• Our RC drift cars winners
• Ready-to-Run vs kit vs chassis – the differences explained
• Ready-to-Run RC drift cars
• RC drift car kits
• RC drift car chassis

In a hurry? Here is our RC Drift Car summary

RC Drift Car Kit Choice	Ready-to-Run Choice	RC Drift Car Chassis Choice
HPI RS4 Sport 3 4WD Drift Car Kit	MST RMX 2.5 RTR Drift Car Kit	Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Chassis Kit
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

Our ready-to-run RC drift car choice

Whether you’re just getting started with RC drifting and want an excellent ready-to-go car right out of the box or you’re not interested in building a kit, the MST RMX 2.5 offers the ultimate opportunity.

MST RMX 2.5 RTR Drift Car Kit

Our choice for the ready-to-run RC Drift Cars is the MST RMX 2.5 RTR Drift Car Kit

With their upgraded brushless ready-to-run radio control car, high speeds can be achieved from this incredible value-for-money MST RTR kit.

With the insane choice of bodies, from Liberty Walk Mustangs to Toyota GR Supra‘s, you’ll struggle to find a better-looking ride.

Our RC drift car kit choice

Having stood the test of time, the HPI Sport 3 doesn’t feature the latest, cutting-edge technology. Instead, you get a highly-regarded platform with incredible durability that has stood the test of time.

HPI RS4 Sport 3 4WD Drift Car Kit

Our favorite is the Worthouse S15, which comes with interchangeable vinyl, allowing you to drift as three-time FD Champion James Deane or his teammate, Piotr Wiecek!

Our choice for the RC Drift Car Kit choice is the HPI RS4 Sport 3 4WD Drift Car Kit

For someone not looking to spend huge bucks on their RC drift car immediately, this kit presents a p

erfect opportunity for beginners looking for some simple fun without breaking the bank.

Our RC drift car chassis choice

Now, admittedly this is a controversial winner since the Yokomo YD-2 is technically a more refined and superior quality kit (although they are becoming hard to find).

Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Chassis Kit

Our choice for the RC drift car chassis is the Usukani D3T Drift Tricycle Chassis

Is there anything more JDM then a completely bonkers tricycle RC drift car? You are spoilt for choice with complex chassis kits but for pure fun factor, we absolutely love the Usuakni D3T drift trike!

Introduction to RC drift cars

As much as we love real-life drifting, we’re never going to deny that it’s an expensive hobby.

Not only do you have to worry about maintenance and repairs on your drift car, but tires and fuel need to be a serious consideration, too.

That’s before you’ve even considered the endless list of upgrades and modifications that you want to do to make the car competitive.

Once you’ve built the car of your dreams, you then need to consider the costs of getting to and from events, then when it gets more serious, the cost of racing equipment.

Although drifting is one of the most insanely exciting hobbies on the planet, unfortunately, it comes with a never-ending cost.

These disadvantages have birthed the concept of VR sim racing and free online drifting games, with enthusiasts building increasingly impressive drifting sim rigs so that they can get their precious seat time at a fraction of the price.

Not only is this extremely useful for training, but it also comes at a fraction of the price and inconvenience that comes with running a real car.

But, what if you’re still craving the physical art form of drifting?

Sure, gaming might tick the right boxes for some of you, but there’s always something incredibly exciting about the feeling of controlling a physical drift car, whether it’s full-sized, or in miniature scale. This is where RC drifting becomes the perfect solution.

Not only do you get to learn the basics of car control, gaining knowledge in areas like counter-steering alongside an understanding of weight shift and braking under load, but also it’s hugely entertaining in the process.

If you’re just getting started with RC drifting, our How to Drift guide will be a fantastic place to start, as it’ll give you a much deeper understanding of what the car is doing and how it’s reacting to the various inputs which allow you to master the art of drifting.

Once you’ve got to grips with the basics, you’ll want to decide which RC drift car is best for your needs, so first, let us explain the various RC drift car variations on the market.

Ready-to-run vs kit vs chassis – the differences explained

As you’ve probably noticed, we’ve broken down this guide into three different categories to allow you to choose the perfect drift car for your needs, or maybe even the lucky person you’re buying for.

Ready-to-run RC drift cars

Ready-to-run is the most self-explanatory method when it comes to RC drift cars, and often makes the ideal gift for a first-time RC drift car owner.

You buy the car that ticks the right boxes for your needs (or perhaps your kids’), have it conveniently sent to your door, remove the packaging, and immediately begin testing the boundaries once the batteries are installed and charged.

You can probably expect a few crashes to happen very shortly after!

Ready-to-run kits are the easiest, most convenient, and often the cheapest method if you’re just getting started with RC drifting. We often think of these cars as an ideal entry to the sport.

The downside of ready-to-run kits is that if you happen to have a high-speed impact and something gets broken, you’re most probably going to be left having to replace the entire car.

Therefore, if you’re looking to get serious with your RC drift car right away, or you can see this potentially becoming a long-term hobby, we’d advise that you continue reading. You’ll thank us later.

RC drift car kits

With a kit, you would typically receive the car in many parts, which you then need to construct yourself, but don’t panic; it’s not as difficult as it sounds, as you’ll have clear instructions to guide you.

I’m sure many of you would be wondering why anyone would want to do this, so we’re going to explain the advantages of a kit.

With a ready-to-run remote control cars, the chances are that if you have a severe impact, you may end up breaking some of the parts on your vehicle.

In this situation, you’re most likely going to have to either cut your losses or return your car in the hope that it’s repairable, but the chances are that’s not very likely or cost-effective.

With a kit, not only do you get to enjoy the pleasure of building the car, which you could perhaps make a family affair, but you’ll also gain an excellent understanding of how the different components of the car work – this is the perfect introduction for an aspiring mechanic.

Not only do you gain an understanding of the car and have the enjoyment of the build process, but if you were to crash your RC drift car and break one, or more components, you can assess the damage and replace the spare part(s) necessary.

The ability to fix any damage is the main advantage of a kit; instead of buying a ready-to-run car.

Once your replacement parts turn up, you’ll now know how to replace them with your newfound knowledge from building the car, and you can then enjoy many more hours of worry-free drifting (assuming your abilities have improved since the crash, of course!)

Another advantage of buying a kit is that you’ll likely want superior upgrades as your skill levels progress.

Whether that’s an improved chassis, batteries, motor, or suspension, you name it; you can upgrade everything and build the RC drift car of your dreams without having to buy EVERY part each time like you would with a ready-to-run car.

For the RC drift car enthusiast, this can make for great Birthday and Christmas present opportunities.

Are you looking to upgrade your suspension? No worries, Grandma’s got you covered this year!

We always recommend that you carefully look into the possibility that a kit may need additional components. Most kits don’t come with all of the required electrical components, for example.

RC drift car chassis

Kits and Chassis are typically very similar. The main times that we would consider buying the bare-bones chassis rather than a kit is if we couldn’t find the perfect body shell.

Sometimes, it perhaps works out cheaper to buy a chassis and a shell separately, but otherwise, we would consider opting for a kit and then keeping the shell as a spare for practicing.

Now that you’ve read our explanation of the different variations, you’re clued up when it comes to purchasing the perfect RC drift car package for your needs, so let’s take a look at the best RC drift cars on the market!

Ready-to-run RC drift cars

Here is our selection of ready-to-run RC drift cars:

MST RMX 2.5 Brushless RTR RC Drift Car

• Manufacturer: MST
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: MST RMX 2.5 RTR w/Rocket Bunny Toyota GR Supra Body (Metal Grey) (many more JDM body options available)

Our comment: The most recent ready-to-run chassis to shake up the RC drift scene came with the introduction of the MST RMX 2.5 at the start of 2023.

With the latest technology within an affordable package, it’s easy to see why many RC drift fans feel that it’s a perfect choice.

Aimed at both beginner and intermediate RC drifters, the MST RMX 2.5 will be more than capable when rubbing doors with some of the premium kits on the market.

One of the benefits of an RTR kit is that MST checks each model before it’s shipped, which means it’s perfectly calibrated and set up right out of the box. So if you notice minimal tire wear with your new purchase, don’t panic!

Although the RMX 2.5 can throw down huge, consistent angles right out of the box, it also provides two motor install locations and two servo install locations if you wish to adjust the weight distribution.

Whether you’re just getting started with RC drifting and want an excellent ready-to-go car right out of the box or you’re not interested in building a kit, the MST RMX 2.5 offers the ultimate opportunity.

With the insane choice of bodies, from Liberty Walk Mustangs to Toyota GR Supra‘s, you’ll struggle to find a better-looking ride on the market.

Manufacturer description: “This is the MST RMX 2.5 1/10 2WD Brushless RTR Drift Car. Building off of the success of the RMX 2.0 this updated version brings the next level of performance to the RMX name. With countless hours of research and development, MST has fine tuned the RMX platform for the ultimate drift experience.”

“Designed to be easy to drive for beginners but still rewarding for the experienced drifter, MST has included an updated chassis. This improved chassis offers increased traction and control along with a plethora of adjustments to fine tune your driving experience. Whether you are an experienced drifter or just getting started, the RMX 2.5 RTR gives you the performance you are looking for with looks to match!”

Features

• Two motor install options – upper or lower gravity
• Two servo install options – vertical or lateral
• Plastic high-rigidity construction
• Unique front suspension system for great steering
• The adjustable steering system with two-step Ackermann changes
• 6 degrees KPI steering upright, and -0.5 trailing axle design
• An inside rod fulcrum mount at the front upper arm features 10-step height adjustment and both side positions
• Fully-sealed dustproof bevel gearbox system
• Standard ball differential
• 5 changeable second-deceleration-ratio gear sets of 1.89-3.82 (standard 3.08)
• The fulcrum at the rear suspension upper rod is 5-step adjustable on both sides. The outer fulcrum is 4-step adjustable on both sides
• Steel CVD axle for rear transmission system
• Suitable for long and short battery
• Full great smooth metal ball connectors
• Standard realistic caliper and disc shape brake set

HSP FlyingFish Nissan Skyline GT-R RC Drift Car

• Manufacturer: HSP
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Model number: 94123
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued online

Our comment: If you’re looking for a bargain, then you’re going to struggle to get more for your money than the HSP FlyingFish.

Thanks to the newly upgraded RC 540 motor, this provides impressive performance and enables speeds of over 35km/h out of the box.

If you’re looking to go even faster (which isn’t necessary for learning the basics of drifting), then make sure you take a look at the higher-spec brushless version, which is capable of an incredible 60km/h!

Although this is far cheaper than the HPI equivalents above, the materials are known for being a little more fragile. However, spares are easily sourced online.

The HSP FlyingFish is a genuine bargain, and a fantastic entry to RC drifting for the money.

Manufacturer description: “You can now get your own serious RC Hobby Drift Car at an amazing price. Straight out of the box this RC car is very competitive while the fully adjustable suspension lets you fine-tune to each track spec. Mash the throttle and the new RC 540 screams into life with a massive 22% more power and 9% lighter chassis, this new RC model is seriously competitive. You will truly be astonished by the quality of this RC Drift Car for the price you are paying. Everyone will want one.”

“This latest version has an even lower center of gravity and coupled to 4 wheel shaft drive and the latest Driftech Low profile drift tires makes 4 wheel drifts easier than ever. Comes with everything except the 8 AA batteries for the transmitter.”

Features

• 100% Ready To Run
• 4-Wheel Drive System
• Shaft Drive
• Front and Rear Ball Raced Differentials
• High Discharge 2000mAh 7.2 V NiMh Battery and Charger
• Upgraded RC 540 Race Motor
• Light Weight Alloy Drive Shaft
• Light Weight Aluminium Alloy High-Intensity Upper Plate
• Front and Rear Differentials with Bevel Gears
• Full 4 Wheel A-Arm 100% independent Adjustable Suspension
• Aluminum Cap Oil Filled Adjustable Shock Absorbers
• Adjustable Height
•  Camber Adjustability
• Adjustable tilt angle
• New Even Lighter Smaller Front and Gear Boxes
• HSP Driftech Low Profile Tyres
• 3 Way Electronic Speed Controller with Brake and Reverse
• Factory Installed Servo Saver
• 2 Channel Pistol Grip Radio Factory Installed

Redcat Racing Thunder RC Drift Car

• Manufacturer: Redcat Racing
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued online

Our comment: The Thunder Drift from Redcat Racing is very similar to their EPX drift car above, except this car comes with the superior belt-driven method for improved performance.

Its improved belt-driven system helps all four wheels move at the same time rather than the lag which you can experience from the cheaper shaft-driven system, and is usually only found in premium RC cars.

Owners have pointed out that the belts have sometimes arrived loose and required tightening, which is an easy fix that improved the performance dramatically.

The Thunder Drift is an insane value-for-money belt-driven drift car, and although we prefer the quality of the HPI products, there’s no questioning that this is a real bargain in comparison.

Manufacturer description: “Welcome to a whole new level of drifting with the 4WD belt-driven, high-performance Thunder Drift! Quality drifting requires precision driving to consistently challenge the line between control and chaos. A combination of brushed motor and special RC drift tires allow the Thunder Drift to slide effortlessly around corners, while the high-performance belt drive system provides an edge over the typical drifter.”

“Say goodbye to gear slop with the Thunder Drift’s high-performance belt drive system. Fully adjustable for ultra-smooth acceleration, the Thunder Drift is ready to drift circles around the competition. Blue anodized aluminum threaded body oil-filled shocks allow for quick ride height adjustments. Easily direct more weight to a single wheel for precise tuning. Shock dampening can be tuned by adding different weight oils inside the shocks, or by swapping out the pistons. The Thunder Drift’s fully tunable 4-wheel independent suspension allows the driver to adjust toe angle and camber, with the turn of a wrench, to achieve the drifting setup you like.”

Features

• 1/10 scale drift car
• 4 wheel drive
• Belt driven for smooth power transfer
• Independent suspension
• Lightweight plastic chassis
• Aluminum threaded body oil-filled shocks
• Bearings throughout
• Tunable suspension
• Adjustable ride height
• Tunable shocks
• Adjustable camber angle
• Multiple shock mounting positions
• Adjustable belt tension.
• 22T RC540 Brushed electric motor
• Waterproof electronics – 40A ESC
• Responsive steering servo
• 2.4GHz radio

Exceed RC Drift Star 350Z

• Manufacturer: Exceed RC
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Exceed RC Drift Star 350Z

Our comment: The Exceed RC Drift Star 350Z drift car is a replica of the Nissan 350Z, and certainly looks to have been inspired by The Fast and the Furious.

Given that this has very similar specifications to the Redcat Racing EPX Drift Car, but features a brushless motor, making it the superior choice.

There’s no doubt that we prefer the look of the 350Z, so if this brushless drifter ticks the right boxes, then you really can’t go wrong.

Manufacturer description: “The EXCEED RC Electric Drift Star model represents a new generation of 1/10 scale on-road drift cars. This ready-to-run Drift Star car is electric-powered and perfect for indoor or outdoor drifting.”

“Based on our popular and durable on-road electric powered car, this drift version adds specially designed solid compound drift tires pre-mounted on high-performance wheels. Combined with a powerful programmable 45amp brushless ESC and brushless motor, this Driftstar is capable of extreme drift angles and speed.”

Features

• The new KV 3300 Brushless motor provides reliable and consistent power for high-performance drift driving
• The 2.5mm lightweight chassis provides excellent performance and durability
• An excellent differential system design provides quick access to the front or rear differential by removing only a few screws. You can now access the front and rear differential for easy maintenance
• New lightweight suspension arms deliver quick suspension response and reduce the critical sprung weight and overall weight of the car
• High-capacity battery provides long run times
• The high-quality 2.4Ghz transmitter and receiver work together to let you precisely control your car
• Four-wheel drive system
• Excellent front/rear camber and toe-in setup
• Anodized aluminum center long drive shaft
• Stable suspension arms and solid front/rear shock tower
• Oil-filled aluminum capped shocks
• Precise steering fitting delivers a quick response
• Complete ball bearings for a smooth and an efficient drive
• High-performance anti-skid drift tires, chrome-plated spoke rims and pre-mounted drift wheels

GoolRC WLtoys K989 High Speed Race Car RC Drift Car

• Manufacturer: GoolRC
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/28th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: GoolRC WLtoys K989 High Speed RC Race Car Drift Car

Our comment: If you’re keen on the smaller style cars above, but you fancy something a little more impressive, this Ken Block-style Ford Fiesta replica could well be what you’re looking for.

With a more substantial set-up, this is ideal for the hobbyist with a smaller area to play in.

Although this car is small, it packs a serious punch and is capable of quickly achieving speeds of up to 30km/h.

Another perfect entry-level variation with a decent controller, this is perfect for the younger generation of Ken Block fans that are looking for their first RC drifter.

Manufacturer description: “The racing car is super fast, responsive, full function, and remote controlled. You can freely control the speed and direction, and perform U-shape drifts with ease.”

“Also features steering (go forward and backward, turn left and right). It is delicately manufactured, which is the standard of all hobby class vehicles.”

Features

• 2.4GHz transmitter, you’ll never get any radio interference with this electric car.
• You can enjoy drifting with the on-road anti-skid drift tires.
• High-quality PC material car shell, like a real car, with excellent flexibility, to prevent the impact of rupture.
• The speed reaches up to 30 KM/H, which makes the car race faster than others.
• The rechargeable battery is available for longer playtime, it will last up to 30 minutes.
• Metal chassis, sturdy and durable, protects the car and with longer service life.

JADA Toys Fast & Furious Brian’s Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR34)

• Manufacturer: JADA Toys
• Suitable for: 6 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/16th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link:
  Fast & Furious Brian O’Conner 1/16th Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR34) |
  Fast & Furious Han Mazda RX7 FD 1/10th scale RC drift car |
  Fast & Furious Brian O’Conner Toyota Supra 1/16th scale RC drift car

Our comment: JADA Toys have launched a range of The Fast and the Furious cars onto the RC market, which is perfect for both young and old fans of the movie.

Fans of Brian O’Conner will undoubtedly relish the opportunity to drift his R34 Skyline GT-R!

Are you stuck for the perfect Christmas or Birthday gift for your Fast and the Furious-crazy friend or relative? Look no further!

The 1/16th scale cars conveniently charge via USB and feature surprisingly impressive battery life.

These reasonably priced RC drift cars are the ultimate gift for any Fast and the Furious fan, and they’ll undoubtedly want to collect the whole range.

As you’ve probably guessed, these cars weren’t created with the serious enthusiast in mind, but they’re perfect for cheap entertainment with all the family.

Manufacturer description: “From the franchise built on speed comes Brian’s highly modified Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR34) featuring styling cues directly from the movie! Race to the finish as this aggressively styled 1:16 scale RC vehicle features lightweight aero modifications and performance wheels!”

“Help Dom and his crew as they continue their global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed! You call the shots as you lead the team on their crusade with vehicles featuring styling cues directly from the movie! Featuring a turbo Boost feature, This R/C vehicle is ready for action-packed fun!”

Features

• 2.4 GHz – fully functioning R/C
• Turbo Boost feature
• Alkaline Battery included- ready to run
• Exterior styling directly from the Fast and Furious movie
• Officially licensed and authentic movie decoration with themed packaging
• USB charging technology

HPI Racing Micro RS4 Drift Fail Crew Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R

• Manufacturer: HPI Racing
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/18th
• Model number: HPI120101
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: Best known for showing off his skills at Europe’s infamous Gatebil festival, the legendary Fail Crew Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R driven by ‘Mad Max’ Tvardovsky is now available in 1/18th scale!

This pre-built, ready-to-run RC drift car from HPI Racing combines its 4WD speed belt drivetrain with a high-powered motor and double-wishbone independent front suspension to provide maximum power and control.

Utilizing HPI’s very-own 180-size motor, with electronic speed control, full-time 4WD belt drive, and a water-resistant servo, this is an excellent setup for those of you who are looking for a smaller beginner drift car.

Despite this being a ready-to-run kit, HPI has ensured that it’s one of the few which provides optional hop-up upgrades, which could be the perfect solution once you’ve got the hang of RC drifting.

Although the more commonly found RC car scale size is 1/10th, this 1/18th scale car could be the perfect answer for those of you that are looking for a smaller alternative.

Manufacturer description: “With its 4WD belt-drive system and hard tires, the Micro RS4 Drift is easy to drift on any smooth surface! Concrete, short carpet, and even tarmac or asphalt are all ideal sliding surfaces that were made for your car – you’ll feel like a real drifter with the Micro RS4!”

“With the full range of HPI custom bodies for your car, it’s easy to turn your Micro RS4 Drift car into any kind of car you can imagine! Do you fancy swapping for a snarling American muscle car, a different drift car, or even a gravel-eating rally car? All these looks and more are waiting for you! To complete the look, you can also have a look at the huge range of available custom wheels and even drift and grip tires from HPI Racing!”

Features

• Pre-Built, Ready to Run 1/18th scale racing car
• Drives just like a larger RC car!
• 4WD for maximum control and speed
• Belt drivetrain for efficient power transfer to front wheels
• Double-wishbone independent front suspension
• Coil-over inboard cantilever front shocks
• Front universal dogbones
• Front and rear differentials for maximum drivetrain efficiency
• Fully equipped with ball bearings for maximum efficiency
• SCM-2S-WP electronic speed control for total control
• 2.4GHz radio system for long-range reception, no frequency crystals needed
• 180-size motor for fast speeds and quick acceleration
• 6v 1200mAh battery for long driving times and plenty of power
• AC wall charger included for extra convenience
• 4 AA batteries included for the transmitter

HPI Racing Micro RS4 Ford Mustang RTR-X

• Manufacturer: HPI Racing
• Suitable for: 16 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Model number: 112468
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: HPI Racing Micro RS4 Ford Mustang RTR-X

Our comment: The next car in our ready-to-run line-up is based on the awesome 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X drift car.

Utilizing a one-piece molded chassis, allowed HPI to build a replica that performs like the real car. With the drivetrain tunnel molded down the middle, this provides similar handling characteristics.

They’ve also introduced a low-profile layout to ensure that all the components sit as low as possible in the chassis, allowing for a low center of gravity for optimum handling.

The RTR Mustang is quite possibly the best ready-to-run car on our list and would make the perfect entry-level RC drift car straight out of the box.

HPI has once again produced a variety of hop-up upgrades should you wish to upgrade the car to an intermediate level further down the line.

Manufacturer description: “The newest member of the HPI x Vaughn Gittin Jr. collection is here, and it’s the perfect little brother to the 1/10th scale HPI Mustang RTR-X Sprint 2 Sport and Nitro RS4 3 Evo+! This Micro RS4 is a scaled-down, 1/18th version of Vaughn’s iconic 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X, which was designed by Vaughn in partnership with the Need For Speed crew! Vaughn is the only one who can drive the real thing, but if you want an RC replica that can fit in the palm of your hand, this is the only version you’ll be able to find!”

“The Micro Mustang RTR-X is perfect for shredding tires inside and outside, with a high-powered motor driving all four wheels and coil-over shocks providing smooth power and excellent control. This Ready To Run Micro RS4 kit features a highly detailed and scale 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X replica body for an awesome scale look wherever you drive! Just like the 1/10th scale replica, we even include TWO SETS of wheels and tires, one for drifting and one for racing!”

Features

• Pre-Built, Ready to Run 1/18th scale racing car
• Officially licensed replica of Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s 1969 Ford Mustang RTR-X
• Drives just like a larger RC car!
• 4WD for maximum control and speed
• Belt drivetrain for efficient power transfer to front wheels
• Double-wishbone independent front suspension
• Coil-over inboard cantilever front shocks
• Front universal dogbones
• Front and rear differentials for maximum drivetrain efficiency
• Fully equipped with ball bearings for maximum efficiency
• EN-2 electronic speed control for total control
• 2.4GHz radio system for long-range reception, no frequency crystals needed
• 180-size motor for fast speeds and quick acceleration
• 6v 1200mAh battery for long driving times and plenty of power
• AC wall charger included for extra convenience
• 4 AA batteries included for the transmitter

Mostop Mini RC Drift Truck

• Manufacturer: Mostop
• Suitable for: 12 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/16th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Mostop Mini RC Drift Truck

Our comment: If you’re after a reasonably-priced entry-level drift truck, this 1/16th scale offering from Mostop may be just what you’re looking for.

With top speeds of an impressive 20 mph (30km/h), it’s certainly no slouch for its size and could be capable of causing an upset against some of the more expensive competitors.

One of the unique aspects of this buggy is that it comes with two sets of tires, making it ideal for using on-road or off-road, making it one of the most exciting prospects for those who enjoy drifting on varied terrains.

