Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motor sport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while preserving vehicle control and a high exit speed. A car is said to be drifting when the rear
slip angleIn car handling, slip angle is the angle between a rolling wheel's actual direction of travel and the direction towards which it is pointing . This slip angle results in a force perpendicular to the wheel's direction of travel -- the cornering force...
is greater than the front slip angle prior to the corner apex, and the front wheels are pointing in the
opposite directionOpposite lock, also commonly known as counter-steering, is a colloquial term used to mean the steering associated with the deliberate use of oversteer to turn a vehicle rapidly without losing momentum...
to the turn (e.g. car is turning left, wheels are pointed right or vice versa), and the driver is controlling these factors. As a motor sport, professional drifting competitions are held across the world.
History
Modern drifting as a sport started out as a racing technique popular in the
All Japan Touring Car ChampionshipThe Japanese Touring Car Championship , is a former touring car racing series held in Japan.-History:...
races over 30 years ago. Motorcycling legend turned driver,
Kunimitsu Takahashi|} is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing driver from Japan who is also considered as the "father of drifting". He was the chairman of the GT-Association, the organizers of the Super GT series, from 1993 to 2007.-Motorcycle racing:...
, was the foremost creator of drifting techniques in the 1970s. He is noted for hitting the apex (the point where the car is closest to the inside of a turn) at high speed and then drifting through the corner, preserving a high exit speed. This earned him several championships and a legion of fans who enjoyed the spectacle of smoking tires.
The bias ply racing tires of the 1960s-1980s lent themselves to driving styles with a high slip angle. As professional racers in Japan drove this way, so did the street racers.
Keiichi Tsuchiyais a professional racing driver. He is also known as the "Drift King" otherwise as Dorikin for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events, and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport...
(known as the Dorikin/Drift King) became particularly interested by Takahashi's drift techniques. Tsuchiya began practicing his drifting skills on the
mountain roadsis a Japanese word literally meaning "pass." It refers to a mountain pass or any of the narrow, winding roads that can be found in and around the mountains of Japan and other geographically similar areas....
of
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and quickly gained a reputation amongst the racing crowd. In 1987, several popular car magazines and tuning garages agreed to produce a video of Tsuchiya's drifting skills. The video, known as
Pluspy, became a hit and inspired many of the professional drifting drivers on the circuits today. In 1988, alongside
Option magazineOption is an automotive magazine founded by Daijiro Inada in 1981, to meet the demand for enthusiasts of modified Japanese cars in Japan....
founder and
chief editorEditing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media...
Daijiro Inada, he would help to organize one of the first events specifically for drifting called the D1 Grand Prix. He also drifted every turn in
Tsukuba CircuitThe Tsukuba Circuit is a famous race track located in Shimotsuma, a neighboring city of Tsukuba, Japan. It is long, has 32 pits and the longest straight is long. The track was established in 1966 with the aim of attracting young people to participate in motor sports but wasn't actually built...
in Japan.
One of the earliest recorded drift events outside Japan was in 1996, held at Willow Springs Raceway in Willow Springs,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
hosted by the Japanese drifting magazine and organization
OptionOption is an automotive magazine founded by Daijiro Inada in 1981, to meet the demand for enthusiasts of modified Japanese cars in Japan....
. Inada, founder of the D1 Grand Prix in Japan, the NHRA
Funny CarFunny Car is a drag racing car class. In the USA, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers' showroom models...
drag racerDrag racing is a competition in which vehicles compete to be the first to cross a set finish line, usually from a standing start, and in a straight line. First gaining popularity in the USA after World War II , the sport steadily grew in popularity and spread across the globe...
Kenji Okazaki and Keiichi Tsuchiya, who also gave demonstrations in a
Nissan 180SXThe Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold only in Japan . In North America, it was sold as the Nissan 240SX fastback. It was sold as a sister model to the Nissan Silvia from model year 1989 through 1998...
that the magazine brought over from Japan, judged the event with
Rhys MillenRhys Millen , nephew of IMSA GTS driver Steve Millen, son of Rod and elder brother of Ryan, is one of the world's top competitors in drifting...
and Bryan Norris being two of the entrants. Drifting has since exploded into a massively popular form of motorsport in North America, Australasia, and Europe. One of the first drifting competitions in Europe was hosted in 2002 by the OPT drift club at Turweston, run by a tuning business called Option Motorsport. The club held a championship called D1UK, then later became the Autoglym Drift Championship. For legal reasons, the business was forced to drop the Option and D1 name. The club has since been absorbed into the D1 Grand Prix franchise as a national series.
Present day
Drifting has evolved into a competitive sport where drivers compete in rear wheel drive cars, and occasionally all wheel drive cars, to earn points from judges based on various factors. At the top levels of competition, the
D1 Grand PrixThe , abbreviated as D1GP and subtitled Professional Drift, is a production car drifting series from Japan. After several years of hosting amateur drifting contests, Option Magazine & Tokyo Auto Salon founder Daijiro Inada, and drifting legend Keiichi Tsuchiya hosted a professional level drifting...
from Japan and now with a full series in the US has taken the helm as the world's largest sanctioning body of the sport. Others in
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, the
Republic of IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
, the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, Formula-D in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, King of Europe Drift Series in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, Drift Mania in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the
NZ Drift SeriesThe NZ Drift Series is a five-round motorsport series organised by Parkside Media, publisher of NZ Performance Car magazine. Competing against D1NZ it has achieved greater success because of NZ Performance Car and NZ Performance Car TV's marketing power....
in
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
have also come along to further expand the sport into a legitimate motor sport worldwide. The drivers within these series largely influenced by the pioneers from D1 Japan are able to keep their cars sliding for extended periods of time, often linking several turns. Drifting with decades of race history and its relatively recent fame in the United States (the first official drift points race of D1 Grand Prix was held in the summer of 2003) has become its own authority and the two largest sanctioning bodies are the D1 Grand Prix and Formula D.
