The adventurous sport of Drifting has taken the world by surprise. Be it the super stores or sport accessories shop, heavy mechanical stores or car accessories store, drift accessories have made their presence felt everywhere. Drifting is the need of this hour. Gone are those days when people used to enjoy good for nothing slow races. Now people need more action, more drama and risky challenges. Be it Hollywood or Sports channels, an action movie remains incomplete without a drift sequence and so does a cop drama episode. Though people enjoy this feast, but drifting is surely no child’s play. It requires months of practice to master a single move. Generating the smoke and the screech from the tyres isn’t that easy as it seems. Let us start our lesson on drifting.

First of all we will discuss the prerequisites for drifting. Obviously, the very first thing you need is a car. It should not be any ordinary car but a car that can serve the purpose of drifting quite well. It must have a well serviced engine and good transmission. It should be well equipped with safety kits like roll cage and special racing straps. It should be a rear four wheel drive car. If you are a beginner, then you should use the second hand tyres in the rear end. Though a limited slip differential is optional but it surely helps to learn better. You need a coach or mentor to watch your moves and help you improvise on them. You have to make sure that your car runs on manual transmission. It is practically impossible to learn using automatic transmission.

Our main focus is to teach you drifting and not the different techniques. As a piece of advice for beginners, always practice a lot before hitting the circuit roads. Practicing donuts or circles in one spot is a wonderful way of learning to control the car at various speeds and transmission levels. Practicing donuts towards the right and circles towards the left is a good challenge. Doing both hand in hand helps you achieve a total control of your vehicle at all times. After the expertise in donuts has been achieved, your next big challenge comes in the form of achieving 180 degree complete spins using a handbrake. Practicing these gives you an upper hand during actual drifts. You gain a better control of your vehicle by realizing the best combination of speed, acceleration and brake effort for your vehicle.

These beginner techniques of setting up targets will help in the long run. These drift induction beginner methods also come with a lot of warnings which are more important than the techniques.

First and the foremost warning is that many countries have already banned drifting on local civilian roads. It is an illegal act by putting other lives into danger. You might end up in a jail even if no pedestrian is around. Hence you always have to take care of this fact. Drift is an action packed and adrenaline channelized sport. Sometimes greater speeds can put you in danger. Hence approaching the expertise levels slowly is a good practice. You should never drive at speeds beyond your capability. Drifting puts a lot of load and stress on almost every car part. Hence you should make sure that safety equipments are in place, tyres are good enough to support the pressure of drifts and engine coolants are working. Heavy vehicles like SUVs can easily flip up if you do not control the speed and spin. Drifting a rear wheel drive car is easier as well as safer. Though people nowadays are trying to achieve the same feat using front wheel driven cars, it is very risky and dangerous. Drifting a car in parking stands is the worst option you could choose for yourself. Not only you’ll damage your own vehicle but also spoil someone else’s property.

Above all, one should always limit the speed of drift. It is recommended that you always analyze the turn and make your decision 100 meters prior as to select the perfect combination of speed, acceleration and brake effort for a safe drift.

Hence drifting a car comes with simple techniques and some assertive warnings as well.

Drifting might seem a sport for enthusiasts and young generation people but surprisingly it is quite prevalent is certain parts of Asia for a very long time. Just 30 years ago, this sport made its first appearance in All Japan Touring Car Championships. Kunimitsu Takahashi was a wonderful motorcycle driver who wanted to add more punch to this adventure sport. He started the drifting techniques to impress everyone so that this sport could be accepted on a world wide basis. He is famous for approaching the innermost point of a turn at high speed and then making a super drift. He had such a wonderful control over his car that he used to exit the turns at extremely high velocities. This helped in the growing popularity of the sport and his style as well. His fans were crazy to watch smoking tyres and dusty turns.

The acts of Kunimitsu inspired many other super drifters of that era. Keiichi Tsuchiya was another popular drift king who began practicing his skills on tougher and rougher terrains to gain a huge fan following. Though it was Kunimitsu who started this daring sport, but it was Tsuchiya who exposed this extreme talent in front of the world to gain more encouragement. In 1987, Tsuchiya’s videos of drifting cars were published and many popular tuning magazines marked it as a big event. Several enthusiasts became crazy for such a sport. This video, called the Pluspy helped magazine owners and shareholders to organize a major drift event called the D1 Grand Prix in Japan. Every turn was designed in a way that only a 100% drift efficient driver would be able to complete the race.