Another unique feature is the angel-eye headlamps, which have three lighting modes, and you can switch them on or off if you wish to conserve your battery life.

The 2.4GHz remote has a range of 150ft, and you can run several of these cars alongside your friends without the risk of interference.

The 1200mAh rechargeable battery enables a 20-25 minute racing time following around 3-4 hours of charging.

Although it won’t compete with the most expensive offerings on the market, this drift buggy has plenty of unique features which make it a perfect prospect for an entry-level RC drift car for a young enthusiast.

Manufacturer description: “Equipped with a double set of tires, 4 rubber racing tires and 4 smooth drift tires, you can experience drifting and racing once you own one of this drift racing car.”

“Designed with 4WD powerful motors, which provide this RC drift car with strong power and driving force to make it run fast, it’s capable of reaching speeds of up to 30+KM/H (20MPH).”

Features

• High-Speed Drifting Car – Remote control drift car can go forward, backward, turn left and right, brake, and other full-scale synchronous control functions. The speed can reach up to 30 km/H, which provides you with a faster high-speed racing experience.
• 2.4G Remote Control – 2.4 GHz high frequency assures a longer controlling distance of at least 150 feet, it can support multiplayer playing the RC cars together at the same time without interference. Automatically pairing and stable signal.
• Stable & Safe Design – Designed with great stability during racing due to the independent suspension and ESP Electronic Stability System. Overcharge and over-current protection are adopted to ensure security for playing and charging.
• Full-Scale Drift Truck – There is a proportional throttle and steering control function in the sensitive remote control system, players have conditions to control the speeds and fine-tune direction by the controller.
• Battery Life – Comes with a 7.4V 1200mAh lithium battery, 3-4 hour charging time to support 20-25 minute playing. Equipped with 2 sets of tires for replacement. 3 levels of adjustable headlamps make it cool and realistic.

RC drift car kits

Here is our selection of RC drift car kits:

HPI RS4 Sport 3 4WD RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: HPI
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: HPI Sport 3 James Deane Nissan S15 |
  HPI Sport 3 Drift VGJR “Fun Haver” Ford Mustang |
  HPI RS4 Sport 3 Dai Yoshihara Subaru BRZ |
  HPI Sport 3 Drift BMW E30 Driftworks *NEW RELEASE 2023*

Our comment: Although the MST RMX 2.5 is the ultimate entry-level kit, the HPI Sport 3 drift offers a great, affordable, entry-level alternative.

Having stood the test of time, the HPI Sport 3 doesn’t feature the latest, cutting-edge technology. Instead, you get a highly-regarded platform with incredible durability that has stood the test of time.

Having released the Driftworks E30 for their 2023 update, some fantastic Formula D alternatives exist, such as Dai Yoshihara’s Subaru BRZ and Vaughn Gittin Jr’s “Fun Haver” Mustang.

Our favorite is the Worthouse S15, which comes with interchangeable vinyl, allowing you to drift as three-time FD Champion James Deane or his teammate, Piotr Wiecek!

For someone not looking to spend huge bucks on their RC drift car immediately, this kit presents a perfect opportunity for beginners looking for some simple fun without breaking the bank.

Manufacturer description: “Under the hood, this 1/10th scale Nissan is built on the popular HPI RS4 Sport 3 chassis. With full-time shaft-driven 4WD, a fully sealed drivetrain, waterproof 2.4 GHz electronics/radio gear, fully independent double wishbone suspension and adjustable oil filled shocks, you’ll be ready to shred in any condition.”

“To complete the package, this kit allows you to replicate both cars on the Worthouse drift team. Alternate stickers are included in every kit to allow you to turn your RS4 Sport 3 into a replica of James’ teammate, Piotr Wiecek!”

Features

• One-Piece Molded Chassis
• Low Profile Layout Design
• Brushless Capable Drivetrain
• Full-Time 4WD
• Sealed Center Driveshaft
• Easy Access Differentials
• 4-Gear Metal Differentials
• Adjustable Double-Wishbone Suspension
• Threaded Oil-Filled Shocks
• Double Bellcrank Steering
• Aluminum Motor Mount

Tamiya TT-02D – Various Models

• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link:
  Tamiya TT-02D – Nismo COPPERMIX Nissan Silvia S15 |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Z-Tune |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Nissan R35 GT-R |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Toyota Supra |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Mazda RX-7 FD |
  Tamiya TT-02D – Honda Civic SiR EG6

Our comment: Tamiya is one of the most reputable brands in the RC drift scene, and their TT-02D Drift Spec chassis is a testament to the continued fantastic quality that they’ve been launching throughout the years.

If you’re not shy when it comes to building your RC drift car, then the entry-level TT-02D kit could well be the perfect answer to your needs.

As the 24mm wide drift-spec tires provide the perfect traction, the CVA shock units combined with the 4-wheel double wishbone suspension offer the ultimate handling for drifting.

With a full ball-bearing setup, an aluminium motor heat sink, and a tuned sports motor as standard, this is the perfect introduction to your RC drift career.

As you’ve probably guessed, there’s a vast range of hop-up upgrade modifications on the market to build the ultimate ride and all the spares you could ever need if you were to crash a little too hard.

It’s no coincidence that so many enthusiasts start with the TT-02D, as it’s the perfect entry-level kit, and Tamiya provides a massive range of body shells.

Although several kits are available, they are all the same parts with different body shells, so it’s entirely your decision as to which shell is best for you.

The only downside with the TT-02D over the ready-to-run kits is that you’ll need to factor in the additional costs of buying the electronics, such as a radio, receiver, ESC, steering servo, battery, and charger.

The shells also arrive as clear plastic, which allows you to fully customize and choose any colors or stickers that you fancy.

Don’t let the additional expenses put you off this fantastic kit, though, as the TT-02D is worth every cent once you’ve got everything up and running!

Manufacturer description: “The TT-02 chassis is Tamiya’s latest entry-level 4WD full independent suspension assembly kit that offers ease of assembly and easy maintenance.”

“The TT-02D is the Drift Spec variant that includes special parts to make it a fun-to-drive drifting machine.”

Features

• Scale: 1/10
• Construction type: assembly kit
• Terrain use: on-road
• Drivetrain: 4WD
• Drive type: shaft
• Drive line: dog bone
• Differential type: gear
• Suspension: fully independent double wishbone
• Steering mechanism: bell-crank
• Shock damper: oil-filled damper
• Shock damper material: plastic
• Chassis material: plastic
• Bearings: shielded ball bearing
• Adjustable camber: fixed
• Adjustable toe angles: front only
• Adjustable ground clearance: yes
• Adjustable gear ratio: yes
• Adjustable wheelbase: yes
• Adjustable track width: yes
• Adjustable shock angle: yes

MST RMX 2.0 RWD RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: MST
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued online

Our comment: For many, the MST RMX 2.0 RTR above will be the ideal choice for those getting started in RC drifting or looking for the most convenient and refined option straight out of the box.

However, this kit provides the perfect opportunity for those looking to create a custom RC drift car build with their own choice of electronics.

Utilizing the latest technology, we feel that the RMX 2.0, which hit the market in November 2021, provides the ultimate value for money against some of its more expensive, outdated rivals.

Whether you’re looking to buy a standalone chassis or take advantage of the discounted shells with the package deals, the RMX 2.0 has repeatedly proven an incredible platform for sliding sideways.

Although the RMX 2.0 can throw down huge, consistent angles right out of the box, it also provides two motor install locations and two servo install locations if you wish to adjust the weight distribution.

Although the kit comes in at a fantastic price, remember that you will also need to budget for the additional electronics. Once you’ve calculated this, we recommend deciding whether this or the RTR kit will better suit your needs.

Manufacturer description: “The ingenious design allows for higher drift speeds and ensures a very simple but efficient steering behavior. The chassis is extremely stiff and nearly unbreakable. The structure of the top deck with its struts ensures very good cooling of the electronic components. Extremely large and variable steering deflections by Ackermann control increase handling.”

“The motor and the steering servo can be installed in 2 different positions to adjust the center of gravity according to your needs. The RMX S is the ideal drifter for beginners and due to its variable design also suitable for professionals.”

Features

• Two motor install options – upper or lower gravity
• Two servo install options – vertical or lateral
• Plastic high-rigidity construction
• Unique front suspension system for great steering
• The adjustable steering system with two-step Ackermann changes
• 6 degrees KPI steering upright, and -0.5 trailing axle design
• The inside rod fulcrum mount at the front upper arm features 10-step height adjustment and both side positions
• Fully-sealed dustproof bevel gear box system
• Standard ball differential
• 5 changeable second-deceleration-ratio gear sets of 1.89-3.82 (standard 3.08)
• The fulcrum at the rear suspension upper rod is 5-step adjustable on both sides. The outer fulcrum is 4-step adjustable on both sides
• Steel CVD axle of the rear transmission system
• Suitable for long and short battery
• Full great smooth metal ball connectors
• Standard realistic caliper and disc shape brake set

RC drift car chassis

Here is our selection of RC drift car chassis:

Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Chassis Kit

• Manufacturer: Usukani
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/8th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Kit (Tukcica Body) |
  Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Kit (Bajcica Body)

Our comment: If you’re looking for a unique RC drift car to stand out at events, or to make the perfect gift for a loved one, look no further than the epic Usuakni D3T drift trike!

Your rival competitors will be in awe as you throw down some epic lines with these well-refined three-wheelers!

Although they won’t be up to the standard of the premium offerings that companies such as Yokomo have to offer, you’ll undoubtedly walk away from every event with the crowd-pleaser award!

Manufacturer description: “The Usukani D3T 1/8 RC Drift Tricycle Chassis Kit is a special version of the TUKCICA kit with an updated BAJCICA body set included. High-quality components and attention to design make this 1/8th scale trike an exciting and responsive product.”

“The unique three-wheeled drifting platform includes two bodies for optional appearances and slick drifting style. Decide between either the original TUKCICA body shown in the video below or the alternate BAJCICA body with the covered and enclosed tricycle bed. Pick colors, paint the bodies and get drifting in style!”

Features

• Three wheels (RWD)
• Three-gear transmission seal gear case
• Rear wheel independent suspension
• Front fork two-spring shock
• Rear wheel Damping Shock Absorber
• Adjustable Front Fork angle System
• Dual spring steering buffer tie rod+
• Rims
• Ultrathin drift tries (PP/HDPE)
• Full ball bearing
• High tenacity and impact resistance Nylon
• Metal motor mount
• Metal pinion gear (Gear ratio: approx 10.77)
• Metal Spur Gear Adapter
• Stainless steel Universal Bone
• Transparent PC bodyshell

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts as default, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• Transmitter
• Receiver
• Low height servo
• Gyro
• ESC
• Type 540 motor
• 7.4V 2S short lipo battery

Tamiya TB-03 VDS Drift Spec Chassis

• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: 4WD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Tamiya TB-03 VDS Drift Spec Chassis

Our comment: If you’re not entirely new to RC drifting, and you don’t mind splashing a little extra cash for the ultimate off-the-shelf package, then Tamiya’s TB-03 VDS drift spec chassis is the perfect choice for you!

With the knowledge gained from their TA-05 VDF, Tamiya developed this top-spec chassis, which is perfectly tweaked for the ultimate drifting performance.

With a 2.5mm thick carbon lower deck, aluminum gearbox braces for the front and rear gearboxes, and an aluminum center brace to provide rigidity, the TB-03 was undoubtedly built with performance and durability in mind.

As far as quality and performance go, you’re going to struggle to find a better off-the-shelf kit than the TB-03, even if it is a little expensive and still requires a body shell, motor, and electronics to be purchased separately.

If you’re just getting started with drifting and this is a temptation, then we’d also recommend taking a look at Tamiya’s TT-02D kit above.

Manufacturer description: “Based on the shaft-driven TB-03 chassis, this drift-spec chassis incorporates a 2.5mm thick carbon lower deck, aluminum gearbox braces to hold front/rear gearboxes, and a distinctive aluminum center brace to provide rigidity toward chassis pitch.”

“The well-balanced layout has the two-piece propeller shaft along the center of the chassis with the battery pack and R/C unit positioned at chassis sides. The chassis also comes equipped with high-spec parts such as knuckle extensions, parallel steering link, and rear direct coupling to offer an exciting drift experience.”

Features

• Equipped with the TB-03’s front and rear gearboxes
• 2.5mm thick carbon fiber lower deck
• Aluminum center F/R gearbox braces which offer superior chassis strength
• The chassis layout is optimized for drifting and features a 2-piece propeller shaft along the center line of the chassis with the battery pack, motor, and R/C radio gear positioned on either side of the car
• 4-wheel double wishbone suspension is equipped with short reversible suspension arms as seen on the TB-03, TA-05 Version 2, and TRF 416,417
• TRF (Tamiya Racing Factory) Aluminum threaded shock body and Teflon piston dampers included
• A parallel geometry steering system with both left and right symmetrical steering angles offers excellent control and easier counter-steering maneuvers
• Front ball diff and rear direct coupling (spool)
• 2-piece universal propeller shaft
• Aluminum turnbuckle shafts
• Front and Rear universal shafts
• Aluminum hex wheel hubs
• Hi-torque servo saver included
• Steel diff joints for improved wear and durability

Hobbypower Alloy & Carbon RWD Drift Racing Chassis

• Manufacturer: Hobbypower
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Hobbypower Alloy & Carbon RWD Drift Racing Chassis

Our comment: If you’re keen to buy a chassis setup, but haven’t got the money to splash out on the upper-price-bracket Tamiya TB-03 above, then fear not, as Hobbypower has the ultimate alternative for those of you looking for a fantastic chassis on a budget.

This chassis is made with premium alloy and carbon and represents incredible value for money.

Unlike the other kits in our guide, this is a rear-wheel-drive setup with the weight centered at the back, and an ultra-wide-angle steering system for maximum steering lock capabilities.

You’ll struggle to get more for your money than this RWD belt-driven car, but you will still need to consider the costs of electronics and the body shell(s).

For beginners on a budget that are keen to learn exactly how to build an RC car from the ground up, you aren’t going to get better value for money than this chassis.

Manufacturer description: “This is a Rear-wheel drive (RWD)1:10 drift kit which is very suitable for drifting beginners.”

“The kit weight centered at the back and it already comes with the ultra wide angle steering system making the beginner easier to handle and enjoy the drifting experience.”

Features

• Main Chassis, Upper Deck, Front, and Rear Shock Towers
• 2-Belt Drive System
• KIT-D4AWD Internal Gear Ratio is 1.47
• Ultra Wide Angle Universal Driveshafts (65 degrees)
• Height. Adjustable. Dampers & Full Bearing
• Wide Double-Wishbone Suspension Design
• 15 Degrees Front Caster Angle
• Adjustable Y Shaped Front Upper Suspension Arms
• Weight: 800g

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 1/10 Drift Body & Paint
• Motor & ESC
• 2 Channel Radio System (minimum)
• Steering Servo
• Shorty LiPo Battery & Charger

MST FMX 2.0 “LCG” RWD RC Electric Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: MST
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: MST FMX 2.0 “LCG” RWD Electric Drift Car Kit

Our comment: For intermediate/advanced drifters with a bigger budget, this could be the perfect opportunity to land yourself an epic carbon fiber chassis.

An LCG (low center of gravity) aluminum motor mount is positioned 5mm lower than the previous generation, which provides increased stability and control.

The upper deck is made from carbon fiber, which looks incredible and makes it strong and lightweight.

This is an excellent choice for beginners to experienced RC enthusiasts looking for a reasonably-priced carbon fiber drift chassis with a lower-midrange price tag.

Manufacturer description: “The MST FMX 2.0 “LCG” 1/10 RWD Electric Drift Car Kit is a mid-motor, rear-wheel drive kit designed with the enthusiast in mind. Featuring high-quality carbon fiber and molded composite parts, super smooth shocks, and a plethora of tuning settings available right out of the box, this kit delivers great steering angles in a mid-motor platform that is great for both beginners and experienced enthusiasts alike.”

“This redesigned LCG aluminum motor mount lowers the center of gravity of the motor by up to 5mm than the last generation, which further increases the stability and control. The freshly designed carbon upper deck is separated from the motor mount, increasing the torsion of the car body, reducing the height of the upper deck, and more dynamic and streamlined visual looks.”

Features

• Middle motor mounts and centralized configurations
• Carbon fiber chassis with dual vertical carbon fiber upper deck
• A redesigned great front suspension system
• Adjustable Ackerman angle variation in 2 sections of the steering system
• Front steering wheel base KPI at 6 degrees. – 0.5 towing distance of axle
• Redesigned front upper arm inside seat supports 10-steps bi-side adjustments
• Full dust-proof rear gearbox with the bevel gear shaft drive
• Standard ball differential
• A variable second reduction ratio of the rear axle in a total of 6 variable range of 1.78-3.82 (standard 3.82)
• Updated carbon upper deck
• Standard equipped with a realistic car brake and caliper set

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 1/10 Drift Body & Paint
• Motor & ESC
• 2 Channel Radio System (minimum)
• Steering Servo
• Shorty LiPo Battery & Charger
• Wheels & Tires

MST FXX 2.0 S RWD Electric RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: MST
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link:
  MST FXX 2.0 S 1/10 RWD Drift Kit w/Clear BMW E92 Body |
  MST FXX 2.0 S 1/10 RWD Drift Kit w/Clear Vertex Toyota Soarer JZ3 Body |
  MST FXX 2.0 S 1/10 RWD Drift Kit w/Clear Lamborghini Gallardo LP56 |
  MST FXX 2.0 S 1/10 RWD Electric Drift Kit (No Body)

Our comment: Although the FXX 2.0 comes in at a higher price than the RMX 2.0, it’s likely to make for a more suitable setup for intermediate/advanced drifters looking to take their skills to the next level.

It may not have fancy carbon fiber parts, which admittedly leaves it more prone to damage, but if you’re drifting in an open space with few solid obstacles, that shouldn’t be too much of a concern.

This kit is also available without a bodyshell, but for an additional twenty bucks, we think it’s well worth going with one of the body shell kits, even if you only intend to use it as a spare, or perhaps for show.

Manufacturer description: “The MST FXX 2.0 S 1/10 RWD Electric Drift Car Kit combines the centralized chassis configuration of the FXX 2.0 KMW, with a redesigned motor forward transmission configuration and front suspension system to create an amazingly progressive driving experience.”

“This rear-wheel drive-specific design is complimented by the unique MB rear suspension system that provides increased rear geometry adjustments, allowing the suspension to better handle steep drift angles with an optimized secondary reduction ratio for improved throttle control. All of these features combined create a high-performance chassis that provides handling characteristics more like that of a 1:1 drift car.”

Features

• The front motor configuration creates a feel similar to a real drift car, for a more realistic driving experience
• CNC machined chassis with the readjusted center of gravity provides better weight distribution
• Updated motor mount, suspension, and ATK system
• The integrated steering system with redesigned aluminum alloy steering connection plate updates the geometry settings to create steep front wheel steering angles, allowing for greater drift angles
• Equipped with MB rear suspension system for increased adjustments and tuning possibilities
• Steel CVD axle for the rear transmission system
• Standard realistic caliper and disc brake set
• Full ball bearings
• Hydraulic Dampers

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 1/10 Drift Body & Paint
• Motor & ESC
• 2 Channel Radio System (minimum)
• Steering Servo
• Shorty LiPo Battery & Charger
• Wheels & Tires

Yokomo YD-2E RWD RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: Yokomo
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Yokomo YD-2E RWD Drift Car Kit (Plastic Chassis) |
  Yokomo YD-2E PLUS RWD Drift Car Kit (Graphite Chassis)

Our comment: Yokomo is arguably the highest-regarded company in the RC drift car market, but not all their products are eye-wateringly expensive!

The entry-level YD-2E chassis comes with a fantastic price tag with the plastic chassis version for those looking to get started.

However, if you’re feeling fancy, then there’s also the graphite ‘PLUS’ model alternative to choose from, which comes from the high-end ‘E’ series model.

Manufacturer description: “The Yokomo YD-2E 2WD RWD Drift Car Kit is helping to drive the RWD trend in the drift world. Featuring updated “short type” Front Suspension Arms to optimize the Ackermann setting and prevent interference with the wheels, these arms offer increased steering angle and improved overall performance. The chassis tub allows the use of standard and shorty type LiPo batteries, as well as 6-cell nickel packs.”

“The kit includes LS Rear Lower Suspension Arms as standard for more down stroke and increased grip in order to achieve both stability and speed at the same time. A 4-gear transmission positions the motor horizontally and helps to prevent torque twists. Plus, the design helps to encourage power traction, providing increased stability and acceleration during corner exit.”

Features

• 4 Gear rear transmission
• Closed gearbox
• Four-wheel independent double wishbone suspension
• Front short suspension arm
• High-performance vehicle height adjustable oil damper
• Resin-made one-piece main chassis
• Aluminum motor mounting plate
• RWD exclusive high-angle steering system
• 49mm bone rear universal shaft
• LS Rear lower suspension arm
• Large Rear Diffuser

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 1/10 Drift Body & Paint
• 2-Channel radio system
• Electronic Speed Control
• 540 Motor
• Steering Servo
• 7.4V LiPo battery pack
• Compatible battery charger
• Drift car tires & Wheels
• Steering Gyro

Yokomo YD-2R Plus RWD RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: Yokomo
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Yokomo YD-2R Plus 1/10 RWD Drift Car Kit

Our comment: The YD-2R Plus is the mid-range offering from Yokomo, which features a matte graphite double-deck chassis and a six-stage adjustable rear-mounted motor for superior weight balance.

With this layout, you’ll have additional grip in the rear, thanks to the weight being placed on the back. Combined with the aluminium shocks and towers, you’ll achieve maximum traction, which is perfect if you often drift in low-grip areas.

If you’re looking for a competitive car without having to go into the premium price bracket, the YD-2R plus is likely to offer the perfect solution.

Manufacturer description: “The Yokomo YD-2R Plus 1/10 2WD RWD Drift Car Kit was created to deliver the rear traction control needed on low-grip tracks found in drifting circles. Yokomo achieves superior rear traction with an updated rear-motor design, a layout that can maximize traction without changing the total weight of the kit.”

“In this layout, the motor is mounted on the rear overhang to distribute the load directly to rear tires, exactly where you want it on low-grip drifting tracks. Acceleration will apply the maximum load to the contact surface of the rear tires, giving them the bite they need to pull out of turns and maneuver with agility. This is a high-spec machine equipped with the popular graphite double-deck chassis, aluminum SLF oil shock, aluminum front, and rear shock towers, and much more.”

Features

• Rear motor and rear two-wheel drive
• Redesigned Integrated upper deck
• Matte graphite double-deck Chassis
• 6-stage adjustable aluminum motor mount
• 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension
• 3 gears Rear Transmission
• Updated Sealed gearbox
• Aluminum front /rear shock tower
• Narrow scrub steering block
• Straight /short Li-po Battery compatible

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 1/10 Drift Body & Paint
• 2-Channel radio system
• Electronic Speed Control
• 540 Motor
• Steering Servo
• Battery (Li-po 2-cell, shorty type)
• Compatible battery charger
• Drift car tires & Wheels

Yokomo YD-2ZX 1/10 RWD Competition RC Drift Car Kit

• Manufacturer: Yokomo
• Suitable for: 14 years and up
• Configuration: RWD
• Scale ratio: 1/10th
• Value for money product rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued online

Our comment: If you’re planning to go down the competitive route, and you’ll settle for nothing less than the best, the YD-2ZX is the ultimate premium pick.

Available in black, red, or purple, the YD-2ZX has been specifically designed with competition in mind and offers the ultimate platform to secure a spot on the podium without needing to upgrade various components.

Yokomo is the master of RC car design, and we’re confident that this flagship graphite offering will not disappoint.

Manufacturer description: “The Yokomo YD-2ZX 1/10 2WD RWD Competition Drift Car Kit has been designed to become the top model RWD drift car. Built for performance this drift chassis gives the user many features to provide a smooth and stylish experience. With the Yokomo YD-2ZX, you can drift like there’s no tomorrow.”

“This drift car features a high traction graphite chassis and double deck design. Yokomo changed the way the steering servo attaches to the chassis side, making the upper deck more flexible. This allows for a smoother steering feel without hindering the flex of the chassis. The transmission is equipped with a unique motor mount allowing for a higher motor mount and better heat dissipation. The battery can be fully moved within the chassis without hindering kinetic performance. The front bulkhead, suspension mount, shock tower, and big bore shock are made from machined aluminum for high rigidity and lower weight. These features come together to deliver a highly competitive chassis.”