Amateur "
TafheetTafheet , or Hjwalah popularly known elsewhere in the world as Arab or Saudi drifting, is a dangerous motorsport phenomenon that involves trying to drift a car–often a full-size sedan–at very high speeds around 180-200km/h across a tarmac left and right. It is a modern version of ancient practice...
" or "Hjwalah" drifting on public roads is a significant problem in Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is a major part of drifting culture.
Drift competition
Drifting competitions are judged based on line, angle, speed, and show factor. Line involves taking the correct line, which is usually announced beforehand by judges. The show factor is based on multiple things, such as the amount of smoke, how close the car is to the wall, and the crowd's reaction. Angle is the angle of a car in a drift, speed is the speed entering a turn, the speed through a turn, and the speed exiting the turn; faster is better.
The judging takes place on just a small part of the circuit, a few linking corners that provide good viewing, and opportunities for drifting. The rest of the circuit is irrelevant, except as it pertains to controlling the temperature of the tires and setting the car up for the first judged corner. In the tandem passes, the lead driver often feints his or her entry to the first corner to upset the chase driver.
There are typically two sessions, a qualifying/practice session, and a final session. In the qualifying sessions, referred as
Tansou (speed run), drifters get individual passes in front of judges (who may or may not be the final judges) to try and make the final 16. This is often on the day preceding the final.
The finals are tandem passes, referred as
Tsuiso (chase attack). Drivers are paired off, and each heat comprises two passes, with each driver taking a turn to lead. The best of the 8 heats go to the next 4, to the next 2, to the final. The passes are judged as explained above, however there are some provisos such as:
- Overtaking the lead car under drift conditions almost always wins that pass.
- Overtaking the lead car under grip conditions automatically forfeits that pass.
- Spinning forfeits that pass, unless the other driver also spins.
- Increasing the lead under drift conditions helps to win that pass.
- Maintaining a close gap while chasing under drift conditions helps to win that pass.
Points are awarded for each pass, and usually one driver prevails. In such cases more passes may be run until a winner is produced. Sometimes mechanical failure determines the battle's outcome, either during or preceding a heat. If a car cannot enter a tandem battle, the remaining entrant (who automatically advances) will give a solo demonstration pass. In the event of apparently close or tied runs, crowds often demonstrate their desire for another run with chants of 'one more time'.
There is some regional variation.
Cars
Usually, drift cars are light to moderate weight rear-wheel-drive coupes and sedans ranging from 200-1000bhp. In Japan and worldwide, the most common drift machines are the
Nissan SilviaThe Nissan Silvia is the name given to the company's long-running line of sport coupes based on the Nissan S platform. Although recent models have shared this chassis with other vehicles produced by Nissan , the name Silvia is not interchangeable with the...
/
180SXThe Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold only in Japan . In North America, it was sold as the Nissan 240SX fastback. It was sold as a sister model to the Nissan Silvia from model year 1989 through 1998...
/
200SXThe SX name refers to several models of automobile sold by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. around the world. Beginning in 1974, the "200SX" badging was utilized until 2002.-History:...
,
Toyota AE86The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla line-up. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range...
,
Mazda RX-7The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a 1146 cc twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a sporty front-midship, rear-wheel drive layout...
, Infiniti G35 Coupe,
Nissan A31 CefiroThe Nissan Cefiro was an intermediate-size automobile range sold in Japan and other countries. It was introduced initially as a 4-door sedan, however a wagon was later produced...
,
Nissan C33 LaurelThe Nissan Laurel was introduced by Nissan in 1968 as the new luxury model to slot above the 1968 Bluebird 510 & with the same sense of luxury found in the Nissan Cedric but with slightly reduced dimensions....
,
Nissan SkylineThe Nissan Skyline is a line of compact cars originally produced by the Japanese carmaker Prince Motor Company starting in 1957 and subsequently by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1966...
(AWD versions are developed into a RWD platform),
Nissan 350ZThe Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan Motor Co, LTD. The 350Z is the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line, originally introduced in 1969 as the Datsun 240Z. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model...
, Toyota Altezza,
Toyota ChaserThe Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation...
,
Toyota Mark IIThe Toyota Mark II is a model name used by Toyota for several decades.The first Mark II, called the Toyota Corona Mark II was an upscale version of the Toyota Corona sedan sold by Toyota. By the 1970s, the Mark II used a separate platform from the plain Corona and was much larger...
,
Toyota MZ20 SoarerThe Toyota Soarer was a personal luxury GT coupé sold by Toyota in Japan from 1981 to 2004 built on the same manufacturing platform as the Toyota Supra. The Soarer débuted in 1981 with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyota Crown Coupe, which took the form of an angular two-door coupé. In 1986, a...
,
Honda S2000The Honda S2000 is a roadster manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary....
,
Toyota SupraThe Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica...
(MKIV),
Ford MustangThe Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Production began in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964 and the car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964 at the New York...
and Mazda Miata/MX-5. US drift competitions usually use the same cars, plus Chrysler LLC's
Dodge ChargerThe Dodge Charger is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by Chrysler Group, LLC for its North American Dodge brand. The Charger name is a historic one, borne by several successful models in the past...
, and Dodge Viper SRT-10, and
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company, often known as simply GM, is a United States based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM was the world's 18th largest corporate entity and third largest automaker as ranked by 2008 revenues on the Fortune Global 500. Ranked by global unit sales for 2008, it...
's
Chevrolet CorvetteThe Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car manufactured in six generations by General Motors since 1953. The first Corvette was designed by Harley Earl and named by Myron Scott after the fast ship of the same name. Originally built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri, it is currently built at a...