Though this event was a mega blockbuster, yet the recordings of this event were never captured. In 1996, a major drift event took place outside Japan which was even a bigger success. In California, Willow Springs Raceway got the opportunity to host this mega event. The famous Japanese Drift magazine, Option was the forefront host for this drift. The panel of judges included the most experienced persons from Drift industry including Inada and Tsuchiya. Since that race, drifting took to roads in a mega style. Every street and corner of this world had a buzzing enthusiast who wanted to prove his skills on the road. Be it North America, Australia or Europe, drifting became more popular day by day. Newer and tougher techniques were discovered as well as many drift car tuning centers opened across the globe.

The competitions came into picture as late as 2002 by the OPT Drift Club. The competition which was called the D1UK witnessed the participation of numerous enthusiasts from Europe. Since then Europe has seen a whole new variety of competitions in every country. Japan still remains one of the prime countries for Drift competitions. USA has exploited this sport in a wonderful manner. A new version of the D1 Grand Prix in USA accompanied by the original Grand Prix body has become the largest sports organization in the world. In no time, many competitions have sprung up across the globe. Be it the Formula D in the United States or the King of Europe Drift series in Europe, Drift Mania in Canada or the New Zealand Drift Series, drift has made its presence felt all across the globe in a big way.

The legends of Japan are the ultimate inspiration for the enthusiasts across the globe. Amateur drifting has been banned in many countries due to traffic concerns. There were also some cases in the past where robberies took place on the strength of drifting. Hence for security concerns, drift is now a sports competition held in specially designed circuits. The future of drifting surely looks bright since it is gaining more and more popularity each day.

Drive Train: An LSD or limited slip differential is undoubtedly the most important component for drifting. During a sustained slide, it becomes almost impossible to control the open differentials and viscous differentials. Hence it is important to tune your differentials in the very first place. Cusco and OS Giken are some of the very famous LSDs available in the market. Though the LSDs are used in many forms, but the most popular form of LSD for drifting is the clutch type. It is available in a 2-way form and is very flexible in adjusting itself to all possible conditions of acceleration and deceleration. Its aggressive lockup behaviour makes it a strong ingredient of drifts.

Spool differentials might also be used for beginners where the motion of the wheels is restricted to 100%. Some people prefer the economical welded differentials where both the side gears are welded to achieve a wonderful drift at very high speeds. At the same time these cars are difficult to handle since the parking becomes very difficult and they are very hard on the driveline. Clutches suffer a lot in the drift process; hence they have to be hard and flexible from their joints. Gearboxes and engines vibrate violently during turns and brakes. For the purpose of their security, urethane mounts and dampers are added to the machinery while all the extra gearbox and engine mounts are removed. The gearbox shafts are made smoother from the edges for quicker transition without any much damage. Shift level adapters and sequential gearboxes are some of the other major upgrades which protect maximum protection from drifts. Sometimes during drifts, you need to maintain your speed in addition to the next shift. Shift level adapters help you maintain the same speed at the next gear shift nullifying any effect on car’s performance.

Suspension: Suspensions too can play a very determining role in car’s performance. Since the complete drift is depended on the performance of the rear part of the car; hence we need to upgrade the sway bars on the rear. The spring and shock absorber combo has to be judged quite precisely as it might affect the speed during bumpy turns. Nowadays, many suspension kits are designed especially for the purpose of drift. Nissan cars have the unique distinction of having a floating rear sub frame with urethane mountings which prevent the entire frame from moving to and fro during drifts. Since drifting started in Japan; the tuning methods for suspensions are still the best in the world there. The technique of ‘Demon Camber’ is quite popular. Though it induces better grip in the front part and loosens the rear end to slip easily, but one has to compromise on stability, grip and acceleration. Hence the crux for suspensions lies in the fact that it should be firmer in the front and must be as low from the ground for best results.

Cockpit: Drifting cars call for the need of more breathing space for drivers to exercise swift moves from hands and toes. But more space means more outward centrifugal force. Hence, nowadays most drivers prefer the smallest possible cabin where they can barely move their hands and are firmly placed in the seat. A smaller steering wheel accompanied by a thumb driver is the best options for a cockpit. Hand brakes are also customized for drift cars. The normal locking knob is replaced by a spin turn knob which induces the lock immediately after the hand brake is pulled up. One can also add extra hydraulic actuators to strengthen the locking effect of a hand brake.