Features

• Redesigned graphite main chassis & upper deck
• Vibrant Purple Anodized aluminum parts
• Graphite front bumper
• Slide rack steering system
• Aluminum special motor mount
• Aluminum shock towers
• Aluminum suspension mounts
• Aluminum lower suspension arm adapter
• Aluminum integrated front bulkhead
• Aluminum SLF Big Bore Shock
• Aluminum Gear Diff Joint
• Aluminum Hexagon Hub
• Graphite front bumper/brace
• Aluminum 3mm steering stopper
• Front/rear short suspension arms

Needed to complete

It’s worth remembering that this kit doesn’t come with the following parts, which will need to be purchased separately, but this allows you to choose the best products for your needs:

• 2-Channel radio system
• Electronic Speed Control
• 540 Motor
• Standard-size steering servo
• 7.4V LiPo “Shorty” or Stick LiPo battery pack
• LiPo-compatible battery charger
• Drift car tires & Wheels
• 200mm TC or Drift body
• Polycarbonate paint for the body

Thank you for reading our RC drift cars guide

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Check out our selection of the best-rated micro RC cars and RC monster trucks on the market!

RC drift cars FAQ

What’s the best RC drift car kit?

Our RC drift car kit choice is the MST RMX 2.0, providing fantastic value for money with a freshly-improved chassis, which has proven to be a hit among RC drifters.

What are the best RC drift cars?

There are three types of RC drift cars, so here are our recommendations depending on what you’re looking for: Our RTR (ready-to-run) choice is the HSP FlyingFish, and our RC drift car kit preference is the MST RMX 2.0 RWD. For those looking to build their RC drift cars from scratch, the Hobbypower RWD drift chassis offers fantastic value for money.

What’s the best 1/10 RC drift car?

Our favorite 1/10 RC drift car kit is the MST RMX 2.0, and the HSP FlyingFish is our top pick for those looking for a ready-to-run RC drift car. These picks offer exceptional value for money for those looking to get started with RC drifting.

Information and photography credits

We thank the following entities for the use of their information and photography in this article:

• Amazon
• AMain Hobbies
• eBay

The post Best RC Drift Cars Guide For 2024 first appeared on Drifted.com.

• Driftmotion Turbo Kit
• CXRacing Turbo Kit
• Turbonetics Turbo Kit
• Powerhouse Racing Turbo Kit
• SupraStore Pro Street Turbo Kit
• XSPower Turbo Kit
• Turbo Specialties Turbo Kit
• FASTWAYRACER Turbo Kit
• Jump to winners

In a hurry? Here is our 2JZGE Turbo Kit summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice
XSPower Turbo Kit	CXRacing Turbo Kits	Powerhouse Racing (PHR) Turbo Kit
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

Introduction to the 2JZGE

Whether you’ve purchased a Toyota or a Lexus with the underrated 2JZ-GE engine under the hood, you’re probably already aware of what the 2JZ can achieve.

Some Toyotas that came with this powerful inline six include:

• Altezza AS300/Lexus IS300
• Aristo/Lexus GS300
• Crown/Toyota Crown Majesta
• Mark II/Toyota Chaser/Toyota Cresta
• Origin
• Progres

Sure, your 2JZ-GE isn’t going to feel like the much-loved 2JZ-GTE in stock form, but with an NA-T turbo upgrade, you’ll be amazed at how quickly and effortlessly you’ll be able to achieve some impressive power figures at a fraction of the cost.

The 2JZ-GE often gets overlooked for its more impressive sibling, but with the ever-rising prices of the 2JZ-GTE, it makes more sense than ever for the GE engine to get the turbocharged lovin’ that it deserves.

Thankfully, the 2JZ-GE is incredibly similar to the GTE, integrating the same rods and crankshaft, with the only discernable difference between the two powerplants falling to the choice of pistons.

So, despite being naturally aspirated, Toyota designed both 2JZ engines with forced induction in mind, and they’re both up there with the most robust stock blocks that money can buy.

Although the pistons are different, they’re still more than capable of handling respectable power figures, and it’s not until you go chasing huge numbers that you’ll maybe need to consider opting for forged pistons.

We’ve seen setups of up to 1,000 WHP achieved from the stock 2JZ-GTE bottom-end, and we’ve also witnessed a GE run a 9 ¼ sec quarter-mile from a motor with 220k miles on the clock!

Turbo Kits for the 2JZ-GE

Although there’s no shortage of turbo kits for the 2JZ-GE engine, it can get a little confusing when you’re looking at the options on the market, so we’ve compiled this guide to clarify which kit(s) will best suit your needs.

There’s an influx of cheap ‘Chinese’ knock-off kits on the market, and although these may work fine for some owners, we’re more interested in the companies committed to putting their names to their setup.

We’ll cover the full range of products that we feel are worth considering, covering all price points from budget to premium, to help you find the perfect NA-T turbo kit to help you make the most out of your currently underachieving 2JZ-GE engine.

2JZGE vs 2JZ-GTE Differences

Since you’re already reading this article, you’ll undoubtedly know about the legendary 2JZ-GTE, most notably found in the MKIV Toyota Supra of the 1990s.

This factory-turbocharged equivalent of the naturally-aspirated 2JZ-GE engine has earned legendary status mainly due to its vast tuning potential. It has arguably become the most desirable holy grail engine in the worldwide drifting and drag racing scenes.

One of the main differences between the two engines lies in compression. GE’s have a 10.0:1 compression ratio, compared to the 8.5:1 of the GTE, due to a thicker head gasket (.2mm for GE, 1.6mm for GTE) and lower-compression pistons in the GTE.

The GE manifold is designed to provide the most torque possible to compensate for the lack of forced induction, which assists in the lower bracket of the RPM band.

Both heads are slightly different, with the GTE having larger intake ports and the GE having larger exhaust ports, which has led some enthusiasts to be convinced that the GE head can flow better than the GTE head.

Additionally, other significant variations between the two engines include the injectors and airflow sensors, the ignition system, port spacing, and studs on the manifolds.

How Much Power Can The 2JZGE Handle?

Let’s get to the meaty stuff – how much power can these 2Js handle?

Since the 2JZ-GE runs at 10:1 compression, we don’t recommend going above 7-8 PSI of boost before you begin adjusting things like ignition timing. Let’s face it; you don’t want your Japanese masterpiece to boom because you got a little excited.

Instead, we always recommend an upgraded FMIC to get the most out of your setup immediately, especially if you intend to run more than 5-6 PSI.

Once you consider going over around 350-400 WHP, you’ll want to consider upgrading your fuelling systems, such as the pump and injectors.

The stock compression of the 2JZ-GE will also likely limit you to around 400-450 WHP reliably before you need to consider upgrades such as a thicker head gasket.

But, if you have big-power goals, there will unsurprisingly be much more to consider.

Although several owners have had 800 WHP from the stock rods and pistons for several years, we’d consider upgrading them as a precaution. Let’s be real, who wants to blow up their expensive engine?

2JZ-GE Turbo Kits

Although many owners opt to DIY their NA-T upgrade, there’s no question that the off-the-shelf kits on the market are far better suited for those less talented in the fabrication department!

With the wide range of options available, there’s a 2JZ-GE kit out there to fit every enthusiast’s requirements, and we’ll help you decide which one is best for you in this guide.

So, follow along as we take you on a guide through the best turbo kits available for this platform.

Driftmotion Turbo Kits

• Manufacturer: Driftmotion
• Fitment: Supra MK4 & SC300 (Custom mid-pipe required for other vehicles)
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Driftmotion Turbo Kit

Our comment: Another popular offering to the market is Driftmotion with this good quality offering, which features Garrett internals.

We’ve found mixed opinions on this kit, with some owners stating that modifications were needed to ensure a perfect fit, which means it will not necessarily be a ‘bolt-on and go’ affair.

There are reports of a weak wastegate included in the kit, so it may be worth considering sourcing an alternative.

Despite many positive reports, when issues have arisen, some owners have found Driftmotion hard to contact for a resolution.

Overall, this provides plenty of reasonable, solid choices, and most feedback for Driftmotion has been positive.

They have various turbo options available, all the way up to 750whp. That’s plenty of power for even the most diehard gearheads out there!

It’s worth noting that these kits don’t include the FMIC or piping, so that will need to be considered.

Manufacturer description: “We’re confident that this is the best kit on the market for the money. A 4″ K&N filter is now included with the kit“!

“The downpipe included is a direct fit for a MK4 Supra or SC300 midpipe, for other vehicles a custom mid-pipe will be required to go from the downpipe to the catback. The kit will not fit a right hand drive vehicle without modification to the wastegate piping“.

Turbo Kit Features:

• Turbo with ceramic-coated exhaust housing and polished compressor housing
• All Garrett internals
• Blue anodized billet backplate
• Manifold
• Wastegate
• 4″ intake pipe
• Dump tube
• Fasteners
• Oil lines and fittings
• Gaskets
• Adaptor flanges for turbo and block oil lines

CXRacing Turbo Kits

• Manufacturer: CXRacing
• Fitment: GS300, IS300, SC300, Supra MK3, Supra MK4
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link:
  CXRacing 98-05 Lexus GS300 GT35 turbo kit |
  98-05 Lexus IS300 turbo kit by CXRacing
  CXRacing 98-05 Lexus IS300 (No FMIC) turbo kit |
  CXRacing T70 91-00 Lexus SC300 turbo kit |
  GT35 91-00 Lexus SC300 turbo kit by CXRacing
  CXRacing 91-96 GS300, 97-00 Lexus GS300, 91-00 SC300 & 86-93 Supra MK3 Top Mount (No FMIC) T70 T4 turbo Kit |
  CXRacing 93-02 Supra MK4 GT35 turbo kit |
  93-02 Supra MK4 GT35 (No FMIC) turbo kit by CXRacing

Our comment: Frequently regarded as the best off-the-shelf bolt-on solution, CXRacing’s wide variety of off-the-shelf 2JZ-GE turbo kit options provides excellent quality at a fantastic price.

This kit features an impressively crafted manifold featuring good-quality welding alongside a highly-regarded intercooler and piping.

In addition, there are various turbo and fitment options to decide on the perfect setup for your needs.

Many owners have successfully run these kits long-term on high-mileage 2JZ-GE NA-T engines with nothing but praise.

Despite many negative remarks online regarding CXRacing’s products, they had a substantial overhaul in recent years and earned themselves an excellent reputation.

You will struggle to find a better all-rounder than the CXRacing kit for the quality, fitment, and price.

Manufacturer description: “This is CXRacing’s Newest Product for various applications“.

“All Parts Are Developed from Ground Up in Our R&D Center in USA, Designed and Built for Improved Performance Gains, with Excellent Fitment and Easy Installation“.

CXRacing Turbo Kit Features (Various options):

• Turbo (Various options)
• Intercooler (with Mounting Bracket)
• 44mm 8PSI Wastegate
• Air filter
• BOV
• V-Band Clamp
• Turbo Oil Line Kit
• Intercooler Piping Kit with Hoses & Clamps
• Manifold
• Downpipe
• MAF Adapter

Turbonetics Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Turbonetics
• Fitment: 01-05 Lexus IS300
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Turbonetics Turbo Kit

Our comment: This turbo kit from Turbonetics is one of the OGs, and one of the earliest to cater to the 2JZ-GE market.

As with the other kits we discussed, although some owners have had success with it, there seem to be many reports of issues. For the price, we can’t justify the added value over the cheaper kits above.

We have also heard reports of the recently discontinued kit, so if you feel it is the right choice for your needs, we strongly advise checking this first.

Getting spare parts for a discontinued kit can become frustrating further down the line.

Although many owners have been happy with the Turbonetics kit, we think there are much better opportunities for the price on our list.

Manufacturer description: “Turbonetics Turbo Systems are for you, whether you have a four-cylinder sport compact or a V-8 muscle car, Turbonetics Turbo Systems include everything you need from fuel and ignition to piping and fittings for complete bolt-on turbo performance“.

“Turbonetics offers complete turbo systems – from air entry to exhausting to the catalyst. The Turbonetics Turbo System is a true O.E. bolt-on that does not require “hacking” in order to install“.

Turbonetics Turbo Kit Features:

• Ceramic Ball Bearing Turbocharger (T3/T4 Hybrid or Custom T04E)
• Spearco Intercooler System
• Powder-Coated Intercooler Piping
• Silicone Hose / T-Bolt Clamps
• Exhaust Manifold – high carbon cast-steel with ceramic coating
• Fuel / Timing Controller (electronic fuel/timing management system)
• Fuel Injectors
• “Evolution” Wastegate Assembly
• “Raptor” By-Pass / Blow Off Valve Assembly
• Mandrel-bent ceramic coated Downpipe with closed-loop wastegate discharge *Mandrel-bent ceramic coated Downpipe with closed-loop wastegate discharge
• Intake System with Air Filter
• All necessary Hardware, Hoses, and Fittings
• Free Case of Turbonetics TS-1 Synthetic Motor Oil

Powerhouse Racing Turbo Kits

• Manufacturer: Powerhouse Racing (PHR)
• Fitment: 93-98 Supra
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Powerhouse Racing S23 Turbo Kit |
  Powerhouse Racing S45 Turbo Kit

Our comment: PHR is up there with the best for aftermarket turbo kits.

Yes, they indeed come at a price. But, for those who don’t mind spending a little extra money on premium products built to last, you will certainly not be disappointed.

Not only is the quality fantastic, but owners have noted how delighted they are with the power results and responsiveness of the setup.

If you’re looking for the ultimate 2JZ-GE turbo setup for your Supra, look no further than these incredible options from PHR.

Manufacturer description: “PHR is proud to offer these NA-T kits for the 93-98 Toyota Supra NA“.

“The S23 turbo kit features the Powerhouse Racing S23 Turbo manifold which features full stainless schedule 10 1.25″ runners and collector. Built all by hand by our master fabricators“.

Powerhouse Racing Turbo Kit Features:

• Your choice of Turbo
• S23 Manifold
• Full stainless downpipe/midpipe
• Tial 60mm wastegate
• Drop-Down Intercooler Pipe
• Air Intake
• Oil Feed
• Oil Return
• PHR Waterneck Rotator
• Dumptube
• All hardware and gaskets

SupraStore Pro Street Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: SupraStore
• Fitment: Toyota Supra
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: SupraStore Pro Street Turbo Kit

Our comment: SupraStore has come through with another Supra-only 2JZ-GE kit (apologies, non-Supra owners!)

We’ve noticed many mixed opinions on these kits, with most owners speculating that they’re XSPower parts.

If this is the case, given that SupraStore doesn’t have the best of reputations when it comes to delivering the goods or customer service, we would be looking into either buying directly from XSPower or looking at CXRacing for a similar budget.

There are reports of owners who are pleased with the kit, but we recommend further research if you’re considering purchasing.

Manufacturer description: “Our ProSeries, the SupraStore.com 2JZGE (NA-T) Turbo Kit is fitted with only the best parts, period. ProSeries turbo kits are available in Stages (1-4) and also are available with various ProSeries manifold configurations: Divided Manifold, Un-Divided Manifold, Twin Scroll Manifold (dual-gate), Quick Spool Valve Manifold & T6 Manifold“.

“We looked at anything and everything from old school Japanese kits (outdated, horrible spooling turbos, expensive!!) to some competitors (no name brands and still expensive!) and were not satisfied, so we built our own 500HP 2JZ turbo kit with our specifications, Precision or Borg Warner Turbos, TiAL or Precision Wastegates, ProSeries Turbo Manifold, and the Titan Motorsports Oil Feed/Drain Set-Up Kit“.

SupraStore Pro Street Turbo Kit Features:

• ProSeriesTubular 2JZGE T4 304SS Stainless Turbo Manifold
• Wastegate Flange Pre-Welded to Manifold
• Precision 58MM journal-bearing turbocharger
• TiAL or Precision 38/39mm Waste Gate
• Titan Oil Feed & Return Set-Up Kit
• Direct Fit K&N Conical Air Filter
• TiAL or HKS Style BOV

XSPower Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: XSPower
• Fitment: 01-05 Lexus IS300, 92-00 SC300 & 93-98 Toyota Supra
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: XSPower Turbo Kit

Our comment: XSPower’s kit is highly regarded within the budget 2JZ scene and has seen increasing popularity over the years, with owners racking up thousands of miles with very few issues.

Although this may initially seem far cheaper than the CXRacing kit, the price doesn’t include the FMIC piping.

Regardless, this is another fantastic, newly revamped kit to compete with CXRacing.

The XSPower kit could make a great option, especially if you are on a smaller budget.

Manufacturer description: “Your stock GE motor makes 180WHP on a good day. The stock GTE motor puts down about 285WHP if the stock twins are in great shape“.

“Install this XS-POWER 2JZ GE / GTE turbo kit and boost to 9PSI on stock internals, head gasket, and injectors. You’ll be putting down 330WHP. No need to open the motor or mess with the injectors or tranny at 9PSI, just run 93 Octane and a fuel tuning system“.

XSPower Turbo Kit Features:

• TOP Mount T4 Single 2JZGE stainless 321 turbo manifold set ( intake, tube, downpipe , manifold)
• Universal oil line kit (with oil feed, oil drain)
• 4 bolt 50mm wastegate (10 psi)
• T4 STAGE III UPGRADED TURBO .96 turbo charger (good for 450hp)
• 3″ V-band clamp

Turbo Specialties Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Turbo Specialties
• Fitment: 01-05 Lexus IS300
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Turbo Specialties Turbo Kit

Our comment: Turbo Specialties enter our list with one of the most expensive options on our list.

Turbo Specialties launched one of the first aftermarket 2JZ-GE kits to market as the main competitor of the SRT (Swift Racing) turbo kit. However, SRT has since gone out of business.

Although the kit includes a well-reputed Garrett turbo, we’re not convinced that the T28R is the most efficient for getting the most out of your 2JZ-GE, and we feel there are more suitable options in our selection.

Combine this with the fact that most owners have mentioned the kit needing some adjustments to fit correctly; we can’t justify the cost compared to some of the substantially cheaper alternatives on the market.

Manufacturer description: “If you are looking for the ultimate in high performance – the extreme performance packages are for you. Providing the maximum horsepower for the very discriminating and still providing dependability for daily driving“.

“Incorporating all the high performance equipment in the superior performance packages, these extreme packages all include an intercooler, pop off valve, extra injectors, and injection control unit, (The Brain)“.

“This offers complete control for your system, increased fuel delivery, and cooler temperature gas air mixture for better burning. The addition of this system can add as much as an additional 20 percent increase in horsepower above and beyond the superior turbo packages“.

Turbo Kit Features:

• Ex.Manifold, Ex.Outlet, Down Pipe, Hardwares, Actuator Bracket
• Air Intake System, Intercooler, Charge Pipe
• Oil Return Hose, Oil Pressure Sus Stainless Braided Hose
• Cold Water Stainless Braided Hose
• Icu601 Box, Ip201, Fpr140
• Bp9901 Blow Off Valve
• T28R Turbo – Ball Bearing
• All hardware, pressure lines, hoses, clamps, and couplers included

FASTWAYRACER Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: FASTWAYRACER
• Fitment: 93-98 Toyota Supra MKIV, 92-00 SC300, 93-06 GS300, 01-05 IS300
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: FASTWAYRACER Turbo Kit

Our comment: It’s certainly not every day that you stumble upon a turbo kit for this price brand new, but FASTWAYRACER has pulled it out of the bag with one of the cheapest options on our list.

Unfortunately, there is very little to go on regarding feedback on this system, so we highly recommend checking that it suits your needs before proceeding.

The universal piping on the intercooler is one of the first things to get our alarm bells ringing. You’ll immediately need to consider some significant adjustments to get that fitting correctly.

FASTWAYRACER has a reputation for providing poor-fitting parts; unfortunately, as far as we can see, this kit is no exception.

With that said, you certainly get a lot of kit for your money, but we wouldn’t expect it to be premium quality.

Manufacturer description: “This is a perfect turbo kit for upgrading your car and get more boost. Your car will gain 130-180HP if you set at 7-15PSI. Customers require to upgrade the fuel pump, injector and ECU to tune the car if you set at higher PSI“.

“This kit can max up to 550HP. We offer 90 days warranty for this turbo kit if it is installed by ase certified mechanic!

Turbo Kit Features:

• GT35 T4 .68AR turbo charger
• Stainless steel turbo manifold
• 3.0” V-band clamp
• Universal 3.0” polished aluminum piping kit
• Universal 30.5”x12”x3.0” front mount intercooler
• SSQV turbo blow-off valve
• 40mm 4 bolt wastegate
• 10AN oil drain/return line kit
• Oil feed line
• Fuel pressure regulator
• Turbo boost controller
• Oil catch tank
• Pen style turbo timer
• 2” boost gauge + 2” air/fuel gauge + oil pressure gauge + rpm gauge

Our winners for the best 2JZGE Turbo Kit

Now that you know what 2JZ-GE turbo kits are on offer let us pick out our winners:

Our Drifted Choice goes to CXRacing

With a massive selection of turbo kits available for 2JZ-GE owners, CXRacing takes the Drifted choice award in this guide.

Our 2JZ-GE Turbo Kit winners are the CXRacing Turbo Kits

Although some owners will tell you that CXRacing products aren’t of outstanding quality, the company has had a massive revamp in recent years. We’ve witnessed hundreds of delighted CXRacing turbo kit owners from across the tuning scene.

They won’t compete with the much higher-budget Premium winner, but they certainly provide excellent quality, fitment, and reliability for the price.

CXRacing Turbo Kit

Our Best Premium 2JZGE Turbo Kit Award goes to Powerhouse Racing (PHR)

We certainly can’t question that PHR deserves the premium award in our guide.

Our Premium choice is the Powerhouse Racing (PHR) Turbo Kits

They may well be outside the budget for many enthusiasts, but for those of you who don’t mind spending the extra cash for a beautifully-crafted long-term setup, we have no doubt you’ll be delighted with your decision.

This is the king of off-the-shelf 2JZ-GE turbo kits, offering two kits, which are comprehensively customizable to suit your highly-refined needs.

Powerhouse Racing (PHR) Turbo Kit

Our Budget 2JZGE Turbo Kit Award goes to XSPower

The XSPower kit provides a great alternative to the CXRacing turbo kit that took our Drifted Choice award.

Our Budget choice is the XSPower Turbo Kit

Many happy owners have had excellent long-term results from the XSPower kit; however, you will need to consider the additional intercooler purchase.

We prefer the CXRacing kit after their brand overhaul, but the XSPower kit is also well worth considering for those with a smaller budget for your turbo upgrade.

XSPower Turbo Kit

Thank you for reading our 2JZGE Turbo Kit guide

An excellent range of turbo kits is available on the market for 2JZ-GE owners, whatever your budget may be. And that’s all that keeps you from achieving massive performance potential like this.

We hope we’ve helped narrow the difficult decision when choosing the perfect kit for your needs.

If you feel we’ve missed any options or any new kits are later released to the market, feel free to drop us a line, and we’ll take a look.

Photography credits

We want to thank the following sources for the use of their images:

• Driftmotion
• eBay
• DC Auto Parts
• SupraStore
• Vivid Racing

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with the buttons at the side and bottom of your screen. Find this information helpful? If so, please post a link to it on your 2JZ-GE-related online communities. We appreciate your support.

The post Ultimate 2JZ-GE Turbo Kit Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

Humans have an undeniable thirst for thrills, and going fast is just one of many ways to get those adrenaline juices flowing.

It’s the same reason people never get sick of going back to the amusement park to ride the same old roller coaster.

There’s just something about going fast that triggers just the right amount of fight or flight response in humans to keep them coming back for more.

Most car enthusiasts yearn for pretty much the same thing. Whether it’s the blurring scenery or the addictive hit of adrenaline from flooring the throttle on a relatively quick car, every car junkie will be grinning ear to ear as they get closer to the speed limit in their car.

Of course, we don’t encourage you to try your luck and push the boundaries of what you and your car are capable of on public roads just to get giddy. Race tracks, drag strips, and, well, amusement parks exist for those types of thrills after all.

And there are other safer yet equally exciting ways to stimulate those hormones – video games.

With simulation racing games and equipment becoming more and more accessible to the masses, racing games such as Forza Horizon 5 should be challenging and stimulating enough to have you sweating even if you’re just playing the game while sitting on your couch with your controller.

Forza Horizon 5 offers some of the most unique gameplay and content of any racing/car game on the market.

Most Feature-rich Racing Game Ever

No other game will give you the ability to free roam and start races on the fly with some of the fastest machines on the planet, let alone give you the freedom to customize and upgrade almost every corner or component on your virtual vehicles to make them not only go fast but look the part as well.

