The 2008 edition of Subaru WRX STI possesses more refined ride and also a new look but the truth is all the changes make it a better performance car even if you are not a fan of hash backs any enthusiast has to admit the STI looks down right me with that monsters hood scoop and bulging fenders. The switch to a hash back body style has another benefit the swept back roof line and shoulder overhangs improve aerodynamics stability and handling agility. Subaru said the changes are necessary to keep the sti comparative in WRC rally. The more advantage of new shape is extra cargo space and a seat split function so that you can also use this STI as a family car, the interior is spacious a telescopic steering wheel and high adjustable seat accommodates drivers of all sizes. The seats of New STI provide both comfort and support. But this doesn't mean that STI has gone soft it still has the expected punch when you put your foot on the gas.Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Subaru Impreza WRX STI
The 2008 edition of Subaru WRX STI possesses more refined ride and also a new look but the truth is all the changes make it a better performance car even if you are not a fan of hash backs any enthusiast has to admit the STI looks down right me with that monsters hood scoop and bulging fenders. The switch to a hash back body style has another benefit the swept back roof line and shoulder overhangs improve aerodynamics stability and handling agility. Subaru said the changes are necessary to keep the sti comparative in WRC rally. The more advantage of new shape is extra cargo space and a seat split function so that you can also use this STI as a family car, the interior is spacious a telescopic steering wheel and high adjustable seat accommodates drivers of all sizes. The seats of New STI provide both comfort and support. But this doesn't mean that STI has gone soft it still has the expected punch when you put your foot on the gas.Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Mitsubishi lancer Evolution X
In 2005, Mitsubishi introduced a concept version of the next-gen Evolution at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show named the Concept-X.Mitsubishi unveiled a second concept car, the Prototype-X, at the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
It also features Mitsubishi's new sequential semi-automatic six speed Twin Clutch SST twin-clutch transmission with steering-mounted magnesium alloy shift paddles. A 5-speed manual gearbox will also be available. Mitsubishi claims that the 5 speed manual transmission has always been preferred in rallying and should be very refined, resulting in a more satisfying drive. New Lancer Evolution will incorporate Mitsubishi's next generation RISE safety body.
The production version of Prototype-X has begun production in Autumn 2007. The Evolution X went on sale October 1, 2007 in Japan then in January 2008 in the U.S.A. , February in Canada (as the first version of Evolution in Canada) and in March 2008 in the UK at prices between £27,499 and £37,999. The Twin Clutch SST version was available in Japan from November 2007.[19] Europe will follow with sales in May, GSR and MR version (= incl. Premium Package).
Japanese models
The engine is the 4B11-type 2.0 litre inline-4 turbo and produces 300 PS(221 kW/296 hp) at 6500 rpm 422 N•m (311 ft•lbf) (43.0 kg-m) at 3500 rpm. Aluminum is used in the roof panel, front fenders and the rear spoiler frame structure.
RS - 5 speed manual transmission. 18-inch tires. Driver dual-stage airbag. Standard Engine immobilizer.
GSR - Standard rear spoiler. 5 speed manual or 6-speed Twin Clutch SST transmission (magnesium paddle shifters on SST model). 245/40R18 tire on Enkei 12-spoke high-rigidity cast alloy wheels or optional BBS lightweight alloy wheels. Brembo ventilated disc brakes. Standard S-AWC 4WD system. Driver and front passenger dual-stage airbag. Standard Engine immobilizer with security alarm. Optional Mitsubishi Motors Communication System (MMCS) which comprises a 30Gb hard disk drive audio/navigation system with 7-inch (180 mm) LCD screen. Optional Rockford Fosgate premium sound system. Optional keyless remote entry.
GSR can be fitted with following packages:
High Performance Package - Bilstein single tube shock absorbers and Eibach coil springs, brembo 2-piece disc brakes, high performance tires with stiffer walls and better grip.Stylish Exterior Package - Chrome finish for the front grille lattice and beltline molding, body color-keyed fender vents, adds fog lamps.Leather Combination Interior - The seats matches the color of the exterior.Premium Package - All 3 above packages plus 18-inch (460 mm) BBS lightweight alloy wheels.
Option packages:
(GSR only) Sight, Sound and Spoiler Package - Xenon HID headlamps with manual leveling; large rear spoiler; FAST-Key electronic entry and starting system; 650-watt (maximum) Rockford Fosgate audio system; in-dash 6-disc CD changer; SIRIUS Satellite Radio with six months prepaid subscription.
(MR only) Technology Package: Mitsubishi Multi Communication System, GPS navigation with Diamond Lane Guidance; 30GB hard disc drive with Digital Music Server, in-dash DVD/CD player, multifunction 7-inch (180 mm) color LCD touchscreen, 650-watt (maximum) Rockford Fosgate high-performance audio system, SIRIUS Satellite Radio with six months prepaid subscription.
FQ-300 - Engine rated 295 PS (291 hp/217 kW) at 6500 rpm and 407 N•m (300 lb•ft) at 3500 rpm.
FQ-330 - Engine rated 329 PS (324 hp/242 kW) at 6500 rpm and 437 N•m (322 lb•ft) at 3500 rpm.
FQ-360 - Engine rated 359 PS (354 hp/264 kW) at 6500 rpm and 492 N•m (363 lb•ft) at 3500 rpm. Carbon fibre front lip spoiler, rear vortex generator, gear knob, hand brake. Front leather Recaro seats.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
Your boss drives a Mercedes SL500 roadster. It's beautiful. Sexy. And your coworkers fawn over it. Too bad it's so slow.
For about $32,000, you can buy a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX and smoke that stuffed shirt.
Mitsubishi introduced the Lancer Evolution IX in Japan on March 3, 2005, and exhibited the car at the Geneva Motor Show for the European market the same day. The North American markets saw the model exhibited at the New York International Auto Show the following month. The 2.0 L 4G63 engine has MIVEC technology (variable valve timing), boosting official power output at the crankshaft to 286 hp (213 kW) and torque to 289 ft•lbf (392 N•m). The Evolution VIII first offered in 2003 would produce dynamometer readings of approximately 225 WHP and 225 lb•ft (305 N•m). WTQ with a flywheel power rating of 271/273 respectively. The Evolution IX typically pulls 255 WHP and 250 WTQ on a wheel dynamometer, a difference of 30 hp (22 kW).