, and
Pontiac SolsticeThe Pontiac Solstice was a small sports car from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, the Solstice roadster began production in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year. The exterior styling of the...
. Drifters in other countries often use local favorites, such as the Vauxhall Omega in the UK and
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
,
BMW 3 SeriesThe BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles...
,
Ford SierraThe Ford Sierra is a large family car built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
, Volvo 340 (other parts of Europe),
Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz...
cars,
PorschePorsche SE is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury high performance automobiles, which is majority-owned by the Piëch and Porsche families. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG , often shortened to Porsche AG, is responsible and manufacturer of the Porsche automobile line...
cars, and
Alfa Romeo 75The Alfa Romeo 75, sold in North America as the Milano, was a compact sports sedan / compact executive car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1985 and 1992...
.
As an example, the top 15 cars in the 2003 D1GP, top 10 in the 2004 D1GP, and top 10 in the 2005 D1GP were:
| Car | Model | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|
Nissan SilviaThe Nissan Silvia is the name given to the company's long-running line of sport coupes based on the Nissan S platform. Although recent models have shared this chassis with other vehicles produced by Nissan , the name Silvia is not interchangeable with the...
|
S15 |
6 cars |
5 cars |
3 cars |
Toyota Levin/TruenoThe AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla line-up. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range...
|
AE86 |
3 cars |
3 cars |
2 cars |
Mazda RX-7The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a 1146 cc twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a sporty front-midship, rear-wheel drive layout...
|
FD3S |
2 cars |
1 car |
2 cars |
Nissan SkylineThe Nissan Skyline is a line of compact cars originally produced by the Japanese carmaker Prince Motor Company starting in 1957 and subsequently by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1966...
|
ER34 |
1 car |
1 car |
1 car |
| Nissan Silvia |
S13 |
2 cars |
|
|
Toyota ChaserThe Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation...
|
JZX100 |
1 car |
|
|
| Subaru Impreza The Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first introduced by Subaru in 1993."Impreza" is a coined word, deriving from an originally Italian word, impresa, meaning a feat or achievement. In Polish, "Impreza" means "party", "event" or "show"....
|
GD (RWD) |
|
|
1 car |
| Toyota Altezza |
SXE10 |
|
|
1 car |
The Top cars in the 2006 Formula D Championship:
| Driver | Make | Model |
|---|
| Abraham Nassman |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
| Ricardo Tena |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
| Andrew De Paula |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
| Joaquin Trujillo |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
| Hiro Sumida |
LexusLexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, where Lexus has ranked as the highest-selling maker of luxury cars, as of 2006 Lexus vehicles are sold in 68 countries and territories worldwide...
|
IS350The Lexus IS is a series of entry-level luxury cars / compact executive cars sold by Lexus since 1999. The IS was introduced as an entry-level sport model slotted below the ES in the Lexus lineup...
|
| Casper Canul |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
| Ken Gushi is one of the nation's top competitors in the sport of drifting. Born in Okinawa, Japan, but raised in Los Angeles, he was taught by his father Tsukasa Gushi at the age of 13 with a Toyota AE86. Ken has become the youngest competitor in both the D1 Grand Prix of Japan and the Formula Drift...
|
Scion Scion may refer to:* A descendant, a son or daughter*In grafting, the scion is a detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant which is grafted onto the stock....
|
tCScion tC, based on the Toyota Avensis platform, is a compact coupe introduced by Japanese automaker Toyota in 2004 as a concept car under its recently introduced Scion brand name....
|
| Kevin Huynh |
Nissan |
240SXThe 240SX is a two-door compact car that was introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1988 for the following model year. It replaced the outgoing 200SX model. All versions of the 240SX were equipped with the 2.4-litre inline 4 engine...
|
Chris ForsbergChris Forsberg , is an American self-taught drifting driver from Doylestown, Pennsylvania who currently competes in the Formula Drift series in his Nissan 350Z for NOS Energy Drink and Maxxis Tires.- History :...
|
Nissan |
350Z The Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan Motor Co, LTD. The 350Z is the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line, originally introduced in 1969 as the Datsun 240Z. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model...
|
In the 2008 Formula D series, the most frequent nameplate in the top rankings is Pontiac, but at the grassroots level, the Nissan 240SX still dominates in popularity.
FWD cars do qualify for entrance into D1GP events, but are rarely used due to the drivetrain's inability to allow the car to accelerate out of a drift. They are not eligible for Formula D events.
AWD vehicles, such as the Nissan Skyline GTR
Subaru Impreza WRX STiThe Subaru Impreza STI is the highest standard-edition trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru....
, and
Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionThe Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo ,is a car manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral. All of them share a two litre, turbocharged engine and...
can drift but usually require different suspension tuning (when compared to RWD), higher amounts of power, and, in some cases, an adjustable center differential. In
D1 Grand PrixThe , abbreviated as D1GP and subtitled Professional Drift, is a production car drifting series from Japan. After several years of hosting amateur drifting contests, Option Magazine & Tokyo Auto Salon founder Daijiro Inada, and drifting legend Keiichi Tsuchiya hosted a professional level drifting...
, these cars are modified to RWD specification.
Techniques for inducing drift
The basic driving techniques used in drifting are constant, though each car and driver will employ some subset of these techniques. A similarity for all
drifting techniques is to be smooth and practiced. These techniques include:
Beginner techniques
These techniques do not use
weight transitionIn automobiles, weight transfer , refers to the redistribution of the vehicle's weight supported by each tire during acceleration . This includes braking, or deceleration...
, so are typically the first thing the novice drifter learns. However they are still used by the most experienced drifters, and require skill to execute properly. These techniques aim to induce a loss of traction on the rear wheels, either by locking the wheels (hand brake drift) or using enough power from the engine to break the traction force (power-oversteer and clutch kick).