Thanks to cross-platform compatibility, Forza Horizon 5 players can link up, socialize, and race against other players on the PC or Xbox series. So, if you’re looking to go on those classic drag runs with your buddies as you did back in Forza Horizon 4, you can easily do that in Forza Horizon 5 even if you’re playing with other players across different platforms.

Forza Horizon 5 is insanely popular among drifting fans as well, thanks to the generous number of Formula Drift machines found in the game.

Nothing’s stopping you from purchasing a rear-wheel-drive JDM car from the 90s and slapping on some simple go-fast mods, and tuning it to make it drift-worthy all the same.

Forza Horizon 5 has its fair share of fast cars from manufacturers that put high horsepower, aerodynamics, top speed, and world records as the top priorities in their meeting agendas. Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Pagani, you name it, almost every exotic car manufacturer can be found in Forza Horizon 5’s expansive roster.

Curious about which of the fastest production cars on the planet will get closest to the speed of top fuel dragsters, we have scoured the game’s Autoshow and come up with a list of the fastest cars in Forza Horizon 5 for you.

Fastest Cars In Forza Horizon 5

Cars going fast is like gravy on chicken. Okay so maybe that analogy wasn’t as good as we thought it would come out on paper but you get the point – cars were always going to go faster and faster as tech improves, drivetrains get more efficient, and engines become more reliable.

Forza Horizon 5 had 534 cars at launch. Right now, that number is probably closer to 625 after a few DLCs and updates brought a few more cars into the game.

With that many cars in the game, a ton of players are probably wondering – What is the fastest car in Forza Horizon 5 right now?

Currently, the game has a good variety of cars, ranging from muscle cars, exotics, and JDM legends, to offroad beasts and one-off drift trucks, among many others. With the right tune and upgrades, just about any car can become one of Forza Horizon 5 fastest cars. Don’t believe us? Check out this Drag Tuning Tutorial by CRILLA18 on YouTube to get a better idea.

Update 9th April 2024: We have now released an article that covers the entire car list from Forza Horizon 5 Forza Edition.

However, if you take only the fastest cars in stock form from the Autoshow, you will end up with some of the most exotic and fastest production cars in the world.

Take out each one and run them all the way to their top speeds in one of Mexico’s drag strips, and you’ll get a good idea about which of the cars we have featured below will be the best cars in-game.

With that out of the way, below is a list of all 22 of the fastest cars in Forza Horizon 5 ranked from slowest to fastest. Of course, the cars listed below are anything but slow, but only one will be crowned the absolute fastest car in Forza Horizon 5.

22. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster – 205 MPH

Boutique hypercar manufacturer, Pagani, has always been known for its cars’ otherworldly designs and equally mind-blowing performance.

Similar to how Koenigsegg cemented its name in the hypercar space with the CC8S, Pagani first drew the motoring public’s eyes towards the company with their AMG-powered Zonda back in 1999. The company would go on to improve the Zonda platform in small but significant increments throughout the years.

Towards the tail-end of the Zonda platform’s run, Pagani would release an ultra-rare Zonda in the Cinque model that came in a coupe and roadster variant.

The Pagani Zonda Cinque produced 669 horsepower from its 7.3-liter Mercedes-Benz AMG V12 engine – enough juice to help it achieve its claimed 217 MPH top speed and 3.4s 0-62 MPH sprint.

In Forza Horizon 5, the Pagani Zonda Cinque will top out at 330 KPH, just 12 KPH lower than its real life claimed top speed of 342 KPH, which is good enough for number 22 on this list.

21. Mercedes AMG One – 217 MPH

Despite being the poster car for Forza Horizon 5, Mercedes’ AMG One hypercar only manages to land at number 21 on this list – an indication of just how insanely fast the rest of the cars on this list will be.

The Mercedes AMG One is anything but slow – advanced aero and the 877 horsepower 1.6L Turbo Hybrid V6 will propel the AMG supercar all the way to its maximum 350 KMH top speed without breaking a sweat.

20. Lotus Evija – 221 MPH

Back in 2020, Lotus produced 130 limited-run electric hypercars called the Lotus Evija. Unlike most of the vehicles found on this list, the Evija is one of few fully electric hypercars that can put its internal combustion-engined brothers to shame.

With 1973 horsepower from its 4 electric motors provided by Integral Powertrain, the Lotus Evija will sprint to a face-ripping 356 KMH top speed in Forza Horizon 5 – good for number 20 on this Forza Horizon 5 fastest cars list.

19. McLaren Senna – 224 MPH

If Playground Games takes a car and uses it in the promotional poster for the next Forza Horizon game, you can be sure the car will be one of the fastest cars in the game.

The McLaren Senna was Forza Horizon 4’s poster car that appeared in countless posters and teaser trailers prior to the game’s official release in 2018. With the game set in beautiful Great Britain, using this beast of a hypercar from an established British luxury automotive manufacturer made a ton of sense for Playground Games.

The McLaren Senna returns for Forza Horizon 5 and brings the same 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 789 horsepower that gave it its mind-boggling top speed of 361 KPH in stock form, easily securing the number 19 spot on this list.

18. Lamborghini Veneno – 228 MPH

Lamborghini’s V12 monstrosities cannot be faulted – it has given the performance vehicle world some of the fastest accelerating straight-line machines the world has ever seen.

How Lamborghini continues to find more horsepower from its tried and tested V12 platform without resorting to forced induction is beyond us; all we know is that the company somehow managed to give the Veneno 40 more horsepower than the Aventador at the same displacement.

With 740 horsepower on tap, the Lamborghini Veneno will sprint to a top speed of 368 KMH. If you can find a road long enough in Mexico, that is.

If you’re looking to get your hands on the Veneno, it’ll set you back a juicy 1,220,000 CR.

17. Lamborghini Centenario – 231 MPH

Car fans can thank Ferruccio Lamborghini for all the 20 cars featured on this list. Why all 20 when there are really only four Lamborghinis on this list? Well, Lamborghini has always bravely pushed the performance envelope as evidenced by some of its classic cars such as the Countach and the Miura, prompting all the other hypercar manufacturers to follow suit.

To celebrate the company’s founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 100th birthday, the company released the Lamborghini Centenario LP-770 back in 2016.

The Centenario has all the ingredients that make it a fitting tribute to the company’s founder – a classic 6.5L NA V12 that now produces another 30 horsepower on top of the Veneno’s 740 horsepower to bring the total up to 770. Mid-engine and AWD also make it unmistakably Lamborghini.

The Centenario’s throwback GT-style looks give it a more streamlined aerodynamic profile that greatly helps with top speed, which now goes up to 373 KPH in Forza Horizon 5.

16. Lamborghini Aventador SV – 240 MPH

The SV in the Lamborghini Aventador SV’s name stands for Super Veloce, which translates to very quick or very fast in Italian.

Lamborghini believes the “normal” Aventador wasn’t fast enough on track for their liking, so they made a Super Veloce variant that comes with 40 more horsepower and a more aggressive aero package to help it clear corners quicker.

Weight is also reduced quite a bit from the base Aventador thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber on various parts of the car. However, in Forza Horizon 5, the base Aventador’s listed weight will be quite a bit less than the SV model for some reason (1575kg vs 1754kg)

Nevertheless, despite its more aggressive aero, the Lamborghini Aventador SV will run all the way to a top speed of 387 KMH.

15. Koenigsegg CC8S – 241 MPH

After eight years in development, startup hypercar company Koenigsegg released their first-ever production car, the CC8S, back in 2002.

For a startup company, it would be totally understandable if you released a car with a less-than-stellar performance back in the day. However, Koenigsegg begged to differ and came out with guns blazing with their CC8S.

The CC8S debuted with 655 horsepower from its 4.6 L supercharged Ford Modular V8. Its ultra-lightweight chassis (1165kg dry) gave it a then respectable power-to-weight ratio of 0.56 which helped propel the 2-door Targa top to a top speed of 390 KPH.

The CC8S’ real-world top speed will be very similar to its top speed in Forza Horizon 5 – 388 KPH.

14. Porsche 918 Spyder – 244 MPH

The 918 Spyder was Porsche’s response to McLaren and Ferrari’s hybrid hypercars.

The Porsche 918 Spyder combined a 4.6L naturally aspirated V8 and two electric motors for a grand total of 887 horsepower and 829 lb-ft of torque mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

With the help of Porsche’s high-tech AWD system, the Porsche 918 Spyder will sprint to 100 KPH in 2.2 seconds with a top speed of 344 KMH.

In Forza Horizon 5, the Porsche 918 Spyder will push to a maximum speed of 394 KMH, making it the fastest Porsche in-game.

13. Aston Martin Valhalla – 245 MPH

Whenever a car has a name derived from Norse mythology you can be sure it’s a good one.

The Aston Martin Valhalla is a concept car released in 2019 as a collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing (Yes, that Red Bull Racing Team)

Originally, the concept car was equipped with a 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 that produced 1042 horsepower and 995 lb-ft of torque mated to an 8-speed transmission with AWD. However, Aston Martin has since swapped out the powertrain in favor of a much larger 4.0L twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-AMG.

The Aston Martin Valhalla’s streamlined bodywork helps it achieve a 395 KMH top speed in Forza Horizon 5.

12. Lamborghini Aventador – 247 MPH

For some odd reason, the base model Aventador LP-700 will run at a higher top speed in Forza Horizon 5 compared to other higher-spec Lambos such as the Aventador SV.

The standard Aventador will run all the way towards its in-game top speed of 398 KMH, probably due to its less aggressive aero package and gear ratios.

Nevertheless, the LP-700 will run 11 KPH faster than the SV model on the same road conditions in Forza Horizon 5.

Lamborghini has just come out with the Aventador’s long-awaited replacement – the Revuelto, and we’re certain it will be the fastest Lambo around these streets once Playground Games brings it to the game.

11. Koenigsegg Regera – 248 MPH

In 2016, Koenigsegg released a more luxury-oriented hypercar called the Regera.

The Regera features the company’s proprietary Direct Drive System a pure EV mode, as well as a single-speed fixed-gear transmission that helps propel the Regera to 100 KMH in just 2.8 seconds.

The Regera’s top speed is a brisk 400 KPH in Forza Horizon 5. Mind you, that number is, according to Koenigsegg, electronically limited, which means the Regera still has enough juice to push even higher.

All of this is even more impressive when you consider the Regera’s relatively high curb weight of 1628kg.

Nevertheless, the Regera’s high-tech drivetrain, 5.0L twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors, and aerodynamic chassis make it one of just a handful of cars that can breach the 400 KPH mark in Forza Horizon 5.

10. Zenvo TSR-S – 250 MPH

Zenvo turned heads and raised eyebrows when it launched its first-ever supercar, the Zenvo ST1, in 2009.

Back then, not a lot of manufacturers thought to combine the low-end immediacy you get from a supercharger with the unmatched top-end pull of a turbocharger in one engine. The result was a telepathic throttle response from basically anywhere in the rev range.

Fast forward a few years later, Zenvo is still making supercars that the world has never seen before. This time around, we have the high-tech Zenvo TSR-S, which features an active “centripetal wing” that tilts to the opposite side of the inner wheel while cornering.

Despite the focus on cornering performance, the TSR-S sports a mighty 5.8L supercharged V8 that produces 1177 horsepower mated to a 7-speed transmission. With a curb weight of just 1547kg, the TSR-S easily breaks the 400 KMH barrier with its 403 KMH top speed in Forza Horizon 5.

9. McLaren P1 – 253 MPH

Every now and then, McLaren will build a limited-run supercar where they can stretch their engineering legs and showcase everything they have learned from their F1 program.

The 2014 F1 season saw all teams switch to more efficient hybrid powerplants. A polarizing move for fans and teams alike, but one that gave birth to a new era of high-performance road cars as well.

The P1 was McLaren’s hybrid hypercar designed to go head-to-head with the likes of the Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder. All three manufacturers went about hybrid powerplants in their own special way, but McLaren went for a 3.8L turbocharged V8 and one electric motor for a total output of 903 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque.

In Forza Horizon 5, the P1’s powerplant is good for a 0-100 KMH run in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 408 KMH, easily making it one of the fastest cars in the game.

Hop onboard the P1 for a blast around Horizon 5’s iconic roads in this video.

8. Rimac Concept 2 – 261 MPH

The Rimac Concept 2 at number eight on this list is a good indication of the direction high-performance road cars are heading in the coming years – electric power.

The Rimac Concept 2 joins the Lotus Evija as some of the fastest all-electric cars in Forza Horizon 5. With 1887 horsepower from its four liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors, the Rimac will finish the 0-100 KMH run in just 1.85 seconds and carry on towards a lightning-fast 421 KMH top speed.

7. McLaren Speedtail – 265 MPH

Two things matter most when aiming for maximum top speed – aerodynamics and power. In a rare marriage of both, the McLaren Speedtail was born.

McLaren wanted as little drag as possible from the Speedtail’s chassis, so they opted for larger panel sections to reduce the car’s panel gaps. The result is an ultra-low drag coefficient hypercar that will cross the 299 KMH barrier in just 12.8 seconds.

The Speedtail is officially McLaren’s fastest production car to date. With 1036 horsepower and 847 lb-ft of torque from its 720S-derived 4.0L twin-turbo hybrid V8, the Speedtail will run to a maximum speed of 402 KMH. In Forza Horizon 5, that number will be closer to 427 KMH.

6. Hennessey Venom GT – 269 MPH

Hennessey had their eyes fixed on the Bugatti Veyron’s 0-200 MPH time while designing their newest and fastest supercar.

The American company was no stranger to high-performance tuning. In fact, Hennessey Performance is one of the most respected tuning houses in the US, known for their work on various high-performance cars such as Ferraris, Porsche, Mustangs, etc.

They did the unthinkable in 2010 when they took the Lotus Exige platform and customized it to accept a twin-turbocharged V8 engine good for 1244 horsepower. The Venom GT weighed an equally impressive 1244 kg, which helped it achieve a top speed of 270.49 MPH (435.31 KMH).

Unlike most cars on this list, the Hennessey Venom GT’s real-world top speed and in-game top speed are very identical. In-game, the Venom GT will run with a top speed of 434 KMH.

5. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – 270 MPH

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport needs no introduction – it held the world’s fastest production car record from 2010 to 2017 before ultimately falling to the Koenigsegg Agera RS.

At full tilt, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport will sprint to a top speed of 435 KMH in Forza Horizon 5 – barely beating out the Hennessey Venom GT when running at full speed on one of the game’s highways.

Aside from its impressive top speed, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s equally impressive acceleration score will shock you – 0-100 KPH in just 2.4 seconds and 0-161 KMH in around five seconds. With 1183 horsepower to play with from its massive 8-liter quad-turbo W16 motor, the Veyron is easily one of the quickest cars off the line in Forza Horizon 5 as well.

4. Bugatti Chiron – 274 MPH

By 2016, the Bugatti Veyron was getting long in the tooth and was due for an update. Fortunately, a successor called the Chiron was already in the works.

The Chiron carries over the same 8.0-L quad-turbocharged engine found in the Veyron. Bugatti made some tweaks to the engine to help it produce 1500 horsepower – almost 300 horsepower more than the full-on Veyron Super Sport.

The result is an electronically limited top speed of 420 KMH and a 0-100 KMH time of just 2.4 seconds.

Forza Horizon 5’s Chiron will run to a max speed of 442 KMH, making it the fourth-fastest car in Forza Horizon 5.

Will we ever see the even faster Chiron SS make it to the game? Keep your fingers crossed, as we never know what’s around the corner with the next update to the game.

3. Koenigsegg One:1 – 277 MPH

The Koenigsegg One:1 has to be one of the oddest names the Swedish high-performance company has given any of its cars. However, there’s a good reason for this.

The name One:1 points toward the car’s power-to-weight ratio of 1:1 – the holy grail of basically any performance car manufacturer. With 1360 PS and 1360kg of mass, the Koenigsegg One:1 has one of the highest production car power-to-weight ratios in history.

It does this by combining a 5.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine with a high-tech F1-derived carbon fiber chassis.

The One:1 has a top speed of 446 KMH in Forza Horizon 5, which is good for number three on this list. Considering it has a 9.5 rating for handling, it’s also extremely capable in the twistier sections.

2. Koenigsegg Agera RS – 280 MPH

A quick run through the Mexican highways and you’ll realize that the Agera RS and the Agera RS-derived Koenigsegg One:1 will run at a similar same top speed of around 446 KMH in Forza Horizon 5. (Although the car will be rated at a 451 KMH top speed in-game)

This isn’t too surprising since both cars feature pretty much the same powertrain and drivetrain layout. Alongside its flawless 10 Speed score, it also achieves 9.7 for Handling, ensuring incredible grip when cornering.

1. Koenigsegg Jesko – 286 MPH

The number one car on this list is probably also number one on every other Fastest Car in Forza Horizon 5 list out there – the Koenigsegg Jesko.

Named after the company’s founder, Christian Von Koenigsegg’s father, Jesko Von Koenigsegg, the Jesko is Koenigsegg’s fastest production hypercar to date.

The Jesko features a redesigned 5-liter V8 turbocharged engine from the Agera RS that puts out a maximum of 1600 horsepower on E85. In-game, this number will be closer to 1280 horsepower, indicating that the Jesko is running on pump fuel.

Despite the lower horsepower output, the Jesko is the fastest car in Forza 5 bar none, and it isn’t even close – the Jesko will run to a game-best 461 KMH, which is a good 8 KMH faster than the Agera RS. For perspective, 8 KMH is enough to make you look like you’re cruising if we’re talking about cars capable of hitting 400 KMH.

Not only does it top out the Speed scale with 10 speed rating, but it’s also flawless in the corners, clocking up another 10 for handling. For this reason, there’s no question that the Koenigsegg Jesko is the ultimate pick, whether you’re looking to go fast in a straight line or tackle the apex with pinpoint precision.

If you’re looking to go street racing on the highway against the best drivers in Horizon 5, the Jesko will undoubtedly need to be the next addition to your garage.

Conclusion

Car manufacturers such as Koenigsegg take top speed as a very serious business. Don’t believe us? Take another look at the list above and count just how many cars from Christian von Koenigsegg made it to the list, let alone the top 5.

That said, it is impressive how car technology and horsepower have progressed in just two decades. Back then, cars such as the limited CC8S with 655 horsepower would be unattainable to most enthusiasts. These days, however, you easily can purchase an 840-horsepower Dodge Demon off the showroom floor and go as fast as 211 MPH like it’s nothing.

The future looks very promising for fast cars as two very fast electric cars made the list as well, hinting at the performance capability that electric motors and battery packs can bring to the automotive landscape.

Nevertheless, people will always try to find ways to go even faster to wring every last juice of thrill from the human body. With Jesko’s mindblowing 461 KMH top speed, it will only be a matter of time before we’re pitting four-wheeled vehicles against jet fighters.

Hopefully, we won’t need a special license to pilot these ultra-fast cars in the future.

So, there we have it! We hope that through this guide, we have given you a good idea and the necessary knowledge about the Fastest Cars in Forza Horizon 5.

Want to know the latest news on the latest addition to the Horizon franchise? Check out everything we know about Forza Horizon 6 here!

If driving around a racetrack is your cup of tea, you’d love the latest entry to the Forza series. Read all about what we know here.

Thank you for reading our Fastest Cars in Forza Horizon 5 guide.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with the buttons at the bottom of your screen. If you’ve found this information useful, then please take a moment to share it with other drag racing, drifting, and Forza Horizon 5 fans. We appreciate your support.

The post The 22 Fastest Cars In Forza Horizon 5 first appeared on Drifted.com.

• Stillen
• HKS Hi-Power
• Tomei Expreme Titanium
• Invidia Gemini
• ARK GRiP
• Manzo
• Fast Intentions TDX
• PowerHouse Amuse R1 Titanium
• Tanabe Medalion Touring
• Jump to winner

In a hurry? Here is our G37 exhaust summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice
Tanabe Medalion Touring G37 Exhaust	Invidia Gemini G37 Exhaust	ARK GRiP G37 Exhaust
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

Infiniti may well have had the luxury, upper-class mindset when they built the G37, but that hasn’t stopped car tunes across the world being desperate to own this sleek looking machine to put their own unique twist on it.

With the G37 at a more affordable price bracket than ever and a huge array of aftermarket parts available off the shelf, it’s easy to see why the G37’s popularity is increasing in the scene.

Whether you’re building a full-blown drift or grip car for the track or scraping your way to the local car meet, the G37 is a fantastic offering.

An exhaust is always one of the first things to change on a car due to a low price point and ease of fitting combined with freeing the additional power and giving your G-series coupe or convertible a far more impressive sound and look.

What is this guide for?

This guide has been created to help you find the perfect exhaust upgrade for your G37. We’ll be focusing on all aspects that you’ll be looking for in the modification of the exhaust systems to compliment your G-series perfectly.

For each exhaust, we also add our own comments. In addition, we have given a Drifted rating (1-5) based on features and price. We are considering budget, mid-range and high end exhausts in this comparison.

Infiniti G37 exhaust selection

Let’s take a look at our selection! For additional info about any of these products just click on the actual product name or photo.

Stillen Dual G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Stillen
• Internal pipe diameter: Twin 57-63mm (2.25″-2.5″)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 114mm (4.5″) tips
• Primary exhaust system material: 304 Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Stillen G37 Exhaust at Enjuku Racing!

Our comment: This mid-price offering from Stillen brings offers a much cleaner look to your G-series. With an ‘aggressive tone without the annoying drone’, this is an ideal choice for those who want the looks, performance and aggressive sound when under throttle but also keen to keep noises to a minimum when cruising on the highway.

Manufacturer description: “Each Stillen aftermarket performance exhaust system is expertly constructed by Stillen craftsmen. These artisans bend, form and weld top quality 304 stainless steel tubing, core mufflers and exhaust tips. Then they carefully polish each component to a high port-n-polished finish for durability and good looks.”

“You can be confident your Stillen performance exhaust system will withstand harsh weather and road conditions for years to come. And for added reassurance, Stillen offers a limited lifetime warranty against rust-through and manufacturer defects.”

“Count on the Stillen R&D team to extract every ounce of hidden horsepower from the VQ37 powerplant. We’ve spent nearly 30 years designing and building proven Nissan performance parts. No wonder our performance exhausts systems consistently dominate magazine shootouts for max power output.”

Stillen exhaust video

HKS Hi-Power G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: HKS
• Internal pipe diameter: Twin 60mm (2.4″)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 120mm (4.7″) tips
• Primary exhaust system material: 304 Stainless Steel with Titanium Burnt Tips
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your HKS Hi-Power G37 Exhaust at Enjuku Racing!

Our comment: The HKS Hi-Power exhaust is a Japanese classic and once again they’ve pulled it out of the bag with this work of art. Enjoy the subtle sounds until you plant your foot to the floor to let her roar. This is another great choice for those who are after the quieter option for daily driving. However, we doubt you’ll be able to resist hearing the sounds it produces as it screams its way to the redline!

Manufacturer description: “Inspired and designed from endurance and GT racing in Japan, HKS developed its Hi-Power Exhaust system for both turbocharged and naturally aspirated applications.”

“HKS has incorporated this new race inspired offset muffler and piping design into many street applications, which offers a greater flow and higher RPM power gains due to the less restrictive design. This is achieved by eliminating unnecessary bends for the straightest exhaust path.”

“For turbocharged applications, the large and smooth exhaust flow allows greater exhaust velocity for better mid-range boost response and high-RPM power. Naturally aspirated vehicles also benefit from greater exhaust flow capacity as engine tuning levels increase.”

HKS Hi-Power exhaust video

Tomei Expreme Titanium G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Tomei Expreme Titanium
• Internal pipe diameter: 80mm (3”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Single 115mm (4.5″) tip
• Primary exhaust system material: Titanium
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: Weighing in at an insane 13lbs (5.7kg) is Tomei’s offering, despite an extremely impressive 18.8kg weight loss, this single-exhaust system is perhaps not for everyone. If you’re purely after weight loss and performance, the Tomei is quite possibly the best choice for the money. However, with the G37’s body design made with twin exits in mind – having a single large Jap-style exhaust poking out the rear is an acquired taste.

Featuring far fewer bends than other offerings, the large diameter, high-flow design of the exhaust is fantastic for performance but not so great for those who are after a quieter drive.

Please note that this is the 370Z exhaust which Tomei says will fit, however we suspect it may require some small modifications. We recommend contacting the supplier to ensure correct fitment.

Manufacturer description: “With an overall dramatic performance improvement & weight reduction, breathe new life into your 370Z.”

“Only the best Titanium grade materials are used in the production of the components. From the special racing layout design, created as straight as possible, to the high flow silencer, Tomei has poured their extensive knowledge of Japanese vehicles into this design. When you see and weigh the EXPREME Ti system, you will understand that this exhaust system has no rivals.”

