one she aims to capture with her automotive designs. But neither she nor the folks at Velvet Alley anticipated the response to the R32 transmission.
“I didn’t expect the absolute reach it had,” Saber.Driift told me. “I heard it’s all over TikTok… I saw it on auto meme pages.” Velvet Alley noted a rush of new business after the . “Once the tweet seemed to catch on, we noticed more and more automotive-related usernames liking and retweeting. It was pretty cool to see the overwhelmingly positive response.”
For Saber.Driift, the creation of the toy was a chance to put a positive spin on the hassle of fixing her own R32 Skyline. We’ve all had frustrations with the cost and complexities of car repair, but she used the design as a way to get back at those inconveniences. In her words, “now my transmission can fuck me twice.”