The USDM Lancer Evolution IX models (standard; "GSR" in some markets), RS, SE, and MR) varied slightly in their performance capabilities. Subtleties unique to each model accounted for variations in acceleration, handling and top speed. The RS excluded features standard on the standard, SE and MR models (stereo system, power windows and locks, rear wiper, rear wing, trunk lining and sound insulation). The resulting weight savings of over 60 lb (27 kg) gave the RS a subtly sharper handling responsiveness that helped it shave fractions of a second off the lap times of other models on an identical course.[citation needed] However, the top-end MR had a high top speed, since its 6th forward gear allowed it to reach 165 mph (266 km/h) at 7,000 rpm compared to 157 mph (253 km/h) at 7,000 rpm in 5th for the RS and middle-positioned IX models.
The IX MR retained the features of the Evolution VIII MR, like Bilstein shocks, a 6-speed manual transmission, a rooftop vortex generator, BBS forged wheels, HID xenon headlights, foglights, accessory gauge package, "zero lift" kit, special badging and an aluminum roof. All models continued to sport Recaro bucket seats, Brembo brakes and MOMO steering wheels. Additional revisions from 2005 included a closer gear ratio for the 5-speed manual transmission, new lighter Enkei wheels on non-MR models, a redesigned front end with a more efficient air dam (the most noticeable feature are the two small oval ducts to cool the intercooler pipes), and a new rear bumper with a diffuser undersurface to smooth out the airflow coming out of the car for non-US models. In an effort to reduce the price increase on the Evolution IX model,[citation needed] HID headlights were no longer standard equipment on the base IX (nor were they standard on the 2005 VIII), and were available only in the SSL package (Sun, Sound, and Leather), SE (Special Edition) and MR trims.
RS - "ralli sport", revised 5-speed, aluminium roof, gauge pack, minimal interior, LSD and a titanium-magnesium turbine, left-hand drive option available.
GT - revised 5-speed, this is basically the RS mechanically, but with some of the GSR's features (mainly interior pieces).
GSR - 6-speed, Bilstein monotube shocks, aluminium roof, gauge pack, SAYC (Super Active Yaw Control), and double-din radio (this is roughly equivalent to the USDM MR).
In the United Kingdom, the Evolution IX used a different model scheme based on the car's horsepower. There were initially three models available: the FQ-300, FQ-320 and FQ-340 each with around 300, 320 and 340 bhp (254 kW) respectively. An FQ-360 model was subsequently released as a successor to the Evolution VIII FQ-400. While the new FQ-360 produced less horsepower than its predecessor, it had more torque at 363 lb•ft (492 N•m) at 3200 rpm - 8 lb•ft (11 N•m) more than the FQ-400. All four models were designed to run on super unleaded petrol only.
FQ-360 - 6-speed, Bilstein monotube shocks, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Ralliart Sports Meter Kit, carbon front splitter, Speedline alloy wheels, super unleaded petrol only
Four models were available in the US. All models used the same 286 hp (213 kW) engine. All models used a front and rear Limited Slip Differential, and an Active Center Differential.
Standard - revised 5-speed, standard model
RS - ralli sport, revised 5-speed, aluminum roof, gauge pack, minimal interior
SE - Special Edition, aluminum roof/hood, and front fenders, split seven-spoke forged aluminum BBS wheels in "diamond black" finish, HID headlights with integrated fog lights, red-stitched Recaro seats
All of the American models are the same in power and performance. The only thing that sets them apart is the Evo RS, which is 80 lb (36 kg) lighter than the MR and SE models.
To the standard (or "GSR") model, the Sun, Sound and Leather package added a power sunroof, HID xenon headlamps with integrated fog lights, a slightly different stereo headunit (with no integral amplifier), slightly upgraded speakers in the front doors and parcel shelf, a 4.1-channel amplifier under the driver's seat, a powered, trunk-mounted Infinity subwoofer, black leather seating surfaces, leather-trimmed door panels, slightly revised center armrests in the front and rear, and separate rear side headrests. This model deleted the GSR's headliner-mounted sunglass holder to make room for the sunroof.
A 2,500-piece, limited edition Evolution IX station wagon was released in Japan soon after the sedan's debut. It used the back end of the Lancer Sportback wagon grafted onto the sedan. Two trim models were introduced: the GT with a six-speed manual transmission and the GT-A with a 5-speed automatic. Other than the station wagon rear end, redesigned seats and some chromed trims, the car's interior was the same as the sedan.
Mitsubishi also developed the Evolution MIEV, based on the Evolutions IX's chassis but with four electric motors connected to the wheels as a test bed for the Mitsubishi In-wheel Electric Vehicle (MIEV) next-generation electric vehicle. The in-wheel motors used a hollow doughnut construction to locate the rotor outside the stator, unlike other electric motors where the rotor turns inside the stator. The result of this was a lighter motor which translated into lower unsprung weight than a system with the motors mounted in the wheels. Each in-wheel motor produced a power output of 68 hp (51 kW), thus giving a combined output of 272 hp (203 kW), comparable to that of regular, petrol powered Lancer Evolutions. The car competed in the Shikoku EV (Electric Vehicle) Rally 2005.
The Philippines had the Evolution IX until in August 2008, which was offered in two trims, the entry-level RS offering a 5-speed manual transmission, Brembo 17-in. ventilated discs (4-Pot), Brembo 16-in ventilated drum-in-disc (2-Pot) and almost the same features as to that of the GSR trim in the international version. The MR was the top-of-the-line segment, which offers almost the same feature as to that of the MR trim in the international verision. All of them are powered by a l4 2.0 4G63 turbocharged MIVEC engine.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Mazda MX-5