“High-quality production, for true competition use without compromise. Only the best Titanium grade materials are used. From the special racing layout design, made as straight as possible, to the high flow silencer. We have poured our knowledge into it all. When you see our EXPREME Ti system, you can then understand that ours is unrivaled.”

Tomei Expreme Titanium exhaust video

Invidia Gemini G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Invidia
• Internal pipe diameter: 60mm (2.3”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 110mm tips (4.3”)
• Primary exhaust system material: Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Invidia Gemini G37 Exhaust

Our comment: Boasting a subtle design with burnt tips, Invidia bring another very reasonable and extremely popular option to the market.

Although slightly louder than some of our earlier offerings, it is still tame enough to be a good highway cruiser until the deep growl unleashes an entirely different beast around the 2.5-4.5k rev range.

Manufacturer description: “The Invidia Gemini Exhaust is the latest in the Invidia line of beautiful exhaust systems that feature fully polished stainless steel piping with mandrel bent tubing, and one of the best sounds you will hear from any performance exhaust!”

Invidia Gemini exhaust video

ARK GRiP G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: ARK
• Internal pipe diameter: 63.5mm (2.5”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 114.3mm tips (4.5”)
• Primary exhaust system material: Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your ARK GRiP G37 Exhaust at Enjuku Racing!

Our comment: With arguably one of the best sounding options, ARK have listened to the people when designing their great-looking true-dual-exhaust-system. As well as having the popular burnt tip option, there’s also the choice to go down the traditional stainless steel route. This exhaust features quiet cruising speeds which open up to deep intoxicating acoustics to show off that awesome VQ tone.

Manufacturer description: “The ARK “GRiP” exhaust system provides the serious enthusiast a combination of sound, style, and quality craftsmanship. As a leader and innovator in aftermarket exhaust systems we are highly recognized for out exclusive designs, proven performance gains, and our significant ARK Exhaust note that is resonant, pure, and deep.”

“All of our exhaust systems are constructed with high quality materials using state of the art equipment and technology. At ARK Performance our engineers invest their time in research and development in such areas as exhaust flow, piping size, inner core structure, fitment, and sound.”

ARK GRiP exhaust video

Manzo Dual G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Manzo
• Internal pipe diameter: 57.15mm (2.25”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 102mm tip (4”)
• Primary exhaust system material: Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Manzo G37 Exhaust on eBay!

Our comment: By far the cheapest offering from our list, this Manzo exhaust offers great value for money for those who are looking to go down the lower-budget route of improving the factory exhaust note.

We can’t deny that the exhaust sounds great despite some drone noise and when fitted under the car, it certainly looks good too! If you are simply looking for a better flowing exhaust without being worried about perfect welds or running a name brand, this may well be a great affordable option for you!

Manufacturer description: “Manzo is built by a large big name performance tuning company, so you get a quality product but at an affordable price.”

“Manzo is designed to be a quality entry-level exhaust system that improves horsepower and torque while giving your car an aftermarket exhaust note that sounds great. Manzo exhausts are built to be a direct bolt on and include all necessary hardware for installation. Each exhaust is made from polished stainless steel and has smooth mandrel bent exhaust piping for unrestricted flow. Manzo exhausts also feature strong CNC machined flanges that stand up to high temps and prevent warping.”

Manzo exhaust video

Fast Intentions G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Fast Intentions
• Internal pipe diameter: 64mm (2.5”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 114mm tips (4.5”)
• Primary exhaust system material: Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Fast Intentions exhaust here!

Our comment: This fantastic mid-range offering from USA based Fast Intentions is the first choice for many owners. Each exhaust is made in-house to order at their US factory to extremely high standards with great fitment. With an epic deep, throaty, exotic-sounding note, it’s easy to see why this is the go-to option for so many owners.

Our only downsides would be a slight drone in the upper gears and it perhaps sits a little lower than those who require high ground clearance would like. With a choice of stainless steel exhaust tips available, great looks and an epic sound, it’s definitely one to consider.

Manufacturer description: “This cat back exhaust system is the premier upgrade for all G35/37 Sedan owners looking to maximize the performance from their VQ35HR 3.5L V6 or VQ37VHR 3.7L V6 engine.”

“Built as a direct OEM replacement, our exhaust system is easy to install with simple hand tools; no cutting or welding required. Our X Pipe is designed to increase low end torque and maximize power throughout the entire RPM band.”

“The exhaust note is unobtrusive at idle and cruising speeds; but comes to life at wide open throttle. With the addition of our cat back exhaust system (excluding the catalytic converter) you will improve the aesthetics of your vehicle with its sporty and classy appearance.”

Fast Intentions exhaust video

PowerHouse Amuse R1 G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: PowerHouse Amuse
• Internal pipe diameter: 50mm (Approx 2”)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 115mm tips (Approx 4.5”)
• Primary exhaust system material: STTI Titanium
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your PowerHouse Amuse Exhaust here!

Our comment: Weighing in at just 9.0kg, this incredible STTI titanium offering from Amuse is undoubtedly the unicorn of the G37 exhaust world. Despite being visually stunning insanely lightweight and providing an incredible soundtrack, this comes at a cost.

With prices starting at $3,295 (excluding sales tax), expect to fork out an eye-watering $7,485 for the quad-exit alternative. If money is no object, this could quite possibly be the exhaust for the perfect finishing touch to your G37!

Manufacturer description: “The Amuse R1 Titan Extra STTI exhaust is yet another functional piece of art by Powerhouse Amuse. The System features 20.7 lbs weight savings over stock as well as 76.3mm piping diameter and 115mm x 2 exhaust tips.”

“The system only weighs 19.8lbs and is produced in full titanium for maximum weight reduction. The system features a 21 rear wheel horsepower increase over the range of the entire powerband. The system is available in two different tail finishes A tail (Half Burn) and B Tail (Full Burn).”

PowerHouse Amuse R1 exhaust video

Tanabe Medalion Touring G37 Exhaust

• Manufacturer: Tanabe
• Internal pipe diameter: 60-70mm (2.36-2.75″)
• Tailpipe configuration: Twin 115mm tips (Approx 4.5”)
• Primary exhaust system material: Stainless Steel
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Tanabe Medalion Touring G37 Exhaust

Our comment: The Tanabe Medalion Touring will be a fantastic option for G37 owners looking for the performance gains that come with an aftermarket exhaust, but not the excessive noise.

Many call the Tanabe the ‘Gentleman’s Choice’ thanks to its quiet sound yet impressive performance.

Using the all-new ‘continuous strand’ ADVANTEX packing material technology, they’ve managed to achieve high levels of efficiency while only reaching a maximum sound level of 93dB.

This provides a perfect system for those that are often driving on the highway and don’t wish to be disturbed by the ‘drone’ sound often associated with aftermarket exhausts.

Providing a deep, clean and tasteful exhaust note, we do not doubt that this quieter choice will still keep you grinning from ear to ear when desired!

Manufacturer description:“A refined level of performance and driveability is available in the MEDALION TOURING.”

“The elegant, well defined appearance of MEDALION TOURING is mature, and matches the artistry of a tastefully built, highly tuned machine.”

Tanabe Medalion Touring exhaust video

Our G37 exhaust recommendation

Our recommendation is the Invidia Gemini.

There’s no doubt that exhaust choices are mostly down to personal preference. Each person may prefer the look or sound of a certain exhaust and each one in this guide will see improvements over the restrictive stock mufflers.

We couldn’t ignore the specifications, features, quality of build materials and price point of our winner, the Invidia Gemini. Already an extremely popular offering among G37 owners, the value for money while providing an incredible soundtrack and great quality, we felt it just couldn’t be beaten.

Invidia Gemini

Thank you for reading our Infiniti G37 exhaust guide

If you enjoyed this article then please share it with the sharing buttons on the side and the bottom of your screen.

Now you’ve sorted out your exhaust, why not treat yourself to some shiny new coilovers? Want some more power? Our G37 supercharger and G37 intake guides should be right up your street.

Looking to boost your G37’s performance even further? Try our G37 headers guide.

Photography credits

We thank the following entities for use of their photography in this article:

• enjukuracing.com
• myg37.com
• dsportmag.com
• www.lsxmag.com

The post Infiniti G37 Exhaust Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an American racing event known for their stock-car racing. If you have ever dreamt of becoming a NASCAR driver then think again!

NASCAR is an expensive sport and it evolves lots of mental as well as physical training and focus.

With focus and proper training, sensible and measurable steps towards the ultimate goal, race car drivers can drive professionally in NASCAR.

However, to become a driver, you need certain qualifications and should know some basics before entering the racing world. With that said, and if you are ready to get stuck in – here are our top ten tips to become a NASCAR driver.

First let’s take a look at Anthony Alfredo’s excellent YouTube video which describes how he got into NASCAR after dabbling in Lacross and professional football:

If you still dream of becoming a NASCAR racer then here are few tips for you!

Start young

The sooner you get behind the wheel, the sooner you will be able to start your professional racing career.

There are not many examples of professional drivers who got started when they were over twenty. Most professional drivers were talent scouted when they were in their early teens while racing go-karts at their local racetrack.

Your younger years will also provide the perfect opportunity to get a headstart when it comes to health, fitness, nutrition, and general wellbeing.

While years of hard work and seat time is necessary, achieving optimal physical condition will help ensure you’re ready for the big-time when the moment arrives.

Focusing on fitness and nutrition will set a good example, and it’ll also help you be as quick and agile as possible, especially if karting is your initial goal.

Rent and practice with Go-Karts

Pretty much every professional race car driver’s career would have started with basic go-kart racing (Lewis Hamilton is a good example). With karting, you can learn how to control a vehicle on the race track at speed and you can teach yourself the art of racing through practicing behind the wheel.

You can even participate in karting competitions from local to the international competitions. If you are under age then try and find a track for youth racing.

Practice on SIM racing software

Sim racing has exploded in the last five years, and with the recent pandemic, many professional racing events have been moved (temporarily) to Sim racing.

This should show you just how highly regarded Sim racing is to professional drivers. While renting go-karts and trackdays every day is going to cost a lot of money, you could be running and re-running real world circuits in a Sim racing rig every single night after school (or work), perfecting your technique before you get behind the wheel for real.

Here at Drifted we have a selection of Sim racing games, these free to play games should get you started.

Network, network, network

Networking is a massive part of becomming a professional racing driver. Being involved in the racing community, be it go-karting or any other kind of motorsport and being out in the paddocks and garages and chatting with other drivers and teams will do wonders for your professional profile.

You need to behave yourself and take care to represent yourself well, on and off the race track. You need to sell yourself to everybody you meet.

The motorsports community has been described as a large family and the sooner you can start meeting people and impressing them with you positive attitude as well as your driving skills, the sooner doors will start to open for you.

Study vehicle mechanics

Understanding the mechanics of racing cars is essential for your to have a career in professional racing. You won’t necessarily need to work on a car (although this might be a good side income to support your racing), but you will need to understand the mechanics of all of the main components including the engine, drivetrain, suspension and chassis in order to understand how to extract the best from them.

Volunteer for local drivers and teams

You can give help to local driver’s crew as a volunteer. There are some programs out there that provide training for the volunteers. Teams need volunteers to do all sorts of jobs which is a good way of getting on-site experience.

Take part in NASCAR driving course

There are many speedways where you can take experience from ride-along laps to following a pace car, or the ultimate driver’s seat challenge with an experienced passenger.

While this won’t directly help you with your career, it will give you a small taste of what that driving experience might feel like.

Get an Internship at NASCAR

While many race car drivers don’t have a college degree as there were no driving schools back in those days, it is now possible for a lucky few to get an internship degree from racing companies including NASCAR.

These will be extremely competitive but it is definitely worth investigating.

Attend a racing school

If you have the cash, attending a racing school is going to help you hugely. There are many organizations in the country where you can get professioanl tutorage to help you perfect your own driving technique.

This might also be a good way to get on the radar of any teams talent scouting for their next drivers.

Find money, lot’s of money

Race car drivers get money from the sponsors for racing. It can cost millions of dollars to set up equipment and everything else you need so you are going to need to either come from money, or set up a network of sponsors.

Try and gain sponsors by building a professional profile, take your branding and media seriously and start approaching smaller companies to sponsor you.

Always treat these companies well and over deliver on what you have promised them. Make sure you document all of this process so as you progress in your career so when you get the opportunity to talk with larger companies you can show them your track record.

If we have wet your appetite for NASCAR then why not have a play of our favourite NASCAR Racing game?

If you’re into NASCAR Heat 4, you would want to check out our ultimate setups guide here!

You might also find our guide for aspiring NASCAR drivers helpful if you dream to become one someday.

The post 10 Tips To Become A NASCAR Driver first appeared on Drifted.com.

• Bride Gias II
• Sparco Pro 2000
• Corbeau FX1
• Bride Vios III
• Corbeau Forza
• Sparco Sprint
• NRG Fixed Bucket
• Bride Zeta III
• Buddy Club Racing
• Sparco Evo II US
• Corbeau A4
• Takata Race LE
• Bride Stradia II
• Mugen MS-Z
• Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC
• Sparco Circuit
• BridgeMoto Tsukuba
• Tillett B6 Screamer
• Sparco SPX
• BridgeMoto Takachi
• Mugen MS-R
• Jump to winner

In a hurry? Here is our best Honda S2000 seat summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice
Corbeau Forza	Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC	Sparco SPX
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

We’re always keeping an eye out from feedback from our customers, and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback on our previous S2000 tuning guides, which will provide essential information to help you build the ultimate S2000.

It’s been mentioned by our fellow enthusiasts that the stock seats let the S2000 down, especially if you’re into pushing the limits of this awesome machine whether it’s at the track, or on the canyon run.

For that reason, we’ve dedicated this guide to help you find the perfect seats for your ride and provide you with the confidence to shred tires without sliding your way over to the passenger side of the car!

There are plenty of other reasons why a seat upgrade makes sense, perhaps you find yourself a bit tall for the S2000? Maybe you’re lacking in legroom? Or perhaps you just want to sit a little lower, whilst also being provided with far superior support in the twisties.

Whatever the reason, we’ve covered a huge amount of variety in this guide to ensure that we’ve covered your needs, whatever they may be. Whether you’re planning to do autocross, drifting, or simply freshen up your daily, we’ve got your back!

For those of you that are looking to achieve additional legroom, you’ll undoubtedly benefit from some of the slimmer frame seats in our selection to allow for maximum adjustment.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for extra headroom, there are seats which sit far lower, but you’ll also want to strongly consider your rail choices for this one. Cheap rails are often known for sitting much higher than some of the premium brands, so we highly recommend choosing carefully.

You’ll also want to think about whether you’re planning to wear a helmet now, or in the future, as this will mean you’re going to need additional headroom further down the line. We’ve also got you covered for this, as we recently covered the best choices on the market in our Ultimate Racing Helmet guide.

If you’re planning to compete eventually, you’ll want to make sure that the seats meet the required levels of the competition. For example, if you intend to compete internationally further down the line, we’d highly recommend going for an FIA-spec choice.

Given that the S2000 is a lightweight car, you’ll want to choose wisely when it comes to considering the weight of your seats. Cheaper seats are often known for being heavier, but at the other end of the spectrum, the Carbon Fiber options will provide you with the greatest weight saving.

One of the final choices will be whether you’re looking for a fixed back bucket seat or a recliner. If you’re intending to hit the track, a fixed-back seat will always be our recommendation.

However, if you’re just intending to refine your daily driver, a reclining seat is likely to be far more comfortable on an everyday basis.

Finally, it goes without saying that seats are one of the most important factors when it comes to tuning.

Sure, you can buy some fake Bride seats and impress the guys at the local meet with your JDM points, but these fakes are not built to the same specifications, and we’ve seen some horrific outcomes from people rocking fake seats in the event of an accident.

If you’re looking to save a few bucks, that’s fine, we completely understand the appeal of budget builds, but we never recommend purchasing fake safety equipment.

We have some great options in our guide that will be even cheaper than the fakes.

If you’re looking to carry out more mods to your S2000, make sure you check out our Ultimate Honda S2000 Mods Guide!

S2000 Tuning guides

• S2000 Coilover guide
• S2000 Exhaust guide
• S2000 Cold Air Intake guide
• S2000 Turbo Kit guide
• S2000 Supercharger Kit guide

Don’t have an S2000? Then check out our universal best racing seats guide.

Let’s take a look at our aftermarket S2000 seat selection

To find out more about any of these products just click on the product name or photo.

Bride Gias II

• Manufacturer: Bride
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Updated March 25th 2021: Discontinued. We recommend taking a look at the latest seats in the Bride range, the Bride Euroster.

Our comment: These are quite possibly the most stunning seats in the Bride range, and we absolutely love them so you might be wondering why they only achieved four flames for ‘Value for money’.

Although they’re quite possibly the best-looking seats in the Bride line-up, they’re also one of the most expensive. If you’re after value for money but still want Bride seats, their fixed-back Zeta range which we’ll be reviewing shortly is exceptional.

Don’t get us wrong though, the Gias are as comfy as they are pretty, and if you’re looking for reclining seats for daily comforts, these are up there with the very best. However, for competition use, we would always opt for fixed back seats.

These are more similar to a bucket seat in the thigh region than the Stadia seats as they offer increased support.

Manufacturer description: “By adopting a super monocoque shell structure and an all-aluminum frame, GIAS series is a sporty reclining sports seat which realizes both lightweight and rigidity. The design deeply envelops the driver and realizes high holdability.“

“For the GIAS backrest we utilize a monocoque structure shell for decreased weight and reinforced rigidity. The shell materials we provide are 3 types including the lightweight and strong carbon aramid, the super aramid black shells which have superior tensile strength the same as carbon aramid which is only used by BRIDE, and FRP.“

Sparco Pro 2000

• Manufacturer: Sparco
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Sparco Pro 2000 seats here

Our comment: The Sparco Pro 2000 seat has certainly stood the test of time and is still one of the most popular seats on the market.

This great-looking racing seat is FIA homologated and is also suitable for use with a HANS device.

Weighing in at just 7.7kg, it should certainly be a consideration for those of you that are looking to go down the more serious motorsport route.

Manufacturer description: “The Sparco Pro 2000 is our most popular competition seat. It combines comfort and ergonomics with safety and performance. The non-slip fabric on the shoulder and cushion area and two lumbar support pads improve cockpit comfort.“

“Made from a light fiberglass composite shell and wrapped in a fire retardant fabric, the Sparco Pro 2000 features a seat design that cradles the body for greater performance. The Sparco Pro 2000 is FIA approved.“

Corbeau FX1

• Manufacturer: Corbeau
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Corbeau FX1 Pro seats here

Our comment: The Corbeau FX1 is a very similar design to the original Sparco Evo seat but at a fraction of the price. Don’t get us wrong though, the quality isn’t quite as good as the Sparco, nor are they FIA approved.

Corbeau has a good reputation within the budget scene, and if you’re looking to run bucket seats in your daily driver or for light track use, these will be ideal. For serious racing, we always recommend FIA-approved seats in case it becomes a requirement further down the line.

This ‘Pro’ range is the cheapest, which features narrower shoulders with racing in mind. There’s also the wider-shoulder FX1 and the large FX1 seats available.

Manufacturer description: “The FX1 Pro racing seat features composite fiberglass technology. The FX1 Pro combines comfort, performance, and safety at an absolutely unbeatable price. Designed with an emphasis on comfort, this seat is one of the most comfortable race seats you will ever sit in.“

“If you enjoy racing and want a practical and affordable shell seat, the FX1 Pro is a hard one to pass on. As a rule of thumb, the FX1 Pro racing seat will fit up to a 36 inch waist, the FX1 will fit up to a 38 inch waist and the FX1 Wide (black only) will fit up to a 42 inch waist.“

Bride Vios III

• Manufacturer: Bride
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Updated 1st June 2021: Discontinued. We recommend taking a look at the latest seats in the Bride range, the Bride Euroster.

Our comment: If you’re looking for the ultimate low seat, Bride has once again come through with the goods on this awesome fixed-back seat.

This is almost identical to the Zeta, with the exception of the lower fitment, so it all depends on what you’re looking for.

The Zeta does have more variety when it comes to sizing, so if you’re looking for a larger seat, that may well be the better option.

Manufacturer description: “Our VIOS line-up includes a total of 5 seats: VIOS III standard model. the premium “Japan” model which uses high-class faux suede for its surface material. the basic SPORT-C model. the REIMS model featuring a full cover extending to the back surface and a one-point accent color. and TYPE-R with a high holdability in its thigh section. It is an active fixed bucket seat which can meet a variety of customers’ needs from sports-oriented to luxury-oriented and fashion-oriented.“

“Because VIOS utilizes BRIDE’s patented Lomax System technology, it enables a low position even in a tight seat space. Even if offsets between the steering and seat centers occur, with the Lomax System it is possible to set the offset to zero*. (In some cases certain models may not reach zero).“

Corbeau Forza

• Manufacturer: Corbeau
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Corbeau Forza seats here

Our comment: Branded as a ‘competition seat with a price tag for the weekend racer’, the Corbeau Forza is certainly excellent value.

The Forza features five harness slots for your race harness along with integrated shoulder support. Corbeau recommends this for those of you with a 36-38″ waist. They also have a wide alternative if you require a bigger size, which is for up to 44″.

These really are impressive value for money, and although they may not be the most exciting seat, they’re certainly worth considering for the price.

If black doesn’t tickle your fancy, you may want to consider the ‘Red’ variation.

Manufacturer description: “The Forza is the perfect entry level racing seat. The Forza racing seat combines comfort, performance, and safety at an absolutely unbeatable price.“

“If you enjoy racing and want a practical and affordable seat, the Forza is the seat for you.“

Sparco Sprint

• Manufacturer: Sparco
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Sparco Sprint seats here

Our comment: Sparco’s Sprint seats are their entry-level competition seat, which comes in at a reasonable price for the quality. At just $400, these FIA Approved seats should definitely be a consideration for those of you on a budget.

With a steel tubular frame and 6-point harness slots, these are ideal for both competition and daily driving use. Weighing in at 8.74kg, they’re going to be far lighter than the stock seats.

Sparco says that these are the best-selling seats in Europe, and we can see why. Excellent seats at an even better price point.

They offer three color variations to choose from with these seats – Black, Red, and Blue.

Manufacturer description: “The Sprint is our entry level competition seat, perfect for weekend racers. It carefully balances safety, styling and value. The fastenings for side or bottom attachments on the tubular frame are better positioned on the shell while the holes for fifth and sixth seatbelt points provide improved safety. “

“This seat is made from fire retardant fabric and features contrasting quilting. Available in black, blue and red. FIA approved. “

NRG Fixed Bucket (FRP-300)

• Manufacturer: NRG
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your NRG Fixed Bucket seats here

Our comment: NRG is known for bringing some great-looking budget parts to the market, and these seats are no exception with the impressive $200 price tag.

These may be ideal for a budget track build, but with car parts, we know that you often get what you pay for, and it looks like it’s the case this time around too.

We’ve heard several reports of the quality being to a low standard with fiberglass and issues with the mounting holes.

These have been included in our list as they’re an exceptional price, but we’d personally look elsewhere for something higher quality.

If you are interested in purchasing these, then this is the large variation and you can find the medium one here.

Manufacturer description: “NRG Innovations racing seats are designed with the best of comfort and style to improve the look and performance in any vehicle. Great lumbar support and holding feel as opposed to the stock seats. NRG seats are designed differently to accommodate different harness styles.”

Bride Zeta III

• Manufacturer: Bride
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Updated June 1st 2021: Product discontinued. We recommend taking a look at the latest seats in the Bride range, the Bride Euroster.

Our comment: Bride certainly needs no introduction when it comes to aftermarket seats. These are undoubtedly the most popular seats in Japan and are the seat of choice for some of the best drivers such as Daigo Saito and Naoki Nakamura.

Bride’s Zeta III is quite possibly their most popular seat and there’s certainly no question that they’re one of the best looking!

The base of the seat features a two-piece polyurethane which distributes the body pressure for maximum pedal operability.

Bride seats are notoriously ‘Japan-sized’, which means that for those of you on the larger size of, well, stick-thin, you may want to consider the large or extra-large options. Alternatively, they also have a small, which we’d expect is insanely small!

You can always count on a great selection of variety with Bride seats, so we’d imagine they’ll have your needs covered. Whether you’re after a red carbon-fiber or the HANS device friendly FIA seat there’s something for everyone in their selection.

These will undoubtedly provide the typically incredible quality that we’ve come to expect from Bride, and although they’re not the cheapest, you’ll earn back the extra money in JDM scene points anyway!