Hand brake drift
The hand brake is a lever that stops the rear wheels, upsetting their grip and causing them to drift. Using the hand brake is one of the fastest, easiest, and most dangerous methods of drifting. It can also damage the car's axles, stall the engine, ruin the rubber on the tires, etc. Three examples of this technique are:
1:
- Approach the corner at race speed.
- Let go of the gas, hold the clutch and pull the handbrake just enough to upset the rear end, turn towards the corner.
- Gas and let go of the clutch at the same time.
- Control the drift all the way, by counter-steering (turning away from the corner).
2:
- Approach the corner at race speed.
- Let go of the gas and pull the hand brake until the car reaches the optimum angle. Then let go.
- Control the drift all the way.
3:
- Approach the corner at 5-20mph slower than race speed (and if mastered, in a higher gear.)
- Hold the clutch and gas it just on the redline or about 6000-8300 rpm (on dial says 6-8.3 or 60-83) and hold the handbrake to the optimum angle. Then let go.
- Let go of the clutch and gas it until controllable.
- Control the drift all the way.
Power oversteer or Powerslide
This can be achieved at a corner exit by stepping on the gas hard to slide sideways out of the corner. It is most commonly employed by beginners because it teaches steering and throttle control without the danger of an actual entry-oriented drift.
In low-power cars power-oversteer can be achieved by applying excessive amount of throttle at the end of a shift. As you are releasing the clutch during a shift, or immediately before that while the clutch is still depressed, press the accelerator all the way to send more power to the rear wheels than is necessary for a smooth upshift. If done during a turn, the car will begin to slide. This technique can be used to initiate a drift at very low speeds in an underpowered car (e.g., when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear), and to enter in a higher gear while accelerating all the way up to the turn (e.g., accelerate in 2nd on the straight and shift into 3rd as you enter the turn).
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Easily feather the gas in the straight line leading to the turn.
- Turn the steering wheel to begin the turn.
- Floor the accelerator.
- Wait for the car to go sideways, then countersteer and control the slide and proceed to exit the corner.
Depending on how much power the car is making it is possible to keep the gas pedal floored from the shift throughout the entire drift; in a low-power car this is often necessary.
Shift lock (compression slide)
Initiated by downshifting (usually from third to second or fourth to third, and using a very fast shift) instead of braking, without rev-matching, causing the drive wheels to lock momentarily. Helpful for very tight corners, allowing the driver to approach the corner at a slower speed and lower revs, while allowing quick acceleration when exiting the corner. This technique can be very damaging to the engine if misused as the
ECUAn engine control unit , also known as power-train control module , is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
is unable to rev limit when the engine is over-revved by the rear wheels. Premature downshifters are called "Rod Stretchers".
Clutch Kick
This is done by "kicking" the
clutchA clutch is a mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be engaged and disengaged. Clutches are useful in devices that have two rotating shafts. In these devices, one shaft is typically driven by a motor or pulley, and the other shaft drives another device. In a drill, for instance, one shaft...
(pushing in, then out, usually more than one time in a drift for adjustment in a very fast manner) to send a shock through the powertrain, upsetting the car's balance. This causes the rear wheels to slip. The foot should be at an angle (
Heel-and-toeHeel-and-toe is a driving technique used mostly in performance driving, although some drivers use it on the road in everyday conditions in the interests of effectiveness. It involves operating the throttle and brake pedals simultaneously with the right foot, while facilitating normal activation of...
) so the brake and gas may be pressed as well, this being needed to control speed and stop from spinning out in the drift.
Clutch kick can also be used during a drift to gain angle at the expense of speed. If the car is about to straighten itself out, kicking the clutch will cause it to rotate more. However since power delivery is interrupted while the clutch is depressed the car will lose some speed during the process and damage the gears and crank shaft.
The steps to clutch kick:
- Start driving into a corner but slower, and/or in a higher gear.
- Turn into the corner.
- Push the accelerator and a split second later, tap the clutch. Keep tapping the clutch to make the wheels spin and lose traction so that they slide, but don't let go of the gas when clutching.
- Control the spin with the handbrake, brake, or gas.
(If necessary, keep popping the clutch to keep the wheels sliding. This technique can be later learned at speed to add an additional amount of rear wheel slip resulting in more drift angle. During drift it is common to half or part depress the clutch pedal in a sudden manner to adjust the drift angle and wheel speed)
Weight transition techniques
These techniques employ a further concept of
weight transitionIn automobiles, weight transfer , refers to the redistribution of the vehicle's weight supported by each tire during acceleration . This includes braking, or deceleration...
. When a vehicle has the load towards the front, the back wheels have less grip than the front, causing an
oversteerOversteer is a phenomenon that can occur in an automobile while attempting to corner or while already cornering. The car is said to oversteer when the rear wheels do not track behind the front wheels but instead slide out toward the outside of the turn. Oversteer can throw the car into a spin...
condition that can initiate a drift. Weight transition in a side to side manner will also upset the grip level of the car and if done appropriately will result in over steer, Experienced drivers will often incorporate other drift techniques with this method depending on their desired result.
Braking drift
This drift is performed by braking into a corner so that the car transfers weight to the front. This is immediately followed by throttle, which in a RWD car causes the rear wheels to lose traction. FWD cars can also use this technique as it does not depend on the rear wheels being driven. In FWD cars the front wheels are not allowed to lock due to the continuous power, the rear wheels lock easily due to weight transfer and due to the general front heavy design of FWDs. Good performance brake pads will help this technique.