Engine: Drift is one of the few car events where the engine power does not need to be high. Powerful engines are difficult to handle during drifts. The engine strengths can vary from 100 bhp to 1000 bhp depending on the circuit as well as the driver preference. The main outcome of engine tuning is to obtain linear response during the entire drift. Engines need to have a high quality cooling system so as to avoid a complete engine knock during a drift. The air-flow and the exhaust systems need to be upgraded with pipes of bigger diameter. The reason lies in the fact that at sharp turns and regular drifts the pipe gets compressed which can stop the regular air flow and affect the total combustion of the fuel. Similarly oil coolers are also very necessary to maintain the fuel at low temperature at all times. V-mounting is the best technique which encompasses the upgradation of all the concerned components in one kit.

Steering: Steering is one of the most important components of a drift. Steering needs to be customized as per the drift requirements. Adding steering spacers and spindles is a great boost. More ball-bearings in a fixed area allow greater turning angle using a steering. This is very useful during turns since maximum control can be achieved if the steering wheel is capable of maintaining a large angle.

Body: Many of you might be confused whether or not the physical body can affect the statistics during a drift. Thought the chassis remains the same; but roll cages are required for safety purpose. During team events, this protection is mandatory. If drivers aim to strengthen their chassis, then they need front and rear strut tower braces, B-pillar braces, lower arm braces and master cylinder braces. Weight is an important ingredient of body. The lighter car always performs better; hence all the extra weight in the form of rear seats, thick cushions, carpets, sound systems and trims are removed from the car. Special body kits meant for drift cars encompass light weight add-ons as well as side Aeros which help in sideways cooling. The speed and acceleration of these cars needs the touch of aerodynamic components as well. Rear spoilers and wings become a must to counteract the high speed drifts in open tracks. Hood has to be vented to allow greater air flow towards the engine. And finally, custom paint-work is also necessary since cars often suffer minor accidents during practice sessions.

Tyres: Tyres are the real reason of a powerful drift. The strength and the beauty of the drift depends entirely on the quality of tyres. The choice of tyres varies with respect to the track and the type of racing event. Steering is more important during the drift; hence a good pair of tyres has to go in the front while the used ones find their place in the rear end. Practice sessions are always the breeding grounds of second hand tyres. Low quality tyres never find their place in high speed drifts. Usually in professional tournaments, all 4 tyres are of high quality. Most of the tournaments have an approved list of tyres which a driver can use. Some companies like to create fancy stuff till date. Kumho Tyres creates coloured smoke tyres. While some of them release multi-coloured smokes during drift, others release a wonderful perfumed smell.

Many other accessories could be added or subtracted depending on the type of race and track. Drift Tuning is a very important aspect which forms the backbone of any drift competition.

Some of them are beginner techniques which do not concentrate on the weight transition at all; yet they are used by many experienced drivers across the globe since they are stylish and very attractive. Rather they are focused to induce a loss of traction on the rear wheels by either locking them completely or breaking the speed barrier and then over steering the wheels while maintaining the control. Let us discuss some of these techniques and know more about them.

Handbrake drift: This is a very common drifting technique and usually the very first one which an amateur learns. On a speedy track, if one pulls the hand brake while the car is in motion; the rear wheels come to a complete standstill. This upsets the complete balance of the rear portion of car and causes it to drift. Though it seems to be the easiest method to induce a drift, yet it is the most dangerous and involves a lot of balance. Apart from driver’s safety and chances of overturning, handbrake drifts can damage the car’s axles, tyres and choke the engine. Hence it needs the touch of complete professionalism for successful execution.

There can be 3 possible ways of achieving a handbrake drift.

The first one can be achieved by approaching the corner at a considerable high speed. You can remove your toe off the accelerator and concentrate on the clutch. At the same time, pull the handbrake to upset the rhythm of the rear end and go for the turn. Now press the accelerator and remove your toe off the clutch. Turn the steering in the opposite direction of the turn so as to achieve a proper drift. Maintain a balance between the angle of the turn and the turning of steering.

The second method could be easier since clutch is never involved. Just at the corner one can leave the accelerator and pull up the hand brake at the same time. The moment car reaches its perfect angle; you can accelerate it once again and achieve the drift.