Manufacturer description: “The ZETA Series comes in 4 types to fit various heights and body types. Its design characteristics are the narrowed-down waistline and small needlepoint design of the shoulder support part. We also offer models which support car models with tight interiors to meet the needs of a broad range of users.“

“BRIDE’s fixed bucket seat ZETA has won in countless races while always keeping drivers safe. The racing comfort model, which has been tuned with consideration for all Motorsports settings, ZETA series“

Buddy Club Racing

• Manufacturer: Buddy Club
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Buddy Club Racing seats here

Our comment: Buddy Club’s seats are another popular choice on the Japanese market and are well known for being extremely light (5kg) and well built, with a high-quality standard to match.

This is a performance seat for fast road use, ideal for use with a 4-point harness, however, they aren’t recommended for serious track use due to not having FIA approval.

There are Black and Red color options available and also a ‘Wide’ variation if required.

Manufacturer description: “Buddy club Racing Spec Seats have been tested and used in competition on various racing circuits around the world. This extensive “real world” testing was instrumental in the development of our one of a kind seat bolsters which offer the user support and grip while cornering and has proven extremely effective at even the most severe lateral g conditions.“

Sparco Evo II US

• Manufacturer: Sparco
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Updated June 1st 2021: Product discontinued. We recommend taking a look at the latest seats in the Sparco range, such as the Sparco EVO L QRT.

Our comment: Given the number of orders for their larger seats from the US market for the original Evo, Sparco opted to make their Evo II in a larger size in this ‘US’ model.

Featuring an ultra-light fiberglass composite shell, this is an extremely popular seat priced at the higher end of the market.

This has been designed with extensive input from some of the finest racing drivers and is FIA approved and HANS device compatible. An excellent choice for those of you that are intending to race or drift at the track or competitively.

Manufacturer description: “Sparco’s EVO II US Racing Seat offer racing drivers both quality and value you can only expect from the Sparco Evo seat line. Features includes a unique shell shape and fiberglass construction that increases rigidity without adding excess weight. The EVO US II Racing Seat offers re-engineered seat proportions, which provide greater ergonomics.“

“This results in a seat that is both taller and slightly wider than the regular Evo and Evo II seat, making it perfect for taller/larger drivers. The seat belt slots featured on the EVO II US Racing Seat are also repositioned to sit more level with the driver’s shoulders. The Evo II US Racing seat can also accommodate a Hans device for even more added safety.“

Corbeau A4

• Manufacturer: Corbeau
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Corbeau A4 seats here

Our comment: Corbeau enter the higher end of the market with their extremely popular A4 seat.

This is another reclining option but this time aimed at the more reasonable side of the market than the Bride variants.

These are a great all-rounder for daily and perhaps occasional basic light track use. If you are looking to get seriously involved with motorsports or drifting, we’d definitely recommend the fixed-back seats.

These come in a wide variety of colors, with Black, Blue, Red, Black Suede and Grey/Black Suede to choose from.

A reasonably priced all-rounder for those of you looking for a simple reclining seat for daily use.

Manufacturer description: “The Corbeau A4 seat is a snug fitting touring seat with a fully reclining back. This seat has excellent lateral support with low side bolsters and a low profile design.”

“As a rule of thumb, the A4 will fit up to a 34-36 inch waist while the A4 Wide will fit up to a 38-40 inch waist.“

Takata Race LE

• Manufacturer: Takata
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: Best known for their signature JDM-style green harnesses, Takata has also entered the seat market with this clean and simple alternative.

There’s no doubt that Takata knows a thing or two about safety, and these seats would look awesome alongside their harnesses.

These are FIA-homologated and are designed for use with 6-point harnesses and also HANS compatible, so they are an excellent all-rounder for those of you looking to get serious at the track.

Given that these are only a Limited Edition, we highly recommend that you grab yourself a set before they all sell out if they’re the choice for you.

Manufacturer description: “The limited edition TAKATA Race LE Competition Bucket Seat is an incredibly safe, deep sided and extremely rigid seat that still allows freedom of movement for all disciplines.”

“The black Spacer Fabric, stitched in subtle TAKATA Green, keeps you cool. High backed, fully HANS® compatible with increased kidney protection, but relieved below the shoulders for lateral arm movement, this seat allows you to really get over the wheel and take control without any compromise on what is known as one of the most comfortable seats in the industry.“

Bride Stradia II

• Manufacturer: Bride
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Updated March 25th 2021: Discontinued. We recommend taking a look at the latest seats in the Bride range, the Bride Euroster.

Our comment: The Bride Stradia features a near-identical design to the previously reviewed Gias, with the exception of a shallower thigh area. This makes it perfect for daily driving, but for us, it has priced itself out of the typical daily driver price-range.

Combined with the reclining function, which isn’t vital for S2K’s unless you’re using it as a daily, this only earns itself a four-? rating from us despite once again being a fantastic and incredible-looking seat.

Manufacturer description: “STRADIA series’s shape features a lower knee support section compared to GIAS to enable easier boarding and exiting. The backrest deeply envelops the driver the same as GIAS, maintaining the high holdability. Because it utilizes a super monocoque shell structure and an aluminum frame, it achieves both light weight and high rigidity. This model is perfect for those who do not want to sacrifice holdability but are also concerned about ease of boarding/exiting.”

“With the STRADIA, the backrest has an enveloping form that enables high holdability, but the height of the thigh part is just enough to prioritize ease of boarding/exiting while maintaining holdability. This makes for a reclining sports seat which achieves both a suitable holdability and ease of use. In addition, wide-size is available for part of STRADIA lineup.“

Mugen MS-Z

• Manufacturer: Mugen
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Mugen MS-Z seats here

Our comment: We can almost hear the cheers from here! Yes, that’s right – Mugen. Honda fanboys, rejoice!

As you’ll most definitely already know, Mugen is one of the highest-regarded companies within the Honda tuning scene, and these seats certainly live up to the hype.

If you’re looking for a reclining seat, the much-loved MS-Z is undoubtedly one of the strongest competitors on our list. Sure, they’re not cheap, but they’re one of the best all-rounders out there, and since they’re made by RECARO on behalf of Mugen, you can guarantee that they’ll be exceptional.

This semi-bucket design provides almost the same amount of support as a bucket seat with additional comfort but also enables the convenience of the reclining features, which makes it a strong rival for the Gias II.

If you love this seat, but you were hoping for a fixed-back option, then make sure you check out the rest of our guide!

Manufacturer description: “Semi bucket seat featuring high driver-support performance, with fatigue reduction effect, and easy-access integrated in harmony within the design. When developing a semi bucket seat two contradictory requirements need to be addressed – that of ergonomic driver support while at the same time providing driver comfort, including easy-access.“

“By drawing on the experience and technologies acquired through many years of top level motorsports and parts sales activities MUGEN has designed MS-Z to satisfy both requirements. MS-Z will reduce driver fatigue and improve your driving.“

Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC

• Manufacturer: Seibon
• Fitment: Universal
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Seibon Type-FC seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: Carbon fiber wizards, Seibon, have launched a stunning carbon kevlar seat to the market with their Type-FC, which could quite possibly be the most insane looking seat in our list!

These hand-crafted carbon seats will undoubtedly attract a fair amount of attention, and it’s easy to see why!

As you can imagine, being carbon fiber, it’s extremely strong and lightweight. Its design allows for the ultimate bolster support to prevent unnecessary body movement even when you’re pushing the car hard.

These seats were designed for racing use and allow for a multi-point harness to be fitted. An exceptional product which is undoubtedly a contender for our favorite seat on the market right now.

If the red color doesn’t suit your personal preference, then they are also available in black.

Manufacturer description: “Creating performance-oriented products that help shed unnecessary weight without sacrificing style is Seibon’s specialty. This Seibon Carbon Kevlar Bucket Racing Seat Type FC is the perfect answer to enhance and maintain that superior look of carbon fiber to your car. The supportive shape will keep you in an upright driving position so you can stay in control during high performance driving.“

Sparco Circuit

• Manufacturer: Sparco
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Sparco Circuit seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: As the name suggests, the Sparco Circuit seat is made for those of you that are spending quite a lot of time at the track.

Although these are hugely popular seats, they’re not recommended for those of you that are a larger build, but for small or medium builds, it’s a fantastic choice.

Bucket seats aren’t the most convenient things to use on a daily basis, and those with head restraints become even more challenging. On the other hand, it provides great support at the track and also comes with FIA-approval and HANS device compatibility.

An excellent, ultra-light seat for the track at a very reasonable price, but not something that we’d be opting for if we drive the car on a daily basis.

Manufacturer description: “The Circuit is an ultra-light competition seat specifically designed for circuit use. Made from aramadic fibers-reinforced fiberglass, the Circuit has an ultra-light shell.“

“The Circuit includes integrated bolsters to protect the head and a unique seat design that helps separate the driver’s leg. This seat can be used with a Hans device for even greater protection.“

BridgeMoto Tsukuba

• Manufacturer: BridgeMoto
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your BridgeMoto Tsukuba seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: BridgeMoto has been increasing in popularity in recent times, and it’s easy to see why with this insanely-priced carbon fiber option which they say “weighs less than your flywheel”!

Not only is this an impressive price, it weighs in at just 9lbs, has HANS compatibility AND FIA homologation!

With flame-retardant materials that also provides a breathable mesh design for those ‘warmer’ days at the track, this provides the coolest temperatures possible.

They’ve also opted for a memory foam padding for superior comfort, and although the sides would certainly hold you in place, they don’t look like as much of a struggle as some of the other options to get in and out of.

With all things considered, these seats have blown us away, and that’s before you even begin to look at their color and material selection. They may not be too comfy for long journeys, but we’d certainly consider them for both daily and track use.

Now, if only they could get working on improving their product photos!

Manufacturer description: “Record Shattering 9lb. Driver Seat. Cut weight to the max and in style with these revolutionary buckets! Flame retardant, Breathable, antiperspirant Mesh Design for keeping drivers at optimal low temperatures.“

“One piece Monolithic Carbon Fiber shell construction for superior protection, weight reduction, and durability. Impact absorbing material on head and side rests for collision protection.“

Tillett B6 Screamer

• Manufacturer: Tillett
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Tillett B6 Screamer seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: You know when we said we had something for everyone in our guide? Well, we weren’t lying! The B6 Screamer certainly isn’t for everyone, but if you’re building a lightweight track car and just want the basic essentials, this is a great choice.

It probably won’t come as a huge surprise, but we don’t recommend this one for daily use!

If you’re struggling for space in your car due to being tall, or needing to sit lower, there are very few better choices out there to maximize the space inside the S2K. These seats are FIA approved, capable of running 6-point harnesses and weigh in at just 6kg.

For those of you that like them, but the thought of sitting in them for a long track session is making your eyes water, they’ve also got optional padding to make the day more tolerable.

Like the idea of the B6 Screamer but have a little more money to spare to achieve the ultimate weight-saving? You’ll definitely want to check out the Tillett B7!

Manufacturer description: “The new B6 Screamer is FIA approved to the 8855-1999 standard and replaces the popular B6F. Importantly, the weight is now 20% lighter than the B6F as this seat uses a new moulding system which creates lighter seats with superior strength.“

“These fit the seats rigidly down to a flat floor giving the lowest possible driving position. The Lotus Elise/Exige specific EBF1 brackets are also usable on a dropped floor or when sited on top of runners.“

Sparco SPX

• Manufacturer: Sparco
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Sparco SPX seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: We absolutely love the look of these Sparco SPX seats, but quality comes at a price and these are no exception! However, if you’re looking for what Sparco states to be the lightest carbon fiber (mixed with advanced composites) reclining seat on the market, look no further!

Sparco created the first-ever adjustable carbon fiber seat for the Lamborghini Diablo back in 1998, and they’ve continued to make some of the finest seats in the world ever since.

This work of art mixes Alcantara suede with perforated Italian leather for the ultimate touch. It’s certainly not a seat we’d be heading to the track in, but if it’s a stylish modern look that you’re after for your daily driver, then these seats are hard to beat!

Weighing in at 28lbs, these are an exceptionally comfortable seat which also provides for maximum height and legroom clearance. They’re also an ideal fit for up to 42″ waists, so they’ll be the ideal choice even for our huggable fans!

Manufacturer description: “The SPX is handcrafted in Italy using the same technology and materials used for OEM super cars. In fact the SPX is the first Carbon Fiber reclining seat available to the public that meets the same specifications required by the OEM manufacturers. What this means is that the attention to detail and quality cannot be matched by any other seat manufacturer on the market today.“

“The Sparco SPX seat represents the ultimate evolution of the sport seat. The SPX uses a combination of carbon fiber and advanced composites that give the driver both comfort and performance in a lightweight package. With the ergonomic shape of the carbon fiber backrest and the seating position of the RTM composite lower, the SPX holds the driver during extreme lateral forces and is comfortable for long road trips.“

BridgeMoto Takachi

• Manufacturer: BridgeMoto
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your BridgeMoto Takachi seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: We already unleashed the exceptional ‘Tsukuba’ seat further up in our guide, and BridgeMoto has provided an alternative for those of you that aren’t after a thin, lightweight seat and would rather save some bucks in the process.

This Takachi seat once again comes with FIA homologation and HANS compatibility at an incredible price, and this time also features head support and additional padding.

This once again uses memory foam for padding, which makes it extremely comfortable, it’s also easily capable of fitting those of you with larger builds, but will most likely be a bit on the big side for smaller or thinner drivers.

Another fantastic option from BridgeMoto, with their usual wide range of materials and colors to choose from to create the perfect seat for your needs.

Manufacturer description: “Low seating position with high rib and hip sides. Wide-designed tube frame seat for mid to larger size drivers. Wide shoulder area engineered for greater freedom of movement. Adjustable and removable 2-split thigh support. 5 harness slots for use on all point harnesses.“

Mugen MS-R

• Manufacturer: Mugen
• Fitment: Honda S2000
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Get your Mugen MS-R seats at Enjuku Racing

Our comment: The final seat in our selection is the second option from the collaboration between legendary seat manufacturer Recaro, and JDM legends Mugen!

We reviewed the MS-Z earlier in our guide, which is the ultimate reclining seat for daily use, but they’ve also created another stunning carbon fiber option, this time with a fixed back, for those of you that want to head to the track in style.

Weighing in at just 6.5kg, it’s certainly one of the lightest seats out there, and with FIA homologation, it could well be the perfect option for those of you that intend to compete internationally.

If you have the cash to splash, you really can’t go wrong with this collaboration seat from two of the highest-regarded companies in the aftermarket world!

Manufacturer description: “Carbon fiber shell Belt holes for 3 inches full harness. Lumbar support pad insertion type Deep side support. Divided seat cushion Non-slip seat cushion Alcantara®. Shoulder grip MUGEN Logo (embroidered). Lumbar support pad insertion type Belt holes for safety harness.“

Our winner

Our winner for this guide is the Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC seat.

To pick our winner from this choice of S2000 seats, we looked at a number of criteria; performance, quality, popularity, and design.

Based on these criteria we have chosen the Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC’s to be our winner.

Seibon Carbon Kevlar Type-FC

There’s certainly no shortage of ridiculously good seats in this guide, and it definitely wasn’t one of the easiest decisions we’ve had to make! Bride’s seats are always incredible, and BridgeMoto’s Tsukuba seats provide incredible value for money. However, the winning all-rounder for us this time around goes to Seibon.

Bringing a unique style with impeccable quality and an insanely good price point and the stunning carbon kevlar, the Type-FC is impossible to ignore!

For those of you that are looking for a budget seat, the Corbeau Forza provides excellent value for money, and if you’re after a reasonable reclining seat, the Corbeau A4 is also a bargain!

Thank you for reading our Honda S2000 seat guide

We hope that you’re now confident in choosing the right product for your needs, whether it’s cruising on the street or tearing it up at the track!

Enjoyed this article? Make sure you check out more of our S2000 tuning guides!

• S2000 Supercharger Guide
• S2000 Turbo Kit Guide
• S2000 Exhaust Guide
• S2000 Coilover Guide
• S2000 Cold Air Intake Guide

Photography credits

We would like to thank the following sources for the use of their images:

• Enjuku Racing

If you enjoyed this article then please share it with the buttons at the side and bottom of your screen. Find this information useful? Please post a link to it on your cars owners club. We really appreciate your support.

The post Ultimate S2000 Seats Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

• Turbo Specialties Turbo Kits
• Humble Performance Turbo Kit
• Ultimate Racing Turbo Kit
• Turbonetics Turbo Kit
• CXRacing Turbo Kit
• Full-Race Turbo Kit
• GReddy Turbo Kit
• HKS Turbo Kit
• Tuningsworld Turbo Kit
• Jump to winners

In a hurry? This is our RSX Turbo Kit summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice
Turbonetics Turbo Kit	CXRacing Turbo Kit	Full-Race Turbo Kit
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

There’s no question that drifting is our number one priority, but we can still fully appreciate the FWD culture, especially when they’re great looking, and best of all – JDM.

We recently took an in-depth look into a range of Honda’s most popular automotive engine types frequently used for RWD swaps, such as the K20, K24, and also the B16.

Since we’ve had great feedback from our newly-found Honda/Acura fanbase, we’re going to be exploring some of the best products on the market for the Acura RSX.

We previously took a look at the best Acura RSX Coilovers on the market, which we think is an absolute must to prioritize over your turbo ambitions, even if your main intentions for going fast are in a straight line.

Coilovers will help keep the car planted and put the extra horsepower down better, and handling is always a much-welcome benefit when it comes to tackling the twisties.

Forced Induction

Deciding which forced-induction route you want to take isn’t always easy, so we highly recommend checking out our turbocharger vs supercharger guide before you commit to your choice.

Once you’ve decided that the turbo kit is going to be best for your needs, it’s time to choose from the wide variety of kits on the market.

A lot of RSX Turbo Kit information online is now seriously outdated, and almost none of the kits are in production, so we’ll help you explore the best choices that are currently available.

This great video from TheSmokingTire where they get behind the wheel of a 375hp RSX Type S gives you a great idea of what you can expect from your soon-to-be turbocharged RSX:

Turbocharging your RSX

Since you’re already here, you’re most likely aware that turbo upgrades are no joke, and with a bad setup, you’ll soon need to start planning the inevitable funeral for your currently healthy engine.

Sure, there’s the option to go ahead with a custom build and professional tuning, and if you’re a highly experienced mechanic, then this may well work out as the best option.

However, DIY builds can often come with unforeseen issues, and with an original design kit, you’re going to have a real lack of support when things don’t go as planned.

Custom setups can often end up being a real time-consuming headache, where you’re likely to end up throwing far more money than you’d initially planned with ironing out the niggles.

For this reason, we typically recommend the easier route, especially for beginners in DIY mods as these tried-and-tested kits are built and refined to achieve the utmost performance over the years, take less time for installation, and come with fast response customer service support. We’ve created this guide to help you find the best off-the-shelf choices.

Whether you have deep pockets, or you’re looking to carry out a budget-build with a few buddies in your garage, we’ve got the perfect solution, whatever your needs.

We’ll be taking a look at the options that are still currently for sale with the best long-term reputations and reliability.

When it comes to the Acura RSX, the Type S is typically the most turbo-friendly choice, and many owners have achieved around the 300-350hp bracket with a turbo kit and some simple bolt-on mods.

The K-series engine is capable of some impressive figures, and some enthusiasts have achieved over 500hp from the stock block on high boost pressure.

Although this may well be the case, you’ll need to look at swapping out a lot of parts such as the transmission and oil pump, which isn’t very likely to make for an enjoyable, reliable, highway vehicle.

Traction is also going to have to be a serious consideration when it comes to putting significant power down in an FWD car.

For that reason, we always recommend that you decide what your end goal is likely to be when choosing the best aftermarket part or turbo kit for your specific needs.

Are you merely wanting some sensible additional power? Or are your plans to build one of those dedicated race vehicles which you’ll trailer to and from each track racing event?

As always, we highly recommend ensuring that the base engine that you intend to turbocharge is running healthily, and the best way to do this is with a compression test.

Once that all checks out, let’s move on and decide which turbo kit is going to be best suited for your goals!

Turbo Specialties Turbo Kits

• Manufacturer: Turbo Specialties
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Turbo Specialties T28R RSX Turbo Kit |
  Buy your Turbo Specialties T25 RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: With our first option, Turbo Specialties brings two choices to the market, with their T25, and T28R ball-bearing kits.

We’re very familiar with these turbos from their inclusion on the Nissan SR20DET engines, with the T28R ball-bearing turbo being the superior choice with good spool characteristics, which came with the late model Nissan Silvia S15.

We’ve seen several successful installations with these kits, but they are likely to need a small amount of tweaking.

Turbo Specialities aren’t one of the most popular choices on the market, and many people think that their kit is overpriced for what you get.

It’s worth considering, but we do believe that there are certainly options out there for the money.

Manufacturer description: “If you are looking for the ultimate in high performance – the extreme performance packages are for you“.

“Providing the maximum horsepower for the very discriminating and still providing dependability for daily driving. Incorporating all the high performance equipment in the superior performance packages, these extreme packages all include an intercooler, pop off valve, extra injectors, and injection control unit, (The Brain)“.

“This offers complete control for your system, increased fuel delivery, and cooler temperature gas air mixture for better burning. The addition of this system can add as much as an additional 20 percent increase in horsepower above and beyond the superior turbo packages“.

Turbo Specialties RSX Turbo Kit Features:

• Ex.Manifold, Ex.Outlet, Down Pipe, Hardwares
• Air Intake System, Intercooler, Charge Pipe
• Oil Return Hose / Feeding Line Kit, Oil Pressure Sus Stainless Braided Hose
• Cold Water Stainless Braided Hose
• Icu401 Box, If201, Fpr140, Map-5P
• Bp9901 Blow Off Valve
• All hardware, pressure lines, hoses, stainless steel t-clamp, and high pressure silicone couplers included

Humble Performance Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Humble Performance
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Humble Performance RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: There’s no question that this kit is capable of serious power, with Humble Performance labeling it as their ‘600HP Budget Turbo Kit’ for stock K20/K24 engines.

We don’t usually put ‘600hp’ and ‘budget’ in the same sentence, but the guys at Humble Performance have earned themselves an excellent reputation in the tuning scene, so we have no reason to doubt them.

They’ve even put down a proven quarter-mile time of 10.46 sec at 135mph.

Warning! Although this looks like the perfect choice, it’s aimed directly at competition vehicles for drag racing, off-road or drifting scenes, and we wouldn’t recommend opting for it on a daily driven car.

If you’re looking to build a big-power, higher PSI drag racing setup, this could well be the ultimate choice.

Although it looks like an incredible bargain, you’ll need to add the piping and fuel kits on top, which quickly racks up. Regardless, it’s still a fantastic price for what you get.

Watch this impressive video, as they build a stock(ish) K24 EK, before achieving over 600HP on the dyno. And what about that aggressive sound out of the exhaust?

Manufacturer description: “Introducing a turbo kit built using all genuine parts to make 500-700HP on a K Series Engine! We’ve notoriously used this same setup on multiple 500-600WHP Stock K20/K24 setups with great success“.

“This kit includes a Precision Turbocharger, Precision Wastegate, Precision BOV, Vibrant Oil Lines, Sandwich Plate, Intercooler, and KLM Sidewinder Manifold“.

“This kit has been proven to 10.46 @ 135MPH and we plan on going faster soon!

Ultimate Racing Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Ultimate Racing
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Ultimate Racing RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: There’s no question that this is one of the highest quality design kits out there for the RSX. However, it does come at a price.

Although the 270hp and 201lb/ft torque that UR achieved from this kit doesn’t sound too impressive, they’re known for their very stable operation and keeping things safe & reliable, so it comes as no surprise that they haven’t pushed the kit to its limits.

Despite this being for sale at Vivid Racing, we’ve heard reports that Ultimate Racing has discontinued production, so we’d double check before ordering.

For those of you that only want the best quality products for your RSX, this kit is certainly worth considering.

Manufacturer description: “An incredible looking sport compact off the dealership lot, the RSx just needs a little more under the hood to get it really going. For the performance enthusiast demanding more than just 200-hp from their 2.0L, i-VTEC engine, Ultimate Racing has designed a Turbo Kit made specifically for the RSx Type-S“.

“Building upon the experience gained in the development of the S2000 Turbo Kit, Ultimate Racing has been continually developing and testing a similar turbo kit to push the RSx to a whole new level“.