Inertia (Feint) drift or Scandinavian flick
This is done by transferring the weight of the car towards the outside of a turn by first turning away from the turn and then quickly turning back using the
inertiaInertia is the resistance of any physical object, to a change in its state of motion. It is represented numerically by an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to describe the motion of matter and how it is affected by...
of the rear of the car to swing into the desired drifting line. Sometimes the hand-brake will be applied while transferring the weight of the car towards the outside to lock the rear wheels and help the rear swing outwards. This type of drifting causes the car to accelerate faster afterwards, because of momentum built up while drifting. The flick is an application generally used when starting drift on a straight section of track allowing the car to be sideways before it has reached the targeted corner.
Note that the actual
scandinavian flickThe Scandinavian flick, Finnish flick, Manji Drifting, or Pendulum turn, is a technique used in rallying. While approaching the turn the driver applies a slight steering input to the opposite direction of the turn, then steering into the turn, while sharply lifting off the throttle and lightly...
maneuver in rally driving is more complex than feint drifting. In scandinavian flick the tires are intentionally locked by braking hard right after turning a little away from the corner. While the wheels are locked, the driver applies steering input into the corner, adds throttle while still braking and then rapidly releases the brake pedal. This causes the car to slingshot itself through the corner.
Kansei, Lift off, or Taking In
- By letting off the accelerator while cornering at very high speeds, cars with relatively neutral handling will begin to slide, simply from the
weight transferIn automobiles, weight transfer , refers to the redistribution of the vehicle's weight supported by each tire during acceleration . This includes braking, or deceleration...
resulting from
engine brakingEngine braking is the act of using the retarding forces within an engine to slow a vehicle down, as opposed to using an external braking mechanism, e.g. friction brakes or magnetic brakes.- Petrol engines:...
. The drift is controlled afterwards by steering inputs from the driver and light pedal work, similar to the Braking drift.
Dirt drop
This is done by dropping the rear tires off the sealed road onto dirt, or whatever low-grip surface borders the road, to maintain or gain drift angle. Also colloquially called "Dirt Turbo".
Choku-Dori/Manji (Pendulum)
Otherwise known as over-sway, this technique is done by swaying the car's weight back and forth on straightaways, using countersteer and throttle to maintain a large angle. This is a show maneuver which displays drivers skill that usually involves many cars following the same line. This technique is also used to connect two corners through a large straight. The car will be drifting straight and will be drifting side to side.
Advanced Drifting Technique
Good tires that have grip and are able to drift are necessary for this technique. Performing these techniques requires sufficient horsepower and torque.
Kanji type 1
- Come up to a corner at race speed.
- Push the brakes 50 meters away from the racing line at about 50% of full braking capability.
- Feint as little as possible.
- Power-over and clutch-kick all the way.
- Use handbrake and clutch-kick to increase angle.
Kanji type 2
- Come up to a corner at race speed.
- Push the brakes 50 meters away from the racing line at about 50% of full braking capability.
- Hold the clutch and rev up to 5000-6500 RPM.
- Pop the clutch and control.
- Use handbrake and clutch-kick to increase angle.
Kanji type 3
- Come up to a corner at race speed.
- Change down two gears and hold the clutch.
- Upon commencing the drift, pop the clutch and initiate turn.
- Control using 90 degrees right foot on brakes and gas.
- To exit corner, rev up to 5000+ RPM, pop clutch and straight up wheels
To transition to a different direction, hold the clutch and turn in more and clutch kick. Or come off the gas, turn in, power oversteer and control.
Drive train
A proper mechanical
limited slip differentialA limited slip differential is a modified or derived type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in angular velocity of the output shafts, but imposes a mechanical bound on the disparity...
(LSD) is almost essential for drifting. Open diffs and viscous diffs cannot be controlled during a sustained slide. All other modifications are secondary to the LSD. Popular drift LSDs include OS Giken &
Cusco||}Cusco or Cuzco is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cusco Province. The city has a population of 348,935 which is triple the figure of 20 years ago...
.
The most popular form of LSD for drifting is the clutch type, in "2-way" form; this is preferred for its consistent and aggressive lockup behavior under all conditions (acceleration and deceleration). Some drift cars use a spool "differential", which actually has no differential action at all - the wheels are locked to each other. Budget drifters also use the
weldedWelding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
differential, where the
side gearsA differential is a device, usually but not necessarily employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways. In one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs; this is found in most automobiles...
are welded to give the same effect. This makes the car very easy to slide at high speed, but difficult to park, and is hard on the driveline.
TorsenTorsen is a type of limited slip differential used in automobiles. It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a contraction of Torque-Sensing...
and
QuaifeR.T. Quaife Engineering, Ltd. is a British manufacturer of automotive drivetrain products. It designs and manufactures replacement gearboxes and gear sets, some of which are for four-wheel drive systems....
(available on cars such as
S15The Nissan Silvia is the name given to the company's long-running line of sport coupes based on the Nissan S platform. Although recent models have shared this chassis with other vehicles produced by Nissan , the name Silvia is not interchangeable with the...
, FD3S, MX-5,
JZA8xThe Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica...
,
UZZ3xThe Toyota Soarer was a personal luxury GT coupé sold by Toyota in Japan from 1981 to 2004 built on the same manufacturing platform as the Toyota Supra. The Soarer débuted in 1981 with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyota Crown Coupe, which took the form of an angular two-door coupé. In 1986, a...
) diffs are also adequate.
The
clutchA clutch is a mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be engaged and disengaged. Clutches are useful in devices that have two rotating shafts. In these devices, one shaft is typically driven by a motor or pulley, and the other shaft drives another device. In a drill, for instance, one shaft...
es on drift cars tend to be very tough ceramic brass button or multiple-plate varieties, for durability, as well as to allow rapid "clutch kick" techniques to upset the balance of the car. Gearbox and engine mounts are often replaced with
urethaneA polyurethane, IUPAC abbreviation PUR, but commonly abbreviated PU, is any polymer consisting of a chain of organic units joined by urethane links...
mounts, and dampers added, to control the violent motion of the engine/gearbox under these conditions.