Mazda also emphasized on balance for the MX-5 and have achieved a 50:50 weight distribution, making this one of the best Mazda drift cars.
It has very neutral balance so it's a great car for beginners. It’s a small, lightweight sports car that loves to be driven hard. The higher up in the revs, the better! It’s a real driver’s car and is designed for only that purpose alone.
Drifting the MX-5 in stock form is somewhat of a challenge, but that also makes it a great car to learn from. The weight is its ultimate advantage as the older MX-5 weighs just under 1000kg and the newer models are a little heavier; just over 1000kg. Power output is ranging from 115hp on older models to 160hp on newer models.
NISSAN Skyline R32 GTS-t

The Nissan Skyline has only been released in Japan, so all the Skyline models have the driver seat on the right. Although the Skyline GT-R is a 4WD, the GTS-t is fortunately a RWD.
Engine wise there are many variations available but the 2.0 liter is the one to go for. This one is turbocharged and produces 212hp.
The 2.5 (180hp) is non-turbo, and the 2.6 (280hp) engine is placed in the GT-R. Some people even swap the RB for a SR engine, since it's lighter. The RB is a great engine though, with lots of tuning potential and good power.
Not only was the Skyline never exported outside of Japan, most of them suffered a lot of abuse from the drifters. And as it's getting older (the newest being around 15 years old) a good R32 GTS-t that didn't got totally rocked by the Japanese at their local circuit is getting harder to find these days.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Mazda RX-8