Ultimate Racing RSX Turbo Kit Features:

• Garrett T04E/T3 Custom Spec Turbocharger with Polished Aluminum Finish Exhaust Heat shield
• Ultimate Racing 2.5 inlet size Stainless Steel Downpipe
• Ultimate Racing Custom Heavy Gauge Tubular Steel Turbo Manifold
• Large Spearco Front-Mount Intercooler Kit with 2.5 Polished Stainless Steel Piping
• HKS Super Sequential Blow-Off Valve (SSQV)
• Ultimate Racing 3 Stainless Steel Air Intake with High Flow K&N Filter
• Turbosmart External Wastegate
• Ultimate Racing Custom 600cc High Impedance Fuel Injectors (Direct Replacement)
• Ultimate Racing Pre-Programmed Electronic Fuel Controller
• All Hoses, T-Bolt Clamps, Lines, and Fittings Required for Installation

Turbonetics Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Turbonetics
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Turbonetics RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: Turbonetics don’t have the most outstanding reputation out there, but their kits are undoubtedly great value for money, and many RSX owners have been happy with their kits for the price.

These cheaper aftermarket universal turbo kit setups often get a bad reputation for being ‘Chinese’ rip-offs, but we’ve seen their quality improve drastically in recent years.

They’re always a little bit of a gamble compared to some of the more expensive kits made by advanced players in the game, but at around 1/3rd of the price of the common alternatives, you have to expect some trade-offs somewhere.

RSX owners have told us that you may need to carry out some slight modifications to the wastegate elbow and downpipe to get around the oil inlet and return line correctly, so you may need to prepare for a little extra cost if you’re not handy with a welder.

Although it’s not likely to be perfect out of the box, it’s still an excellent consideration for the money if you’re happy to carry out a few minor tweaks.

Turbonetics RSX Turbo Kit Features:

• K20A Cast Manifold
• Direct Bolt on Strong Aluminum Piping for Rsx Intercooler (With Silicone and Clamps)
• Intercooler
• Turbonetics T3T4 .63 AR Trim Turbocharger (Good for 350-400 HP) (Journal Bearing)
• 38 mm Wastegate (7PSI / 11PSI / 15PSI)
• SSQV Blow Off Valve
• Intake Piping and Intake Cone
• Wastegate Dump Tube
• Turbo Oil Feed Line, and Turbo Oil Return Line Kit
• Stainless Steel Turbo Elbow
• 3″ Stainless Steel Turbo Down Pipe
• Note: Recommend Upgraded Injectors + Upgraded ECU Management.

CXRacing Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: CXRacing
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your CXRacing GT35 Sidewinder Manifold Turbo Kit RSX Turbo Kit |
  Buy your CXRacing GT35 Thick Manifold RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: We’ve reviewed many CXRacing products throughout our various guides now, and as always, they’re controversial, yet extremely underrated.

CXRacing often gets thrown into the ‘Chinese knock-offs’ category, but our experience, combined with reports from many happy RSX owners, prove that this isn’t entirely the case.

CXRacing puts extensive R&D into its products, and they’ve even produced three different easy mount turbo kits specifically for RSX owners.

RSX enthusiasts are beginning to appreciate the value that CXRacing brings to the market, and there are some constructive threads on various owners’ clubs to help you get the most out of this kit.

Many happy RSX owners have achieved over seven-years (and counting) of reliability out of this kit when correctly fitted and maintained.

We highly recommend doing your research on this complete install kit, as we feel that it provides the best overall package between quality, and affordability, with various options available to suit your needs.

Manufacturer description: “This is CXRacing’s Newest Products for RSX DC5. All Parts are Developed from Ground Up, Designed and Built Specially for the K20. It is One of the Most Complete Kits Available with the Most Competitive Cost. Kit is Bolt on Fit and Easy Install.”

“These products may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm”.

CXRacing Acura RSX GT35 Turbo Kit Thick Manifold Features:

• GT35 Turbo – 4″ Air Inlet, 2.5″ Compressed Air Outlet
• Standard T3 Turbine Housing Flange
• Sidewinder Design Manifold, Perfect Fitment, No Cut or Removal of Stock Parts.
• 3″ Downpipe
• Turbo Oil Line Kit with Oil Pan Plug Adapter
• Turbo Intake Filter
• 38 mm Wastegate (8PSI) with Dump Tube
• 3″ Turbo V-band Clamp
• 61.3 /82 mm Compressor Wheel

Full-Race Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Full-Race
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your EFR Twin Scroll Turbo Kit External Wastegate RSX Turbo Kit |
  Buy your Twin Scroll EFR T4 IWG RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: Full-Race provides what is arguably the most impressive kit on the market for RSX enthusiasts.

If money’s not an issue, and you’re looking for the ultimate powerful setup, look no further.

Full-Race is well known and regarded as one of the most impressive companies in the tuning scene, and their kits come with an impressive range of options to suit any requirements that you may have.

Using incredible equipment, and some of the finest experts in the field, these guys are capable of producing anything you need to build the ultimate-spec RSX.

Although the price quickly adds up, their K-Series turbo system will undoubtedly be worth the money if you can afford it.

Manufacturer description: “We are The Turbo Experts. With clients in over 90 countries around the world, our turbos, intercoolers, intakes and exhausts set the standard for turbo systems and components. Our customer base ranges from professional race teams to OEM manufacturers to grassroots enthusiasts“.

“Working with high level partners like BorgWarner, Garrett, Ford Motor Company, MHI, Honda of America, Toyota NA, Sierra Sierra/Cosworth, T1 Race Developments and Papadakis Racing helps us to lead by example and remain on the cutting edge of turbo performance innovation“.

Full-Race EFR Twin Scroll Turbo Kit (External Wastegate) Key Design Features:

• Full-Race K-Series EFR T4 Turbo Manifold
• Full-Race K-Series EFR T4 3″ Downpipe
• Full-Race K-Series Vertical Flow Intercooler
• Full-Race K-Series Charge Piping, Couplers and Clamps
• Full-Race Turbo Installation Kit Box

Additional options:

• BorgWarner EFR Turbo charger
• Deatschwerks / Walbro Fuel Pump
• Deatschwerks / ID Fuel Injectors
• Full-Race Dual External Wastegates
• 2000 Degree Ceramic Coating

GReddy Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: GReddy
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: Given that the GReddy kit is the most popular choice out there for the RSX, we couldn’t leave it off our list. However, it is worth noting that GReddy has now discontinued production.

Although this is a highly-regarded kit, which has stood the test of time, there are insane amounts of comments regarding cracked manifolds.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.

Given the lack of support now that it’s discontinued, it lost its potential opportunity to earn the ‘Drifted Choice’ award this time around.

With that said, there’s undoubtedly going to be a lot of spares available on the used marketplace, and alternative tubular manifold parts are available.

This GReddy offering is a sensible kit, boosting horse power to around 250-300hp, and has stood the test of time, being one of the oldest RSX kits out there and often being passed around several owners.

Although this could be a solid choice, we wouldn’t possibly opt for a discontinued product. Although we’ve found a source that claims to have it in stock, we’d proceed with caution before buying.

Manufacturer description: “The Acura RSX Type-S Turbo Kit is the first of GReddy’s new evolution of bolt-on turbo kits. Including a pre-programmed “e-manage” engine control unit along with the provided larger injectors for smooth, reliable, horsepower increases. The kit also includes all of the necessary hardware“.

“The basic kit in street-style trim adds a very drivable 50+hp at 6.5 psi boost, but with 400hp max potential in the T517Z with high psi, the kit is very upgradable“.

GReddy RSX Turbo Kit Features:

• T517Z actuator turbo
• 440cc Injectors
• Plug-in Ultimate E-Manage
• Cast manifold
• Airinx air intake
• Aluminum piping
• Downpipe
• Heat shields

HKS Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: HKS
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-05
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your HKS RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: GReddy’s JDM rivals, HKS, brings another excellent kit to the market.

However, this again appears to have been unfortunately discontinued. For this reason, we would once again advise proceeding with caution if you’re considering purchasing.

As you would expect from HKS, this is another reliable, great fitting, excellent quality, daily-driver friendly kit.

Don’t go expecting instant horsepower gains in wild numbers, but 250-300hp is most likely going to be easily achievable again. Although they’re well-constructed, the manifolds become somewhat restrictive if you’re hunting down larger power figures.

Out of the two, the GReddy is the more popular option, but you really can’t go wrong with either choice if you intend to go down the JDM route.

Just ensure that if you do opt for either kit, that they have them in stock, and that the company you’re purchasing from has a good reputation.

Manufacturer description: “High levels of performance, craftsmanship and reliability is what you can expect with the HKS Bolt-On Turbo Kit. Each component in the kit is race proven for maximum power output and constructed for durability even under extreme weather and driving conditions“.

“The HKS Bolt-On Turbo kit will consist of an HKS signature upgrade turbo, a precision crafted exhaust manifold, HKS internal wastegate, flange exhaust downpipe, suction pipe, blow-off valve (some applications), HKS suction air filter (some applications), engine management (some applications) and all associated hardware for a complete and detailed installation“.

HKS RSX Turbo Kit Features:

• GT2835 HKS Ball Bearing Turbo
• HKS Internal Wastegate
• HKS Cast Exhaust Manifold
• HKS Downpipe
• HKS SSQV
• Additional hardware for installation

Tuningsworld Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Tuningsworld
• Fitment: Acura RSX 2002-06
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Tuningsworld RSX Turbo Kit

Our comment: The Tuningsworld turbo kit for the RSX is made using high-quality cast-iron material which provides maximum strength, stability and durability. It comes with a T3/T4 turbocharger which the manufacturer claims can boost horsepower figures over 400.

Oh, and did we mention that the lightweight aluminum piping of this kit has a sweet anodized look?

Although Tuningsworld might not be a household name like GReddy or HKS, we think this kit is worth taking a look at.

Manufacturer description: “Capable of Boosting Horse Power up to 400+ HP. Turbine housing uses ductile iron QT450-10 Can withstand temperatures up to 700 ℃. Steel Turbine Wheel made from the special K418 alloy to achieve high oxidation resistance and stability under high temperatures up to 900 ℃”.

“Cast aluminium blades with good gas tightness and corrosion resistance. Accurate boost control with a precise click.Gives the best cooling performance on your turbo and long-lasting life. Easily adjustable to prevent both permature boost leakage and compressor surge. Fast response One For Low And High Boost Pressure”.

“Need modifications-Professionals ONLY (This is an aftermarket universal turbo kit for DIY purpose, and it’s recommended to advanced players but not for beginners.). We will not be responsible for man-made installation damage”.

Tuningsworld Turbo Kit Features:

• T3/T4 Turbocharger
• Manifold
• Intercooler with Strong TIG welds will support high PSI levels
• Intercooler pipe
• 5 Blot Turbo Downpie Flange – Turbine Trim: 74.2 / Turbine Inducer Diameter: 64.8 mm
• Fuel Pump: 255 LPH Flow Rate and Fuel Pressure Regulator:Adjustable 0-140 PSI(0-10kg/cm) for maximum fuel pump capacity
• 8.5 Blot Turbo Downpie Flange

Our winners

Now that you have met all of our turbo kits, it’s time to decide on which is the best kit for your RSX:

Drifted RSX Turbo Kit Choice

Our Drifted Choice winner goes to the CXRacing RSX Turbo Kit

GReddy was close to taking our Drifted Choice award, but since they’ve now discontinued production, we’ve opted for the product that we feel provides the best value for money in the market right now.

There may be mixed opinions on CXRacing, but we highly recommend talking to owners of the kit from recent years, as their quality and R&D has come on leaps and bounds.

When it comes to finding a reasonably priced turbo kit for your RSX, CXRacing provides the ultimate solutions, with three excellent choices to suit your individual needs.

CXRacing RSX Turbo Kit

Budget RSX Turbo Kit Choice

Our Budget Choice is the Turbonetics RSX Turbo Kit

Although the CXRacing kit is also budget-friendly, a great alternative is the Turbonetics kit.

We wouldn’t expect the quality to be quite as impressive as CXRacing, but it may well tick the right boxes for your needs, especially considering the value proposition.

Turbonetics is a solid contender that provides a lot of kit for the price.

Turbonetics RSX Turbo Kit

Premium RSX Turbo Kit Choice

Our Premium Choice is the Full-Race RSX Turbo Kit

There’s no real question that Full-Race takes the win here.

For those of you that have the cash to splash, we don’t feel that there’s a better choice on the market than the Full-Race kit, but it certainly comes at a price.

If you’re building the ultimate turbocharged RSX with high quality appearance features, then this is the perfect choice for you.

EFR Twin Scroll Turbo Kit External Wastegate RSX Turbo Kit

Thank you for reading our Acura RSX Turbo Kit guide.

As you can see, there’s a wide range of options out there for RSX owners that are looking to go down the turbocharged route.

We hope we’ve found the perfect product for your needs. If you’ve got any feedback or queries, then don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll happily assist.

Looking for an aftermarket exhaust for your RSX? Then our RSX Exhaust guide was written just for you.

Photography credits

We would like to thank the following sources for the use of their images:

• Vivid Racing
• HumblePerformance
• eBay
• Full-Race
• StreetLightz
• GReddy
• Brandon Thai on Flickr
• Kyle Dampman on Flickr

If you enjoyed this article, then please share it with the buttons at the side and bottom of your screen. Find this information useful? Please post a link to it on your car owners’ clubs. We appreciate your support.

The post Ultimate RSX Turbo Kit Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

• GReddy T518Z Turbo Kit
• WORKS Stage 1 Turbo Kit
• WORKS Stage 2 Turbo Kit
• Full Blown Stage 1 Turbo Kit
• HKS GTIII-RS BRZ Turbo Kit
• Jump to winner

In a hurry? Here is our BRZ Turbo Kit summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Runner-Up
Full Blown BRZ Turbo Kit	WORKS Stage 2 BRZ Turbo Kit	WORKS Stage 1 BRZ Turbo Kit
Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

The Subaru BRZ is undoubtedly one of the best-looking cars on the market right now and the popular sports compact has been getting more attention than ever from the tuning manufacturers.

Along with its stunning modern design, there’s no doubt that it has also been gifted with great weight distribution, chassis balance, and handling.

Based on this, you may well think the BRZ is the perfect package straight from the dealer. Almost!

Being available in both LHD and RHD, all that is missing from the BRZ is some additional power to push the 2-liter boxer engine to its maximum potential. Most enthusiasts agree that the low stock output of 228 horsepower and 184 lbs of torque are the major defects of this car; this is where forced induction comes into play.

In our ultimate Subaru BRZ turbo guide, we will be showing you the best options for converting your 4U-GSE engine into a turbo-powered street weapon!

Forced induction

Over time, the BRZ tuning scene has flourished with more options available than ever. This means that our options have now been tried and tested long term for reliability.

Since you are looking into forced induction, be sure to check out our comprehensive turbocharger vs supercharger guide to see what is the best solution for your BRZ.

We’ve written this guide to help you narrow down the difficult decisions when it comes to turbocharging your BRZ and find the perfect kit for your needs.

Let’s take a look at our BRZ turbo kits

To read more about any of these products simply click on the turbocharger kit name or photo.

GReddy T518Z Tuner BRZ Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: GReddy
• Fitment: Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S
• Turbo configuration: Single turbo
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: There’s no question that the Japanese tuning legends know this market well and it definitely shows with their turbo kit. The setup combines perfect fitment alongside with the stunning quality that we’ve come to expect from GReddy over the years.

This intercooled racing turbo system has been quoted as delivering around 90hp by GReddy themselves, but even when ran at the stock 7psi by owners it has often dyno’d well above this.

Manufacturer description: “GReddy Performance Products is excited to announce the release of the highly anticipated T518Z Tuner Turbo Kit for the 2013- Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. With extensive testing both in Japan and the USA, this turbo kit was designed to enhance the overall performance for daily drivers and weekend racers. An ideal turbo sizing maintains the vehicles balanced driver feel, by maintaining good low-end response with the factory engine components. But the most noticeable improvements can be noticed on the factory power-band’s dip in mid-range torque and at high RPM top-end power.”

“GReddy dyno test showed a +93.5whp / +68.7 ft-lbs crank increase at 7psi on a stock 2013 Scion FR-S with factory fuel system (injectors and fuel pump) just adding a *GReddy-tuned EcuTek ecu, and a *GReddy Evo3 70mm exhaust, – (* Not Included) But even more importantly, the mid-range torque from 3150-4750 RPMs are significantly improved over the stock torque curve.”

WORKS Stage 1 CARB Compliant BRZ Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: WORKS
• Fitment: Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S
• Turbo configuration: Single turbo
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: WORKS Stage 1 Turbo Kit

Our comment: WORKS have spent two years engineering this unique kit with a rearward mounted water-cooled turbocharger for the market and it’s undoubtedly going to leave some owners extremely pleased. With a 50-state smog legal cert, you won’t need to worry about getting pulled if you’re planning to drive this kit on the street in the US.

Owners have had their WORKS Stage 1 kit dyno tested with gains of around 70 horsepower at stock 7 psi when running on 91 octane gasoline.

Some other unique features of this turbocharger kit include the ceramic coated downpipe, an efficient intercooler core, and its short length intake piping. Unlike some other kits on the market, this does not require front bumper or oil pan removal for installation And the 12 month warranty is just the cherry on top!

Whilst this kit features fantastic quality, results and ease of fitting, it lacks an intercooler which may put some users off. Furthermore, WORKS recommends the use of an oil cooler kit for enhanced performance. If this is the case, but the CARB compliance is appealing, their Stage 2 kit below may well be for you.

Manufacturer description: “After almost two years of engineering development and testing, WORKS is proud to introduce their Stage 1 “Simple” Turbo Kit for the FR-S/BRZ.”

“The sophistication and elegance of our kit is found in its simplicity. Through the use of custom thermal coated up and downpipe, custom intake pipes including a finned aluminum air-to-air heat exchanger to handle the added heat, OEM style diverter valve, centered around a genuine Garrett GT28 journal bearing turbo, you will reap the benefits of efficient turbo-charged power while still retaining your OEM air box, OEM exhaust manifold headers and OEM secondary catalytic converter (front pipe). Containing all necessary hoses and equipment for added oil and coolant routing, as well as heat shielding and specialty hardware, it is truly a bolt-on and OE quality upgrade, requiring no cutting, fabrication, wire harness extensions or internal engine modification.”

WORKS Stage 2 CARB Compliant BRZ Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: WORKS
• Fitment: Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S
• Turbo configuration: Single turbo
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: WORKS Stage 2 Turbo Kit

Our comment: With WORK offering the CARB compliant Stage 1 kit above, we couldn’t ignore the lack of intercooler which their Stage 2 kit offers. This setup is a further improved option with an air-to-liquid intercooler and higher boost threshold.

Now running 12 psi of boost, this kit can provide a power increase of over 90hp, which is a 55% increase over stock. These gains combined with the CARB compliance may be the perfect package for your needs!

Manufacturer description: “The WORKS Stage 2 Turbo Kit for the FR-S/BRZ takes the performance of our Stage 1 Turbo Kit to the next level with the addition of an air-to-liquid intercooler and a higher boost threshold. Stage 2 is for those who want more power than what our Stage 1 Kit provides, but still wish to retain its simple and minimally-invasive configuration.”

“This kit utilizes a genuine Garrett GT28 journal bearing turbocharger to provide efficient, turbocharged power while retaining the OEM airbox, factory exhaust manifold, and secondary catalytic converter. Our team of engineers spent hundreds of hours in design, development, tuning, and testing to produce a simple and reliable turbo setup to enhance the drivability of your vehicle. This is the easiest-to-install, most cost-effective, and least-intrusive air-to-liquid intercooled turbo system available for the FR-S/BRZ.”

Full Blown BRZ Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Full Blown
• Fitment: Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S
• Turbo configuration: Single turbo
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Full Blown BRZ Turbo Kit

Our comment: Full Blown have come up with this well-priced offering of their Stage 1 premium turbo kit. Despite being the cheapest on our list, it is rated up to an impressive 440hp provided you have the required supporting mods.

This is an extremely popular offering among BRZ and FR-S owners and with lots of great kit options available from quick spooling to big power, it’s easy to see why it’s the perfect choice for many owners.

Manufacturer description: “We realized that our Stage 1 premium turbo kit did not meet everyone’s budget so we decided to put together a more affordable kit for the guys who are looking at turboing their BRZ. The main difference from this kit compared to our Premium kit is that we were able to CNC bend most of the piping, and casted the intercooler tanks to reduce cost. ”

“We also ditched the the Tial housings for the standard T3 flange (this will make the kit work with Precision turbo or other makes in the future). We switched to a 39mm wastegate and went with a standard T3 50 Trim, T3 57 Trim, or you can upgrade to the GTX (Please see options and important notes).”

HKS GTIII-RS BRZ Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: HKS
• Fitment: Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S
• Turbo configuration: Single turbo
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: HKS GTIII-RS BRZ Turbo Kit

Our comment: The most recent kit to hit the market comes from JDM legends, HKS.

Refining what tuning houses have learned over the years from their mistakes with the various turbo kits, many owners believe this to be the best option available.

While some kits are focused on big-power numbers, HKS is keen to maintain its impressive reputation for reliability, with respectable power figures.

We’ve seen owners run anything from 250 hp through to more than 400 hp with this kit, but uprated internals will need to become a consideration if you’re looking for significant power.

HKS believes that 450 ps (440 hp) is reliably achievable with the correct tuning and ECU calibration. Several enthusiasts are keen to prove it has further untapped potential.

Thanks to the engine providing sufficient torque, the boost response and turbo lag from this kit are subtle rather than uncontrollable, making for a great street setup that’s still more than capable at the track.

Overall, this kit is an excellent all-arounder, bringing the typical quality that you’d expect from HKS.

Manufacturer description: “The HKS Turbo Kit for the 2017+ Toyota 86, 2013+ Subaru BRZ, & 2013-2016 Scion FR-S was designed and engineered to add a significant power bump to the ZN6/ZC6 chassis. It is a 100% bolt-on kit shown to provide ~350 hp with a stock FA20. The kit can be used on it’s own, or paired with other upgrades for more power (built motor tested to ~450 hp).”

“The kit includes all the necessary hard parts for installation. You will need to purchase engine management separately (piggy back or stand-alone), larger injectors are necessary (440cc or higher recommended), and upgrade the (for 3 BAR boost) pressure sensor.”

Our winner

Our winner is the WORKS Stage 2 BRZ Turbo Kit

To pick our winner from this choice of BRZ turbo kits we looked at a number of criteria; ease of installation, power levels, upgrade potential and price point.

Based on these criteria we have chosen the WORKS Stage 2 BRZ Turbo Kit to be our winner.

Updated 19th November, 2020: The GReddy T518Z was our deserved winner, however, recently GReddy has unfortunately decided to discontinue this turbo kit. Since this kit is no longer on the market, we have decided to award the win to the very solid WORKS Stage 2 turbo kit.

WORKS Stage 2 BRZ Turbo Kit

With the high quality of components, popularity and CARB compliance, it’s the WORKS Stage 2 turbo kit that takes the win in our review. This kit also gives you the benefit of not having to worry about having undeclared mods under the hood.

All four options undoubtedly have their positives, the Full Blown kit is immensely popular, the GReddy kit is an excellent choice but is sadly no longer available, although if you can find a used kit that might be worth considering.

We highly recommend that further research is done based on our guide. There are often additional parts, tunes or upgrades for base-level turbo that may be either vital or purely suit your preferences.

Wondering what a turbocharged BRZ can do? Here is a 600-horsepower monster that eats muscle cars for lunch.

Thank you for reading our BRZ turbo kit guide

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The post Ultimate Subaru BRZ Turbo Kit Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

• GReddy Scion tC Tuner Turbo Kit
• ATP Scion tC Turbo Kits
• Turbo Specialties Extreme Scion tC Turbo Kit
• Rev9Power Scion tC Turbo Kit
• FASTWAYRACER Scion tC Turbo Kit
• Jump to winners

In a hurry? Here is our Scion tC turbo kit summary

Budget Choice	Drifted Choice	Premium Choice
Rev9Power Scion tC Turbo Kit	GReddy Scion tC Tuner Turbo Kit	ATP Scion tC Turbo Kits
Buy Now	Discontinued	Buy Now

Introduction

Although we typically spend our time looking at the Scion FR-S (and its siblings – the Toyota 86 & Subaru BRZ) here at Drifted, we know that many of our fans are tC owners and enthusiasts, and since they’ve been struggling with turbo kit advice, we’re more than happy to offer a helping hand.

Despite the tC not being rear-wheel-drive (with factory-backed race cars built specifically for competition use like Fredric Aasbø and Tanner Foust’s Formula Drift builds an obvious exception), the hot hatch has still gained immense popularity among numerous tuners on the tuning scene.