The third method is far trickier and involves a lot of experience. One can approach the turn at a lesser speed while maintaining the car in a higher gear. While holding the clutch, you can accelerate it upto 7000 rpm and use the handbrake to achieve a perfect drift angle. Just at that moment you can let go off the clutch and concentrate on controlling the car. Such drifts are rarely seen but are actually the ones which are most stylish.

Power slide drift: It is one of the most favourite drifts of the beginners. It simply involves over speeding the vehicle at the corner to slide the car and maintaining a control over it. This teaches the basic skills of a drift and the experience to control the motion of the car at various speeds and angles. The beauty of this drift lies in the fact that it can also be achieved in low power cars. The procedure of obtaining it is also very simple. Try approaching a turn at feather light speed and start turning the vehicle. Once the vehicle is turning, you should press the accelerator hard and achieve maximum speed. At the tip point, the car will begin to steer and slide it in outer direction. You can counter steer the car and maintain an optimum speed to last the drift till the turn finishes.

Shift lock Drift or Compression Slide : This is a useful technique to accelerate faster while exiting the corner, but does a lot of damage to the engine if tried by amateurs. The technique is to lower the shift while accelerating at a corner to momentarily lock the rear tyres due to reverse locking. This technique works very well to maintain a good speed at sharp corners.

Clutch Kick Technique: Drift enthusiasts often tend to gain angle at the expense of speed. Clutch Kick technique is one of the few techniques that help them achieve the desired angle. The technique is to kick the clutch at regular intervals without releasing the accelerator, thus creating jitters in the rear tyres and forcing the wheels to skit and slip. The brakes and the steering have to be matched with the speed and angle to complete a successful clutch kick drift. It can also be used to bring the car back to the drift line if the car is straightening up. This might slow down the speed and damage the crank shaft.

Moving on to the weight transition techniques; these drift moves are not easy since they need the experience of understanding the weight balance between the front end and the rear. The concept lies in the fact that the rear end will skid automatically once the weight is shifted to the front. The rear end will lose the grip and an over steer condition is established. One of the most famous drifts falling under the category of weight transition drifts is the braking drift.

Braking Drift: Usually a RWD vehicle can take the full advantage of this type of technique but if one has the necessary skill set, an FWD vehicle can be used the same way. By simple law of physics, if the brakes in a car are applied all of a sudden, the weight of the car shifts towards the front end. If this action is immediately followed by a throttle, the rear wheels lose traction and hence the car slips. The addition of high performing brake pads is always an added asset.

Feint/Inertia Drift : This drift is also known as the Scandinavian flick. This kind of drift is very tricky and very difficult to master. This drift involves two phases. In the first phase, the driver tries to shift the weight of the car towards the outside of a turn. This is achieved by turning away from the curvature of the turn at high speed and immediately turning in back on the same line. In cases where the rear wheels fail to do the required job, handbrake is used to transfer the weight of car towards the outside.

There are some other drift techniques that are not so popular but you might have a chance to see some rare reflections. One of them is the dirt drop technique.

Dirt Drop Technique: This simple looking drift might go wrong sometimes and result into dangerous accidents. The driver drops the rear part of the car on a less grip surface so as to allow the tyres to slip. The accelerator is pushed hard for further movement of the tyres. When the car slips, the steering and angle have to be maintained in cohesion to achieve a perfect drift.

Pendulum drift: Also known as the Choku-Dori/Manji; this technique depends on shifting of car’s weight in a pendulum manner on straight racing tracks. Counter steer and throttle are used in perfect cohesion with brakes. This drift is mainly used to maintain a large angle during drifts. This is one of the finest looking drifts in a group competition where one car imitates the actions of the car just ahead. The move looks like a long snake who wriggles its body to crawl ahead.

There are some advance drift techniques as well which require years of practice to master and execute.

Also known as the famous Kanji series; these drifts vary in levels and difficulties.

The Kanji series are meant for achieving a perfect drift at corners at a good racing speed. A standard of 5000 rpm has to be maintained for such drifts. The first one is achieved by using 50% of full brake capability in cohesion with power-over and clutch kick technique to achieve a desired drift angle while maintaining a good speed. The second type involves reverse RPM and hand-rakes. The third one is hardly used these days since popping the clutch during turns can really do damage to the engine and brake shafts within.

Drifting Techniques have mesmerized the drift fans all across the globe. The sport has become so famous that everyday more and more approved techniques are joining the kitty. Enthusiasts all across the globe have been working day and night to produce more innovative and adventurous tricks.