Designed to follow in the footsteps of the RX-7, the Mazda RX-8 was released to the market as its successor. It still retains the original concept as a sports-coupe, only now it’s a 4-door coupe with suicide doors on the back.
It’s a well designed car that comes very close to 50:50 weight distribution. The 1.3 liter rotary engine that has been taken under hands is now smaller in size and weighs less than previous rotary engine. It has better fuel economy and increased power output.
But unlike its big brother the RX-7 it doesn’t have a turbocharger. So unfortunately it is lacking a bit in power.
Toyota MR2

Although not the smartest choice for drifting, this mid-ship Toyota MR2 is still well suited for drifting. Because the engine is in the back, and thus most of the weight is towards the rear, the car is known to be tail-happy and has a natural tendency to oversteer. It does have quite a learning curve and especially as a beginner it’s better to stick with front-engine to learn the basics first.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
NISSAN 350Z

Nissan returns the Z-series with the 350Z, or the Fairlady Z as it is called in Japan. The sports-coupe, also available as a soft-top roadster, is a stunning looking car and has a 3.5 liter V6 under the bonnet. The 350Z serves a solid foundation for tuning and drifting and has great aftermarket supports. This car drifts like a dream.
Toyota Soarer

One more from the selection of Toyota drift cars! The Toyota Soarer is another car from Toyota that is very good for drifting, but you don’t see this car as often as the other popular drift cars.
In the US this car is better known as Lexus’ 1st generation SC series. The SC series was Toyota's answer to Mercedes' and BMW's luxury coupe, offering both comfort and performance. They can be turned into some nice Toyota drift cars, but they are heavy and aren't cheap.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Toyota Supra

The Toyota Supra is another very popular tuning car you see on display at car shows all around the world. When you think of Toyota drift cars the Supra is probably the first car that comes to mind. It is Toyota’s answer to Nissan’s Skyline GT-R.
Being RWD you can get the older generations, the Mark I and the Mark II that started in the late 70s, but the more popular models are the Mark III and Mark IV. Especially the latest model, the Mark IV with the 3.0 liter twin-turbo 2JZGE engine, is highly popular.
It’s not a cheap car though, but most people know that in compensation it doesn't take a lot of money to upgrade the engine. The engines internals are incredibly strong and can withstand tuning up to 500hp+ without modifications. It's a great car, a great engine and has tons of potential. It’s the best performance car Toyota has to offer.
NISSAN Silvia S14