Gearsets may be replaced with
closer ratiosA close-ratio transmission is a transmission in which there is little difference between the gear ratios of the gears. Consequently, note that the word close implies "near", not "shut." The gear ratio numbers are in a smaller numeric range, hence closer together.In the context of close-ratio...
to keep the engine in the
power bandThe power band refers to the range of operating speeds under which the engine is able to operate efficiently. A typical gasoline automotive engine is capable of operating at a speed of between around 750 and 6000 RPM, but the engine's power band would be more limited...
. (Japanese drifters confuse the "L" and call these "cross-mission".) These may be coarser dog engagement straight cut gears instead of synchronised helical gears, for durability and faster shifting at the expense of noise and refinement. Wealthier drifters may use sequential gearboxes to make gear selection easier/faster, while sequential shift lever adapters can be used to make shifts easier without increasing shift speed.
Suspension
The
suspensionSuspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose – contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
in a drift car tends to have very high spring and damper rates.
Sway barA sway bar is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction...
s are upgraded, particularly on the rear.
Casterthumb|250px|θ is the caster angle, red line is the pivot line, grey area is the tire. A positive caster angle is shown with the front of the vehicle being to the left....
is often increased to improve the car's controllability during a slide. Most cars use an integrated coilover/shock (
MacPherson strutThe MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot, widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson who developed the design, based in part on designs created by Guido Fornaca of FIAT in the mid-1920s...
) combination. This type of suspension allows the ride height to be adjusted independently of the suspension travel. There is no perfect height setting or spring/shock combo for any car, but each driver will have their own personal preference. Many suspension manufacturers offer suspension tuned specifically for drifting, allowing many people to enter the sport competitively.
Bushings can be upgraded with urethane parts. Most Nissan vehicles have a floating rear subframe which is usually fixed in position with billet aluminum or urethane "drift pineapples", to prevent the frame moving during drift.
One suspension tuning method, still popular in Japan, is known as "Demon Camber" (
Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family. There are a number of proposed relationships with other languages, but none have gained general acceptance...
: 鬼キャン,
Oni-kyan http://www.7tune.com/?p=138). It involves setting the suspension with extreme negative
camberframe|From the front of the car, a right wheel with a negative camber angleCamber angle is the angle made by the wheel of an automobile; specifically, it is the angle between the vertical axis of the wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear. It is used in the...
in the front to reduce slide. Negative camber on the rear would only induce understeer, making the car more difficult to drift. The front of the car having better grip and less tendency to slide, it is easier to swing the rear of the car around to get a good drift angle. However stability, grip, and overall ability to control the car are compromised. It has thus fallen out of favor as a serious performance-minded suspension setup. However, many cars built for show (such as those driven by
bōsōzokuis a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.They were first seen in the 1950s as the Japanese automobile industry expanded rapidly. The first bōsōzoku were known as kaminari-zoku...
) still use this style of suspension setup for its aggressive look. A few degrees of toe-out on the rear wheels (leading edges angled outward) can reduce rear stability, and make setting up a drift a little easier.
Suspension must be relatively firm front and back depending on the driving style and is generally known to be lowered in attempt to drop the centre of gravity making the vehicle more controllable and stable during drift.
One of the most important dynamics that a properly tuned professional drift car will have is a high amount of 'dig' which is how much acceleration the drift car has coming out the apex of a corner while keeping the rear wheel speed much greater than that of the actual vehicle's positional speed. A high amount of dig will allow the car to spin its tires and maximize the amount of smoke, engine speed, and spectator/judge impact, while also maximizing the vehicles positional speed through a course. With all other variables held constant, a vehicle with more dig will pull away from a vehicle with less dig when the two are engaged in tandem competition.
Another important dynamic that drift cars look to increase is the rear tires' 'bite'. bite is how quickly the vehicle's rear tires regain traction after the throttle is closed and/or after the hand brake is released. A high amount of bite will allow the vehicle to change it's direction at a much higher rate, and thus increase the amount of snapiness and impact to both the judges and the spectators. It also will allow, in many cases, a much later apex on a drift course. A vehicle with a high amount of 'bite' can transition at a later time than a vehicle without. With all other variables held constant, a vehicle with less bite will not be able to follow a vehicle with a higher amount of bite without changing the driving line, losing points in tandem competition.
Cockpit
Because of the large centripetal force encountered during drifing, drivers find it preferable to be retained firmly by a
bucket seatA bucket seat is a seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from bench seats which are flat platforms designed to seat multiple people. Bucket seats are standard in fast cars to keep riders in place when making sharp or quick turns....
, and
harnessA harness is a looped restraint or support.Harness may also refer to:*Harness , a character in the Marvel Comics universe*Child harness*Climbing harness*Dog harness*Horse harness*Parrot harness*Safety harness...
. This allows the hands to merely turn the wheel, as opposed to bracing oneself against the wheel. The
steering wheelA steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
should be relatively small, dished, and perfectly round, so that it can be released and allowed to spin through the hands as the caster returns the front wheels to center. The locking knob on the
hand brakeIn cars, the hand brake is a latching brake usually used to keep the car stationary. Automobile e-brakes usually consist of a cable directly connected to the brake mechanism on one end and to some type of lever that can be actuated by the driver on the other end...
is usually replaced with a spin turn knob, this stops the hand brake locking on when pulled. Some drivers move the hand brake location or add an extra hydraulic hand brake actuator for greater braking force. Many drivers make use of additional gauges to monitor such things as boost levels, oil, intake and coolant temperatures.