The culture of high speed drifts is slowly creeping in everywhere. It has been observed that people have lost interest in races and Formula 1 Championships. Sports like X-games, high speed pursuits and drifting competitions are the ones with the highest TRP these days. Undoubtedly, people need more adventure, action and a shorter version of exciting sports which are all the inherent features of drifting competitions.

The culture that took place in Japan some 30 years ago has taken the world by surprise in the last 10 years. Drift is the ultimate sport today which is full of risk, action and great drama. The drift techniques have reached such an experienced and proficient level that minute details have to be kept in mind while judging the competitors in a competition. The most important attributes of a drift competition are line, angle, precision, speed and style of presentation. It is important to understand these attributes before one understands the true picture of a drift.

Line is a common pre-defined factor before the drift which is common for all competitors. The judges decide before hand as to which line every competitor has to follow to show one’s skill, talent and control over the vehicle. Angle refers to the angle of a car while drifting. If a car makes a wider angle with respect to the defined line, it secures more points. One has to maintain the control of the car while making an angle during drifts. While making an angle, the driver must make sure that the car is evenly poised on both sides of the pre-defined line of judgement. Precision is a combined factor of other attributes of judgement which includes the accuracy of line maintenance, deviation of speed from the average speed and many other minute details. The style includes the majority of points. It includes the way a driver presents his drift, the amount of smoke or dusty cloud he generates, the public applauds he gains and the closeness to the wall while making a turn during drifts.

The speed factor is quite dicey. It is judged as an accumulation of speeds at three different points. The speed while entering into a turn, the speed maintained while making a turn and the speeds while exiting a turn are equally important. The faster speeds score over the slower ones.

Judging such minute factors becomes very difficult for human eye. People usually take help of electronic devices and high precision cameras to judge the credibility of a driver. Cameras are located at important turns and points so that a good view of the car can be obtained and recorded. Straight paths hold no importance in a drift circuit. The true talent comes out at the corners which are the most important judging points in a drift competition.

At all times, driver must keep an eye on the temperature of tyres and brake joints. Since the pressure on gear shifts and tyres is immense, one of these components usually give up if a proper load balance is not maintained during a drift competition. Since the origin of this sport took place in Japan, most of the terminologies are derived from Japanese language only.

A drift competition is composed of two different sessions. The first session is the qualifying session, Tansou. Every driver gets an individual chance to show his skills in front of the judges so as to qualify for the final 16 runners. Just like the other race championships across the globe, this qualifying event takes place 1 day prior to the actual competition.

The final competition is a grand event, the Tsuiso or the chase attack. Drivers are paired randomly to compete against one another. Each one tries to lead on turns to gain the upper hand. The best 8 in respective heat events qualify for the next level. The same procedure is followed till the final event. Judges take care of some standard points throughout the heat which also act as the qualification or disqualification criteria.

If a car overtakes the lead car during the process of a drift on a turn; the car is bound to win the heat event on merit. If a car overtakes the lead car under grip conditions; the car is bound to lose the heat event. If a car loses control during a drift and spins, the car is disqualified. If the other car also spins, then the judges note the time difference between the spin time and the re-stabilizing time. Increasing your lead under drift conditions is an asset which can win you bonus points. Maintaining the lead under drift conditions displays your drift supremacy over other driver. For every single pass, judges assign points to the drivers.

The rate of disagreement between the points awarded by judges and crowd response is quite high. In such cases, drivers may have to re-run a few laps to justify the crowd’s or judge’s decision. The role of crowd is very important since they take many significant decisions in case of a tie.

Sometimes drift competitions might not be in the one on one format. Cars are also judged on a paired performance. In such kind of events, the group is judged on the aspect that how well the following car mimics the drift trajectory of the leading car. In such cases, personal merit might not be the deciding factor at all. A group with average drift capabilities but perfect coordination has a better chance of winning the competition than a group with extreme drift capabilities but less coordination.

The pattern of drift competitions also varies from regions to regions; hence one must expect unexpected versions during drifts. Rules and judging points might also change considerably.

Drift Competitions have become an integral part of adventurous life of this generation. They like speed, action, talent and thunder which are all the key ingredients of Drift.