The replacement model for the S13, the S14, came in 1993. The car retains its drift-happy character and has improved handling. The engine featured Nissan's new variable cam timing system to make it a little stronger. The S14 was available in two versions: K’s or Q’s. K's (Kings) has the SR20DET and the Q's (Queens) version had the turbo removed. The SR20DE only makes about 140hp.
The K's has more than enough power to drift. On a car like this you don’t need a lot of modifications to start drifting. The SR engine is very tuneable; with simple breather mods you can easily make over 250hp! Bolt on modifications can get this engine block up to 400hp
Later the S14 got face-lifted and was called the S14a. You can recognize the later model by the re-modelled headlights. All of these Nissan Silvias are a little bit different from each other, but they all make great drift cars!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mazda RX-7

The RX-7 is the best car Mazda has to offer. It has been in production since the late eighties but only the two latest models, the FC3S and FD3S, are the ones you occasionally might spot on the road. The FC model is actually already getting pretty rare these days.
In Japan there are plenty of parts available, but in other parts of the world it’s not always easy to find 2nd hand parts. So be sure to have a part supplier in case you need repairs. Aftermarket support is plentiful, finding a company to tune your RX-7 is probably a bigger worry.
Toyota Cressida (JZX)

The Cressida family, also called the JZX series, is ranked amongst the flagship cars of Toyota and is one of the best Toyota drift cars out there. The family consists out of basically the same cars. Sold as the Toyota Chaser, Mark II and Cresta they all share the same chassis, but have slightly different body styles. The easiest way to distinguish them is by their head –or taillights.
It can get pretty confusing sometimes but simply put, the Cresta is the base model, the Chaser is the sports model and the Mark II is the luxury model.
Because most car manufacturers were switching over to FWD, demand for a true RWD sports car increased and this allowed the Chaser, Mark II and Cresta to gain so much popularity. Since it has a basic RWD layout and the inclusion of a high-powered reliable engine it was the obvious choice for drifters looking for 4-door sedan Toyota drift cars.
It’s another extremely popular tuning car that is often seen at the race track, for drifting as well as time attacks. Since the line-up of the JZX series is so versatile it is also popular to turn them into luxury cars. There are a lot of accessory-loaded Cressidas around in Japan, mostly the Mark IIs. In Japan these pimped out luxury cars, filled with options, usually black or white and with super low bodykits and suspension, are called VIP cars.
The most popular Cressida generations are the latest models, the JZX90 and the JZX100. The JZX series started as sedans with the coming of the JZX81 in the late eighties.
Considering the popularity it’s no surprise that there is an overwhelming amount of aftermarket support for these cars. So which one should you go for? Basically all the rear-wheel-drive models are good enough for drifting, but because of the aftermarket support the best would definitely be the JZX90 or JZX100, and in particular the Tourer-V model.
The model line-up can get quite confusing for the Cressida cars, but it’s not that hard to get familiar with them if you do some research. There are however many, many versions of this car. To sum it up: Cresta, Chaser and Mark II, as an Avante, Tourer-S or Tourer-V, with the different generations JZX81, JZX90, JZX100 and JZX-110.
To make things even a little harder there were also sub versions of these cars with minor modifications and different options (JZX91, 93, 101, etc). Besides the JZX version there was also a LX version, sporting a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine.
Toyota Altezza

The Toyota Altezza is a luxury sedan that is designed to take on the Mercedes C-class or the BMW 3-series. Unfortunately it never made it that far in terms of sales.
Famous for its distinctive taillights, the Toyota Altezza sort of followed in the footsteps of the AE86 as the successor of a cheap starter car to learn drifting in. Not that the Altezza has made as big of a name as the AE86 in the motorsports world, but it did become very popular amongst the young "Hashirya" culture. And as the 86 started to become more expensive and harder to find, the Altezza became a great alternative.
The basic RWD layout with a 2.0 liter naturally aspirated engine is not a bad starting car for drifting. The Altezza comes in two versions: the AS200 (150hp) and the RS200 (210hp).
The export version was released under the Lexus brand as the "IS" model offering a choice of a 2.0 or 3.0 liter engine. In Europe the 3.0 liter is only available in automatic transmission so the 2.0 liter is the one to look for. In the USA you can get 3.0 liter with manual transmission. Of course there is more than plenty of aftermarket support and you can soup up the horsepower to personal liking, or you can even swap engines with a 2JZ-GTE from the Supra
Toyota Corolla AE86