Engine
Engine power does not need to be high, and in fact if a car has too much power, it can be very hard to handle during a drift. Each driver has their own preference, and drift cars can be found with anything from 100bhp (74 kW) to 1000bhp (745 kW). Typically,
engine tuningEngine tuning is the adjustment, modification or design of internal combustion engines to yield optimal performance, to increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability. It has a long history, almost as long as the development of the car in general, originating with the development of...
is oriented towards achieving
linearThe word linear comes from the Latin word linearis, which means created by lines.In mathematics, a linear map or function f is a function which satisfies the following two properties......
response rather than maximum power output. Engines also must be equipped with upgraded
cooling systemsRadiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
. Not only are the engines pushed very hard, creating lots of heat, but being driven at an angle reduces the airflow through the
radiatorRadiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
. For
turbochargedA turbocharger, or turbo, is a gas compressor that is used for forced-induction of an internal combustion engine. A form of supercharger, the purpose of a turbocharger is to increase the density of air entering the engine to create more power...
engines,
intercoolerAn intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling...
efficiency is similarly reduced. Oil coolers are almost essential. V-mounting the intercooler and radiator improves flow through these components, and keeps the expensive intercooler out of harm's way in the case of a minor accident.
Steering
With increased steering angle it is possible to achieve greater angle with the vehicle, also aiding in spin recovery. This is often done with spacers on the steering rack, custom steering racks, custom tierod ends, or machining the spindles. Increased steering angle often requires other modifications as at some point the tire or wheel will come in contact with other suspension pieces or the inner/outer fenders.
Body
ChassisA chassis consists of a framework that supports an inanimate object, analogous to an animal's skeleton, for example in a motor vehicle or a firearm.- Examples of use :...
preparation is similar to a
road racingRoad racing is a form of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , though racing done on airport runways and temporarily closed-off public roads is often included in the definition....
car.
Roll cageA roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
s are sometimes employed for safety, and to improve the torsional rigidity of the car's frame, but are compulsory in events that involves the 2+ cars' tsuiou runs in the event of a side collision. Front and rear strut tower braces,
B-pillarAn A-pillar is a name applied by car stylists and enthusiasts to the shaft of material that supports the windshield on either of the windshield frame sides...
braces, lower arm braces, and
master cylinderThe master cylinder is a control device that converts non-hydraulic pressure into hydraulic pressure, in order to move other device which are located at the other end of the hydraulic system, such as one or more slave cylinders...
braces are all used to stiffen the chassis. The interior is stripped of extraneous seating, trim, carpet, sound deadening; anything that is not essential is removed to reduce weight.
Body kitA bodykit or body kit is a collection of exterior modifications to a car, typically composed of front and rear bumpers, side skirts, spoilers and sometimes front and rear side guards and roof scoops. There are many companies that offer alternatives to the original factory appearance of the vehicle...
s are often attached with
cable tieA cable tie is a type of fastener, especially for binding several electronic cables or wires together and to organize cables and wires.- Design and use :In its most popular form, a cable tie consists of a sturdy Nylon tape...
s. When the body kit meets the wall or curb, the cable ties snap, releasing the part, as opposed to breaking it. Aero also helps for cooling while the car is sideways.
As drift cars are pushed faster, aerodynamic tuning becomes more important as well. Rear
spoilerA spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
s and
wingA wing is a surface used to produce lift for flight through the air or another gaseous or fluid medium. The wing shape is usually an airfoil. The word originally referred only to the foremost limbs of birds, but has been extended to include the wings of insects , bats, pterosaurs, and aircraft.A...
s usually are useful only in large, open tracks where the cars develop enough speed to create a need for more downforce. Wheel arches are often rolled or flared to allow the fitment of larger tires. Airflow to the engine is critical, so the hood is often vented.
Due to the nature of the hobby, drift cars are typically involved in many minor accidents. Thus, those involved with the sport tend to avoid expensive or easily damaged body kits and custom paintwork.
Tires
The cars quite often have different tires on the front and back, and the owner may have quite a few sets. This is because a single afternoon of drifting can destroy several new sets of tires. As a rule, good tires go on the front for good steering. On the back, hard-compound tires are used, quite often
second-handA second-hand or used good is one that is being purchased by or otherwise transferred to a second or later end user. A used good can also simply mean it is no longer in the same condition as it was when it was first transferd to the current end user...
ones tend to end up in a cloud of smoke. 15" wheels are common on the rear, as 15" tires are cheap. As a driver gets better, they will most likely want to upgrade the tires used in the rear for a higher grip compound. Although cheap/hard tires are fun purely for their slipperiness and ease of drifting, they quickly become a hazard for high-speed drifts. More advanced drivers require the most grip possible from all 4 tires, so as to retain control adequately during high speed drifts. Competitive drifters often run DOT-approved tires closer to racing tires, which is permitted, with the exception of some major championships including D1GP which only permits commercially available tires that are approved by them. The grip is required for control, speed, and a fast snap on the initial entry. Generally drifting consumes tires rapidly and multiple sets may be necessary for a single professional event.
Some companies, such as Kumho Tires, created tires with
special effectThe illusions used in the film, television, theater, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s for drifting. These tires produce
colored smokeColored smoke is a kind of smoke created by an aerosol of small particles of a suitable pigment or dye.Colored smoke can be used for smoke signals, often in a military context. It can be produced by smoke grenades, or by various other pyrotechnical devices...
instead of regular grey smoke when drifted. Lavender-scented tires have also been developed. They are not permitted in many competitions, as they are seen as giving an unfair advantage to teams with the funding to use them.
R/C drifting
R/C drifting refers to the act of drifting with a
radio-controlled carRadio-controlled cars are usually categorized as either "toy" or "hobby" grade. Remote control vehicles are usually of one of two types: control of a vehicle by radio transmission or by a wire connecting between the transmitter and car. This article focuses on the radio-controlled vehicle...