Time has changed the sense of Sport in people’s minds these days. Bored from Formula 1 and other grand Prix events, people are slowly shifting their interest and focus towards X-games and sports like Drifting Competitions which are action packed as well as more entertaining. The basic essence of drift starts from adolescence when everyone wants to drift his/her car like the actor in Tokyo Drift. No one can curb his emotions after seeing that movie.

When it comes to the real business part, things become tricky and not so easy. Seeing a drifting car in action is a feast to one’s eyes but experiencing a drift is an entirely different illusion.

Many enthusiasts across the globe want to buy the best drift cars to fulfill their ambitions of an ultimate drift journey. Many of you would take suggestions or search for forums where you can gain the drift experience hand-on. Choosing a drift car is an issue based on experience and brand. Many multinational brands across the world make cars which they portray as family cars. Hardly 1% of you might know that some of the most elegant cars are the ones which are the wildest drifters on the road.

Important details like cost, power to weight ratio, upgrade possibilities in the basic model, customization flexibility, power parts availability and fuel efficiency are some of the basic ingredients that make or break your decision in choosing a drift car. Let us have a look at the strongest drift cars present on the road.

Starting with Nissan, the Silvia RPS13 or the 180SX, 200SX or the 240SX is a devil on the road. People say that a drift competition looks incomplete without the presence of a Nissan Silvia. It is an old warhorse which is still a tough competitor. Its age on road makes it easy for us to find parts and even cars at a good affordable price. This car has seen engine uplifts from 175 CC to 210 CC and even changes in its body to support better road grip while drifting. It might be used a speed/sports coupe’ in many parts of the world but when it comes to drifts; this car changes the entire philosophy.

Nissan PS13 is quite similar to RPS13 but due to overlapping release schedules, it is hard to find an unmodified version of both the cars these days. The Silvia S13 and 180SX faced some problems during drift tests. Many a times these cars crashed due to a balancing problem between the front and the rear-ends.

Nissan decided to end the misery of S13 in 1993 when a complete improvised version was launched in the form of Silvia S14. With improved variable weight flexibility and handling, turbo changes and engine re-configurations; this car made good progress as a drift-happy car on roads. A 400 bhp engine and weight balancing meant that no further modifications were required for this car.

Shifting our focus towards the much awaited Nissan Skyline; we find that it is one of the most flexible cars when it comes to rough drifts on road. Among the many releases of this car, the one with the 2.0L engine is the best in this business. The compatibility of an RB and SR engine swap makes it the top choice. Nissan realized that the first release was getting older and hence they decided to launch 2 new versions of Nissan Skyline in the form of Skyline R33 GT-T and R34 GT-T. While R33 excelled in handling, crude weight and engine upgrades; R34 gained in more speed and agility. Slowly people started believing that it is a car meant for races and not sideway stunts.

Nissan Skyline RWD versions are the best for drifting. At an astonishing 280 bhp engine output and an impeccable handling; this car is surely the flag bearer of Nissan.

Nissan 350Z is a dream car for drift enthusiasts. The 3.5L V6 engine is a monster within itself. It is tough to handle a car drift at such a high speed but this car manages to do it perfectly.

Toyota cars have been in this business for quite a long time as well. The legendary Toyota Corolla AE86 is one of the finest ever cars that drifted beautifully. The last version of these cars in the form of RWD models are still liked by many till today. On a track for drift competitions, one can still spot this old wagon showing off its true colors in great style. Japanese even designed a drift game based on these cars. A powerful 135 BHP engine was worth a deal during the ‘90s.

Altezza is truly a luxury sedan but a powerful drift car at the same time. It was designed to compete with BMW-3 series cars as well as the Mercedes C-Class. Though it failed in that segment; but it proved its worth on drift tracks. A massive 220 bhp engine and with automatic transmission helps a driver keep his focus entirely on the drift timings. Its compatibility with the Supra 2JZ engines makes it a more valuable asset for Toyota.

The Cressida is one of the best candidates from Toyota on road today. With a great chassis, headlights, tail-lights and body, it is a sensational car. When people think of customizing modifying the features of their cars, they always prefer a Cressida configuration on a Cresta base. The most popular cars from the Cressida family are JZX90 and the JZX100. The cars suffered some drawbacks and loopholes when it first hit the drift tracks. Hence, Toyota launched the new Tourer-V model to comprehend the issues. With a much rigid body and an upgraded suspension, this car was very close to perfection.