This is the legendary drift car that was once the main character in the Japanese world of hashirya (street racers): The Toyota Corolla AE86. The last ever build Corolla models that were RWD are still being raced today by enthusiasts. It is said that it offers an incredibly exciting ride, something which you would not expect.
The AE86 is also known in Japan as the Hachiroku, which is basically nothing more than a translation of 86, where "hachi" stands for eight and "roku" stands for six.
Actually all of the Corollas that came out before the E80 series are RWD and so, perhaps with some drift modifications they are all good enough for drifting.
The AE86 had, and still has a massive cult status in Japan and was once even the main star in the popular anime series Initial D. This made it more famous and today it has actually become a pretty rare and expensive car. Expect high prices for a plus 20-years old model. And your chances of finding a stock AE86? Small!
The Corolla comes with pop-up lights (Trueno) or regular headlights (Levin) and is available in many styles & trims. It handles very well and doesn’t flatter the driver at all. It shows all your mistakes and doesn’t allow much room for error. Therefore it is a very hard car to really become good in. Generally speaking it usually seems only to be appreciated by enthusiasts that know of the car’s capabilities.
The power output is more than enough, as this 940 kilo Toyota features a twin-cam 1.6 liter 4 cylinder and 16 valves 4AGEU engine. It’s known to be rev-happy and it delivers about 130hp. Still though, most of the competition that consists out of turbo-powered cars are usually holding more than twice the amount of power.
The 86 it is not so much about power, it’s much more about balance! And because of that it’s a very good car to learn drifting in. It comes with a learning curve, but once that curve has been overcome......
And the AE86 still drifts in the D1 competition today, even winning from much faster and newer competition. The AE86 is still today most definitely one of the finest Toyota drift cars available!
There are many Toyota drift cars out there, not listed here. Only the important ones are shown on this page, you know that the only requirement for a drift car is of course it to be RWD, so with a little research and creative work there are many variations of Toyota drift cars available.
NISSAN Sileighty

The Silvia S13 and 180SX were popular drifting cars and a lot of them crashed in drifting accidents. Since the S13 fronts were cheaper than the 180SX front with pop-up lights a lot of drivers often favored the S13 front over the original one. These front and rear-ends were combined and the result of this was called the Sileighty.
Of course the conversion was also done the other way around, thus with a S13 rear and a 180SX front. These are called Onevia's and are even harder to find.
Eventually the Sileighty became so popular that Nissan caught on, and even surprised the press when for a short period of time they started to produce their own set of (official) Sileighties. Only about 400 Sileighties have officially been build by Nissan.
NISSAN Silvia PS13

This car is the predecessor of the RPS13 and never saw the light outside of Japan. It’s basically the same car as Silvia RPS13 apart from the bodywork, and most obvious; its headlights.
Since the Nissan Silvia has such a drifting cult status, just as with the RPS13, you won’t run into problems finding parts to modify it. However finding a clean PS13 that is still unmodified will become hard!
The PS13 is, just as the RPS13, a great car to start with.
NISSAN Silvia RPS13

When you think of drifting this car definitely comes to mind. This is probably best choice of Nissan drift cars to learn drifting. The Silvia RPS13 is called the 180SX in Japan, the 200SX in Europe and the 240SX in the USA.
Lots of drift modifications available and a lot of drift potential. Although this model is getting a little older, these days they are still available everywhere. And since they are getting older, you’ll find them for a good price too!
Earlier Japanese models and all European models were fitted with a CA18DET (175hp). The Japanese 180SX received a update in ’91 when it got a 2.0 liter SR20DET engine (205hp) and some more minor modification.
In 1993 the Silvia moved forward with the release of the S14 model. But while Europe and the US were happy to replace the current S13 model by the new S14 model, in Japan the 180SX continued its life as a sports coupé.