. R/C cars are equipped with special low grip tires, usually made from
PVCPolyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter - a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
or ABS piping. Some manufacturers make radial drift tires that are made of actual rubber compounds. The car setup is usually changed to allow the car to drift more easily. R/C drifting is most successful on 4WD (Four wheel drive) R/C cars. Companies such as Tamiya,
Yokomois a Japanese company from Adachi, Tokyo that specialize in radio-controlled cars, it was one of the first manufacturers in Japan to build RC cars and it also invented the RTR cars, but most notable of all is their long running "Dog Fighter" series of radio controlled buggies, mainly through its...
, Team Associated and
Hobby Products InternationalHobby Products International or HPI of Foothill Ranch, California, USA is a manufacturer of on- and off-road radio-controlled cars, both electric and nitromethane powered.-Timeline:...
have made drift cars and supported the hobby.
Online games
Online games written in
Adobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform originally acquired by Macromedia and currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems. Since its introduction in 1996, Flash has become a popular method for adding animation and interactivity to web pages...
, Adobe Shockwave and Java language are also popular and include
Marshal Tyres’ Online World Drifting Championships,
NZ Performance Car-Overview:NZ Performance Car is a monthly automotive magazine and website, and is the biggest selling automotive and men’s lifestyle magazine in New Zealand.As Parkside Media’s second title, it has eclipsed the success of NZ Classic Car...
’s
Drift Legends (the first online game to feature real drifting racetracks, initially from New Zealand),
Drift ‘n’ Burn 365 (in Shockwave)], and
Mercedes-AMGMercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz car company specializing in high-performance luxury cars.AMG models are typically the most expensive and highest-performance of each nameplate...
’s
Wintersport Drift Competition (the first manufacturer-backed drifting game).
Corporate support behind such games demonstrates the increased value advertisers are putting on drifting’s reach into key demographics.
Mobile-based games
GT Drift Untouchable from Korean-based
GAMEVILGamevil Inc. is a privately held company based in Seoul, Republic of Korea, which develops and publishes video games for mobile devices.- Gamevil Inc. :...
features 16 courses in 8 countries and was released in 2007.
Console and PC-based games
Drifting’s popularity in computer games extends back to early arcade racers where the techniques for games such as Sega Rally involved drifting. As this was a by-product of the techniques used in rallying, it cannot be considered the birth of drifting as a standalone sport in the gaming world.
Namco, is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. The company is most famous for creating Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game in history...
released the first game in the
Ridge RacerRidge Racer may refer to:*Ridge Racer , an arcade game first released by Namco in 1993, later ported to the PlayStation*Ridge Racer , a series of sequels and spin-offs based on the arcade game...
series in 1993 as an arcade game that has been ported to many game consoles. The game series has drifting as the main technique to controlling cars.
Publisher Sammy and developer
Genki (company)Genki is a Japanese developer of computer and video games. It was founded in October 1990 by Hiroshi Hamagaki and Tomo Kimura, who left Sega to form the company. Genki is best-known for their racing game titles.-History:...
launched Drift Racer: Kaido Battle in February 2004. At the time Sammy studio’s press release from September 18, 2003 stated it was an 'Action-packed simulator bringing the underground drift racing craze to video games
CodemastersCodemasters is one of the longest running British video game developers. The CEO is Rod Cousens, formerly of Acclaim...
developed the game
Race Driver: GRIDRace Driver: Grid is the latest addition to the TOCA Touring Car series by Codemasters, published and developed by the same company. It was announced on April 19, 2007, and is available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and PC...
, which has an entire drift competition section.
Tokyo Xtreme Racer DRIFT (4/2006) and Tokyo Xtreme Racer DRIFT 2 (also by Genki) were released in 2006 and 2007 respectively for
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony. The PS2 console is the sequel to the original PlayStation console. The successor to the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation 2 forms part of the PlayStation series of video game...
.
Electronic Arts licensed
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 film directed by Justin Lin and the third installment of The Fast and the Furious film series. The film features an all-new cast and a different setting from the previous two films...
for a
PSPPSP most often refers to:* PlayStation Portable, a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment** PlayStation Portable Slim and Lite, a redesign of the PlayStation Portable** PlayStation Portable Go...
and PS2 release in 2007.
Drift City, released in September 2007, is a
celA cel, short for celluloid, is a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional, hand-drawn animation. Celluloid was used for animation and film production up until the late 20th century, however, it burned easily and suffered from spontaneous decomposition, and was...
-shaded online racer, bringing more multi-player features to drifting games.
Several games, such as Need for Speed Underground and Gran Turismo HD feature drifting race formats.
The
Oversteer Drift Mod is a free add-on (mod) for the racing simulation game
rFactorrFactor is a computer racing simulator designed with the ability to run any type of four-wheeled vehicle from street cars to open wheel cars of any era. rFactor aimed to be the most accurate race simulator of its time...
. It offers players the possibility to drift with several famous Japanese drift cars around reproduced or fantasy tracks.
Turn 10 Studios and Microsoft released Forza Motorsport 1 and 2 (2005 and 2007 respectively) both of which can offer a drifting experience.
Racing simulation game
Live For SpeedLive for Speed is an online racing simulator developed by a three person team comprising Scawen Roberts, Eric Bailey, and Victor van Vlaardingen. The main focus is to provide a realistic racing experience for the online multiplayer game and to allow dramatic single player race against AI cars...
's online community is often split between those who prefer traditional racing, and those who prefer drifting.
Although the game doesn't officially have a drifting element, the Atari online multiplayer game "Test Drive Unlimited" (PC & XB360) has quite a number of active drifters. They race in the advanced "Hardcore" mode which features reduced gravity and grip compared to the normal "arcade" mode. The open "M.O.O.R" cruising format of the game and the many mountain passes mean it lends itself to impromptu drift sessions.