Many sub-versions for the same car were launched which makes it difficult to tune it up with varied configurations. The JZX series marked the end of its era with the launch of the best models from its kitty in the form of JZX 90 Mark-II and JZX100 Chaser. Not only these models mesmerized everyone with their looks, but they were a real beast on road after proper tune up.

Supra is yet another dream car which is very popular across the globe. Supra was the ultimate model launched by Toyota to counteract the sales of Nissan Skyline GTR. Since this car also belongs to the RWD , we have many versions available in the form of Mark-I, Mark-II, Mark-III and Mark-IV. It is evident from its History that this car is not cheap. But the compensation it delivers because of its on-road performance is beyond imagination. A small investment can uplift the car’s capability to a large extent.

Soarer is yet another expensive car from Toyota which is not seen often. People with an extreme taste for speed and style go for this car.

MR2 is a very common drift car which is manufactured by Toyota. It is the best economic combo of speed, handling, on road performance and suspension. Enthusiasts with a fixed budget usually go for this option which is quite acceptable.

Honda is yet another champion of the roads in drift segment. The Honda S2000 single handedly outclasses many cars with its terrific configuration. Though it is expensive, yet one can tune it up in a limited budget. It is one of the few cars in the world with the distinction of 50:50 weight balance. As a security concern, it has a super strong chassis. Also, the EPS steering system makes it impossible for drift enthusiasts to use it well but a replacement with the hydraulic steering system will solve this minor problem. By adding a new carbon body kit, the car becomes much heavier which helps in attaining better road grip. This would also need the backup of a 350 bhp engine to make it perfect for road drifts.

NSX is only the second car from Honda’s kitty which is suitable for drifts. Backed by a 6 cylinder 270 bhp engine, it is very much suitable for extreme racing. A little tune up would be enough to make it a drift champ. Undoubtedly, it is expensive; hence buying it for the sole purpose of drift is a bad idea. A person with a mixed taste of racing and drifts can surely go for Honda NSX.

Mazda is a hot favorite contender for the best drift cars on the roads. RX-7 is probably the best ever car it has launched till date. FC3S and FD3S are the two famous models of this series which are often seen in drift competitions. The engine has an awesome sound which makes the drift experience more pleasant. Due to its popularity in South Asian countries, the parts for Mazda RX-7 are easily available and it is no surprising news that many parts are used for tune ups in other cars.

RX-8 is yet another popular drift car with minor upgrades. It lacks a turbo-charger which makes its predecessor more popular that RX-8.

MX-5 is a powerful sports car which is often used for drift purpose. With an awesome neutral balance, 50:50 weight ratio, light weight and 150 bhp engine makes it an awesome road car. It is often said one can try this car to this most extreme level; yet one can never have the maximum from it.

Some people have the taste of luxurious drift cars. BMW 3-series, 7 series and convertible M-series cars are perfect for extreme road drifts. All one has to do is to add up more weight for better road stability and change the entire suspension. Moreover, one needs a better temperature regulator to backup the gear shifts and keep the engine temperature at a respectable level.

Z3 and Z4 are other BMW vehicles which are very well suited for the purpose of drifts.

Other carmakers are not so famous in the segment of drift cars but some of their cars are worth appreciating.

Some of the examples include the Mercedes 190E, Porsche RWD models, Suzuki Cappuchino, Volvo 340, Volvo 360, Volvo 740 and many more. Opel’s Omega, Manta, Kadett and Ascona are good road drifters as well. Dodge Viper, Charger and Pontiac Holden Monaro are some of the rare drift cars.

Last but not the least we have the drift cars from Ford. Ford Mustang is a powerful car which has mesmerized the world with its on road performance. It was Mustang that made its appearance as the Hollywood’s first drift car. The roaring V8 sound can make anyone go crazy. Though it is expensive, but it is a perfect blend of speed, acceleration and power.

Ford Escort is an outdated car on road these days. Somehow, it has managed to win the hearts of drift enthusiasts. The FWD MK3 versions have fulfilled the void of an economical powerful car which can handle the pressure of drift as well as normal driving. Though it can deliver a power of just 100 bhp, yet it can very well deliver the requirements of a drift car.

We have discussed a lot about the different drift cars present in the market these days. People always prefer to tune up the drift cars as per their requirements rather than going for a particular brand as a whole. Drift cars have always fascinated adventure seekers from all age groups. It is an era where people have shifted their interest towards drifts rather than simple races.