Throughout the years, there have been various performance parts like air intake systems, oil coolers, exhaust systems, fuel management systems, and after-market gauges on offer for the Scion tC. And with the completely stock engines only producing a mere 180 hp, these offerings from the aftermarket industry were essential to achieve the kind of performance improvement the typical tC buyer was longing for.

When it comes to turbo kits, there have been several exceptional offerings on the market over the years, from companies such as Dezod Motorsports, TurboToyotas, P-Tuning, Treadstone, and Why Industries.

Despite consistent popularity when it comes to tuning tC’s, these aftermarket company turbo kits have since ceased production or been discontinued, much to the dismay of owners who are in the quest for forced induction.

We’ve heard horror stories with Dezod customers, so we certainly don’t recommend hand your money over to them, as they seem to have a habit of running away from the issues.

Although these popular offerings from the most recognized brands are often commonly traded among owners and enthusiasts on the used marketplace, nothing beats the peace of mind when it comes to getting your hands on a brand new turbo kit and boosting the underpowered, normally-aspirated engines.

Other than obvious signs of wear such as shaft play, it’s difficult to tell what kind of life a turbo kit has experienced over its lifetime since the date of purchase.

With several of the used turbo kit components potentially at risk of flagging up defects, such as cracked manifolds, buying new is always our preferred method.

Both the 2AR and the 2AZ engines have tremendous potential, and it was great to see Papadakis Racing proceed with the 4-cylinder 2AR for Aasbø’s build, rather than following the typical V8 route that’s become so popular in motorsport racing these days.

If you’re interested to see what went into the 1,000 hp Toyota 2AR FD engine, then watch this epic timelapse video where they construct the powerplant from start to finish in just 90 seconds.

Capable of potentially dealing with a reliable 1,000 hp output, there’s no question that these incredible engines can put out insane figures for their size.

To get there, you’d need to carry out some significant modifications to the engine internals. However, in this guide, we’ll be keeping things simple and exploring the best turbo kits out there to achieve a reliable, everyday setup for your tC.

As always, when it comes to strapping a turbo to your engine, there are a few things to consider.

Firstly, you’ll want to get the car handling well. There’s no point achieving as much power as possible with your tC if it ends up sliding into a bush when you approach the first corner.

For that reason, you’ll need to take a look at an epic coilover setup to get the car handling correctly.

Turbocharger kits also require additional breathing mods to get them unleashing their full potential.

You’ll have even more gases to extract once your tC is turbocharged, which is why a larger bore aftermarket exhaust is going to be essential right away.

Once you’ve carried out the essential upgrades to get you started, it’s time to consider what kind of power you’re looking to achieve with your tC to decide which turbo kit is going to be best for your needs.

Some owners play it safe with their engine, and they typically opt for running about 8 PSI of boost.

There have been many well-documented long-term builds that have run flawlessly for tens of thousands of miles with 10 PSI, which is where the correct tuning pays off.

On the other hand, some have risked turning it up to 14 PSI, and while some were left regretting the decision, others have had excellent long-term results.

We would recommend looking to achieve around 8-10 PSI with your setup and having it mapped by a highly-regarded tuner for a perfect mix of long-term results, while also providing plenty of enjoyment in the process.

If you want to run beyond 14 PSI, then you’ll need to begin looking at carrying out extensive internal modifications, which is where the costs can very quickly add up.

On the bottom end, you’ll need upgrades such as low-compression pistons, forged rods, and upgraded sleeves.

For the top end, expect to port and polish the head and add oversized valves alongside stronger head studs and various other additions.

To run 15 PSI reliably, we would expect to have to fork out around the $10k region for an engine build.

Alongside the turbo option, there’s also the supercharger route, which could also be a consideration.

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) made an excellent kit for the tC, and it’s a shame they didn’t make a turbo to go alongside it.

However, most owners feel that the supercharger delivers underwhelming power on the tC, so the turbo route is the far more popular choice.

If you’re interested to know more, then make sure you head over to our turbocharger vs supercharger guide, where we put them head-to-head.

Once you’ve decided that the turbocharger route is right for you, which is a bit of a no-brainer on the tC, it’s time to determine what kit suits you best.

Wondering how a turbocharged tC performs? Join Matt Farah of TheSmokingTire Youtube channel as he takes a track-prepped one for a spin.

It’s time to put the best turbo kit contenders on the current market head-to-head to help you decide the ultimate choice for your Scion tC.

GReddy Scion tC Tuner Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: GReddy
• Fitment: 2004-05 Scion tC – 1st Gen
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: JDM legends GReddy have been a household name in aftermarket performance, putting out exceptional turbo kits for different vehicles and different platforms for many years. They’ve offered a reliable platform for Scion tC enthusiasts to appreciate.

Some owners have noted that they’ve had custom hot pipes made to optimize the performance fully, which may need to be a consideration.

With this GReddy kit, you can expect to achieve up to an additional 100 hp from the factory power, with significantly improved engine response.

GReddy has noted on their website that they have discontinued production of this kit, but there’s still plenty available through the various tuning stores in the US.

If you’re looking for an off-the-shelf bolt-on kit, we feel that this offering from GReddy performance products provides the best bang for the buck.

Although it may be worth considering upgrading the hot pipe further down the line, it’s not essential.

Manufacturer description: “GReddy Turbo Kits for naturally aspired motors provides instant horsepower gains with less time and money while still providing room for upgrading for even more power!”

“GReddy turbo kits are specifically designed for optimal response and performance while maintaining daily drivability, comfort, and reliability. Each GReddy turbo kit is designed based off of a completely stock engine so each kit will come with all the necessary basics such as manifold, turbocharger, downpipe adapter, piping, hardware, and heat-shields“.

GReddy Scion tC Turbo Kit Features:

• TD05H-18G turbo
• SUS Manifold
• Racing downpipe
• Type 31V Intercooler
• Piping, fittings, clamps, hoses, etc.
• Fuel controller option separate

ATP Scion tC Turbo Kits

• Manufacturer: ATP
• Fitment: Scion tC
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your ATP GT2860RS Turbo Kit here |
  Buy your ATP GT2876R Turbo Kit here |
  Buy your ATP GT3071R here |
  Buy your ATP GT3076R here |
  Buy your ATP GT28RS here

• Garrett turbocharger power ratings:
• GT2860RS – 250-360 hp
• GT2876R – 280-480 hp
• GT3071R – 280-480 hp
• GT3076R – 310-525 hp
• GT28RS – 350 hp

Our comment: ATP brings a slightly different offering to the market, which is up there with the best when it comes to quality on the market right now.

If you opt for the ATP kit, you’ll need to get the intercooler piping fabricated, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it will allow you to choose an ideal company for the job.

With people often complaining about the piping on the ‘universal’ kits out there, and with the hot pipe issue of GReddy products, this could potentially be a blessing in disguise.

With a wide variety of turbo options available, ATP’s various setups will allow you to achieve different power bands, all the way up to 500 hp.

If you’re planning to get the power output to anywhere near 500 hp, you will, of course, need to think about significant engine upgrades.

ATP’s setup is a great choice that integrates some of the best Garrett turbochargers on the market, and it comes highly recommended, even if it isn’t a ‘full’ kit.

Manufacturer description: “After months of testing and development with the 2AZ-FE engine combination, ATP has devised an upgrade system that is both elegant and simplistic while accepting no compromises in power potential or reliability“.

“With POWER and RELIABILITY being the two key criteria for the development of the Scion tC turbo upgrade kit, they set out to test every possible hardware combination available“.

ATP Scion tC Turbo Kit Features:

• ATP Turbo Cast Iron Turbo Manifold with 38mm wastegate flange
• Steel braided lines and fittings for oil/coolant connections
• Tial 38mm External Wastegate
• Stainless wastegate discharge tube with downpipe re-route
• All mounting hardware, gaskets and CNC machined fittings
• 3.0″ Stainless steel downpipe w/stainless O2 housing

Turbo Specialties Extreme Scion tC Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Turbo Specialties
• Fitment: Scion tC 2005-06
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Turbo Specialties Extreme Scion tC Turbo Kit here

Our comment: Turbo Specialties often divide opinions, and its reputation in the Scion tC community is, unfortunately, no exception.

Although we appreciate their efforts, since they’re one of the few aftermarket brands that continue to provide a full kit for the Scion tC, you’re likely to need to carry out extensive modifications to ensure the perfect fit.

The Turbo Specialties kit is the better choice for our next three ‘budget’ options; however, it also comes with the highest price tag.

However, if you’re looking for a simple plug and play setup that isn’t going to require any modification, we’d recommend looking at the options above to save the potential hassle and money.

Manufacturer description: “If you are looking for the ultimate in high performance – the extreme performance packages are for you. Providing the maximum horsepower for the very discriminating and still providing dependability for daily driving“.

“Incorporating all the high performance equipment in the superior performance packages, these extreme packages all include an intercooler, pop off valve, extra injectors, and injection control unit, (The Brain)“.

Turbo Specialties Extreme Scion tC Turbo Kit Features:

• T25 Turbo Ex. Manifold, Ex.Outlet, Down Pipe, Hardwares
• Air Intake System, Intercooler and Pipework
• Oil Return Hose, Oil Pressure Sus Stainless Braided Hose
• Cold Water Stainless Braided Hose
• Icu350, Bp9901 Blow-Off Valves
• All hardware, pressure lines, hoses, clamps, and couplers included

Rev9Power Scion tC Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: Rev9Power
• Fitment: Scion tC 2006-Onwards
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Buy your Rev9Power Scion tC Turbo Kit here

Our comment: Unfortunately, the Rev9Power/Godspeed turbo kits have a similar reputation to the Turbo Specialties kits above and are thrown into the ‘Chinese kit’ category by tC enthusiasts.

In our experience, these kits are typically hit or miss, and they can often be useful for making a partially custom kit and selling some of the less desirable parts to enable custom fabrication.

It’s significantly cheaper than the Turbo Specialties kit, but it’s likely to need even more work to ensure ideal fitment.

Scion tC Turbo Kit Features:

• Turbocharger Manifold Scion TC 2AZFE Motor (Cast) Ultra Durable
• 7lb Wastegate (Adjustable)
• Type-M Intercooler 20x6x2.5 Core Size (Overall Length: 28″)
• T3 Stage 3 Turbocharger
• Blow Off Valve
• Oil Line, Oil Return Lines and All Fittings
• Direct Fit 2.5″ Aluminum Intercooler Piping With Silicone & T-Clamps (With Map Sensor Flange Fitting)
• T3 Downpipe Bolt Flange

FASTWAYRACER Scion tC Turbo Kit

• Manufacturer: FASTWAYRACER
• Fitment: 2005-10 Scion tC
• Value for money:
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: This kit from FASTWAYRACER is one of the best deals and by far the cheapest in our list, but it well and truly falls into the ‘Chinese turbo kit’ category.

We wouldn’t recommend running this kit, but we did want to provide an alternative option for those desperate and on a constant search to turbocharge their Scion tC on a thin budget.

FASTWAYRACER admits that it’s a universal piping kit provided here, so you’ll need to prepare for some drastic modification.

Unless you’re incredibly talented in the fabrication department, we can see this being an expensive mistake, but there’s a crazy amount of kit provided here for the price. It’s just a shame that it’s not likely to be worth the effort.

Manufacturer description: “This turbo kit perfect upgrade your car and get more boost. Your car will gain 100-150HP if you set at 7-15PSI. Customers require upgrade the fuel pump, injector and ECU to tune the car if you set at higher PSI. This kit can max up to 350HP“.

FASTWAYRACER Scion tC Turbo Kit Features:

• T3/T4 T04E .57AR Turbocharger
• Cast Iron Manifold
• 2.5″ 5-Bolt Downpipe Flange
• 38mm Turbo Wastegate
• 38MM Dump Pipe + Elbow Pipe
• Oil Return Line
• Oil Feed Line
• Fuel Pressure Regulator
• Boost Controllers
• Oil Catch Tank
• Turbo Timer
• 2″ Boost & Air/Fuel + Oil Pressure + RPM Gauge

Our winners

Now that you have read through all of our Scion tC turbo kit options, let’s look at our winners:

Drifted Scion tC Turbo kit choice

Our Drifted Choice goes to the GReddy Scion tC Tuner turbo kit.

Our Scion tC Turbo Kit winner is the GReddy Scion tC Tuner Turbo Kit

It certainly hasn’t been the easiest of bolt-on turbo kits guides given the lack of choice on the market for the Scion tC, but for an overall package, you’re going to struggle to beat the GReddy Tuner Turbo kit.

It’s a shame that it’s now discontinued, but it’s not too late to get your hands on one.

Should you need spare parts further down the line, then there’s sure to be plenty floating around on the used market thanks to its popularity over the years.

While this is the best bolt-on all-rounder, our Premium choice coming up next is also a serious contender for those of you that don’t mind putting in a little extra work.

GReddy Scion tC Tuner Turbo Kit

Premium Scion tC Turbo Kit choice

Our Premium award goes to the ATP Scion tC Turbo Kit

With a wide variety of options available, they have anything car enthusiasts like you could need to achieve power levels up to 500 hp from your Scion tC, assuming you’ve upgraded your internal components.

If this included an intercooler kit along with it, then we’d have no hesitation to hand it the Drifted Choice award.

But, given that you’re going to have to carry out some additional workmanship, it isn’t going to suit everyone.

We do believe that with a little extra time and money, the ATP is the best choice on the market right now, and if you can find a decent fabricator for the pipework, then you’ll be on to a sure winner.

ATP Scion tC Turbo Kit

Our Budget Scion tC Turbo Kit choice

Our budget award goes to the Rev9Power Turbo Kit

We’ve been disappointed by the budget offerings available for the Scion tC on the market today, and we would recommend spending the extra cash on our two other choices this time around.

We feel that the Rev9Power offers the best of a bad bunch for the price.

Given the Turbo Specialities price, which is far too close to the GReddy upgrades for what you get, we couldn’t justify handing it our budget award.

When it came to the FASTWAYRACER kit, sure, it’s cheap as hell, but it is just your average universal turbo kit, and you’re going to have to carry out a substantial amount of work to the piping to make it fit into the dimensions of your Scion’s engine bay.

Despite representing the best value for money, we wouldn’t be rushing to part with our hard-earned cash for any of the budget options here, and ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ unfortunately springs to mind.

Rev9Power Turbo Kit

Thank you for reading our Scion tC Turbo Kit guide.

Given the lack of new products, it’s been one of the more challenging turbo kit guides that we’ve written, but we hope to provide plenty of useful insight when it comes to turbocharging your Scion tC.

If our offerings don’t suit your specific needs, then we’d recommend taking a look at the used kits, which can often pop up on various marketplaces, as some of the discontinued high-quality products from various merchants of the past have the best reputations.

We wish you the best of luck with adding forced induction to your Scion tC, and don’t forget to send us photos of your build once it’s complete for the chance to be featured here at Drifted.

Hungry for some more turbo tC action? Check out this 700-hp beast as it goes for a dyno run.

Can a turbocharged tC hang with a certified muscle car? Find out for yourself!

This tC makes all the right noises as it takes to the highway to do some pulls.

Photography credits

We thank the following sources for the use of their images:

• Michael on Flickr
• GReddy

If you enjoyed this article, then please share it with the buttons at the side and bottom of your screen. Find this information useful? Please post a link to it on your Scion tC owners’ clubs. We appreciate your support.

The post Ultimate Scion tC Turbo Kit Guide first appeared on Drifted.com.

• What is drifting?
• The origins of drifting
• Famous drifters
• Drifting for beginners
• Essential equipment for drifting
• Where are the drifting hotspots?
• What drifting events are there?
• Learning how to drift

Whether you’re new to the world of drifting, have been to a drifting competition and wondered ‘just what goes into it to make it possible’, or are considering taking up drifting yourself, welcome to the definitive guide to drifting!

From the origins of a motorsport that, as of 2018, is the fastest growing, to the most famous drifters around, and a taste of what it takes to start drifting, we have covered everything you need to know about this unique and exhilarating sport.

Ready to dive into the action? Let’s start with the first need-to-know: just what exactly is drifting?

What is drifting?

Drifting is taking a car and exceeding the limits of it – and adding in some style with as much smoke as you can possibly kick up. Sound exciting? That’s because it is!

Manufacturers design vehicles to be able to grip the surface of the road. This makes the car safe to drive, and of course, compliant with regulations. Drifting takes this essential function of a vehicle and explores just how far it can go on the track.

The art of drifting is achieved by taking a rear wheel drive (RWD) car and pushing it into oversteer; achieved by using the handbrake and clutch, and the throttle. When you push the vehicle into oversteer, the traction on the rear wheels break and then move out of line. The slide that this creates is then controlled via the application of the counter-steer and throttle.

Achieving and executing a drift is incredibly technical, but the sport is all about style. While most motorsports centre around lap times and speed, drifting is about the angle of the drift once the oversteer has been initiated, how close the driver gets to clipping points on their track line, and of course, how much smoke they kick up.

This accumulates to create an incredibly diverse sport with plenty of variations in competition. Solo drifting or tandem drifting (where one driver follows another driver’s lead line as closely as possible without interfering with the line or making contact), is extremely exciting to watch and exhilarating to be part of. One of the best takeaways from ‘what is drifting?’, is that excelling at drifting means putting on the best show possible.

The origins of drifting

When it comes to pinpointing the exact origins of drifting, there is a bit of speculation at play with two potential origin stories.

The first story sees the sport emerging from Japan in the 1970’s/1980’s; this is generally believed to be the most likely of the two origin stories. The story starts with a man named Keiichi Tsuchiya, who is believed to be amongst the first people to have introduced sliding on race tracks. This emerged as a result of his experience driving on the mountainous Japanese roads.

From this humble beginning, Japan harnessed the concept of the sport and pioneered it. Slowly, it started to become a sport with a higher profile, attracting the kind of big-budget competition that you can see today.

The second story states that it was the art of ‘Scandinavian flicking’, that began the trend and eventually led to Japan pioneering the sport. This technique of initiating oversteer via the handbrake was used during rallying in order to prevent the vehicle losing momentum on the track.

Whichever origin story is truly correct, doesn’t detract from the fact that drifting has come a long way as a motorsport in only recent years, and today, only seems to be growing.

Famous drifters

Due to the popularity of the motorsport, it will come as no surprise that quite a few drifting legends have already emerged, pathing the way for the motorsport as we know it today. There are two standout drifters that have worked their way up the ranks to be classed as two of the most famous drifters in the world; Keiichi Tsuchiya and Daigo Saito.

Keiichi Tsuchiya

We’ve already touched on Keiichi Tsuchiya as a key player in the origins of drifting, but he went on to have an outstanding career in drifting, to the point that today, he is known as the ‘Drift King’.

Tsuchiya’s exciting career sees him go from a teenage tearaway to a king of the drifting track, covering renowned contests like the All Japan GT Championship and the Toyota Cup. While he has retired from drifting today, his career inspired a generation of new drifters and he is still a prominent face in the motorsport.

Daigo Saito

Daigo Saito is a big name in the drifting world and a true legend of the Japanese drifting scene. Renowned for his control over some almighty beasts of drifting cars, Saito has paved his way into the drifting history books with wins at the 2008 Japanese D1GP Championship, Formula D series and Formula D Asia series. Today, Daigo Saito is commonly considered to be either the number one drifting champion or at the very least, way up there with the very best.

Want to learn more about JDM cars? Try our 11 Best JDM Cars From The Nineties feature.

Drifting for beginners

Now you know a little more about what the sport entails, the history of drifting, and those household names of the drifting world, its time to delve a little deeper into how to start drifting yourself. For all those drivers out there inspired by the showmanship and excellent technical ability of drifters – this is the section of the guide for you!

We’ll be taking a look at some of the top tips every beginner should know, and also those essential bits of information you need to know about drifting cars and equipment. But first things first, why should you consider drifting?

If you’re a drifting enthusiast, then you’ll already be up to speed with the excitement that drifting creates – it’s a unique motorsport and is popular for a reason. If you’re just taking your first tentative steps into the drifting world, then its worth checking out a few videos and tutorials – immersing yourself in what makes drifting so exhilarating.

As we’ll cover later in the guide, drifting also opens the door to competitions across the globe and introduces drivers to a whole new way to explore some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Drifting is a growing sport, with drift challenges becoming even more exciting and diverse. Unlike most racing sports, drifting is in its early days and offers a prime opportunity to expand your horizons when it comes to motorsports.

Top tips for beginner drifters

Drifting can be a bit of a baffling sport at first, no matter how much you know about it. One of the best ways to get your head around what you should be doing and what to avoid is to take a look at some of the top tips for drifting for beginners. If you’re getting ready to drift for the first time or preparing for your first competition, here’s what you need to know:

1. Understand How Your Car Works

Your car is the most important piece of equipment that you need to drift, so you need to understand how it works – the ins and outs of what makes your car tick. Understanding the uniqueness of your vehicle is the key to understanding how it’s going to perform out on the track.

2. Understand Why You Want to Drift

Drifting is a technical sport and it’s unlikely that you’re going to nail it on your first attempt. It takes practice and determination to excel at drifting. You need to be committed to the sport, and in return, it can really set you free. Understand what makes you want to drift, and you’ll find that determination and commitment that you need to excel.

3. Perform the Right Upgrades

Once you know your car, you can get to grips with the right upgrades that it’ll need to achieve a boost in performance out on the track. From coilovers to perfect suspension, take the time to tailor your car to your drifting style and make it as comfortable as possible to drive.

4. Think About Chassis Stability

Reinforcing the chassis on your car is essential if you’re going to drift. Achieving stability when you initiate oversteer is vital if you’re going to begin well and achieve a good slide.

5. Practice Leads to Success

At the end of the day, you’re going to need to put in the practice if you want to excel. This means practising initiating a drift, learning the facets, and putting those upgrades to good use. A great car will only take you so far before practice has to take you the rest of the way.

6. Practice on drifting games

There are some amazing drift simulators like Assetto Corsa which can be played with a full VR sim racing rig, however for no budget at all you can play games like Drift Hunters right here at Drifted, for free. At the end of the day, any practice will help!

What car should you use for drifting?

As we mentioned before, your vehicle is the most important piece of equipment that you need to drift. Choosing the best car to start drifting with can be a bit of a minefield, especially if you’re new to drifting.

The weight of the car, the engine, suspension, and power output all need careful consideration, along with pretty much every other element of the vehicle that is going to make the difference between a comfortable and well-suited drive and one that really isn’t going to bring out the best of your skills.

So, where to start?

The first decision you’re going to have to make is whether to choose an automatic car or a manual car. Now, manual cars are generally the preferred option for beginners and pros alike, but automatic still has a small following. If you’re brand new to drifting, a manual is very likely to be the best option for you; while it is possible to drift an automatic, it can be much harder. Really, it comes down to preference, but you’ll likely find that you have a MUCH larger choice of cars when you opt for a manual drive.

Luckily, there are plenty of decent cars that are well-equipped for beginners and not too expensive. Here are 7 of our top picks for beginners:

• 1. NISSAN 240sx S14
• 2. BMW M3 E36
• 3. NISSAN SKYLINE R33 GTS-T
• 4. NISSAN 350z
• 5. MAZDA MX-5 NB
• 6. BMW M3 E46
• 7. Toyota Mark II Tourer V JZX-90

Picking your first drifting car is a massive step, so always make sure that you do your research, test out the vehicles if possible, and get advice from drivers that have had experience drifting in the vehicles before.

Now that you’ve picked perfect drift car, you are going to need some car insurance. Check out our comprehensive guide for types of car insurance in the USA. Don’t like to keep things stock? Then check out our extensive car tuning guides.

Will drifting damage your car?

For beginners, a limited shift differential (LSD), is the way to go for easier control over your drifting, whether on wet roads or dry roads.

A big worry for anyone starting out in drifting is whether drifting is going to damage their vehicle, and if so, to what extent. Put very simply, yes, drifting does damage your car, but then very few sports can be enjoyed without the occasional wear and tear on the equipment that you use.

Really, the extent of damage that your car will sustain comes down to your driving, and the way that you look after your vehicle. If you are cautious, then you can minimize the damage to only encounter the unavoidable wear and tear of putting your car through its paces, and the results of an off, that at some point or another, every drifter is going to experience.

Tyre replacement is a key part of the damage sustained through drifting, and something that you will have to go through on a regular basis. On top of that is any chassis damage sustained during an off. Ending up off the track can cause minimal or major damage, depending on what you’re landing on; a grassy patch is unlikely to do as much damage as a large ditch, for example.

Repairing your vehicle will factor into your drifting experience, but again, like any sport, its all part of the experience, and if you’re careful and follow the right protocol and techniques, damage should rarely be anything too serious.

Essential equipment for drifting

There really is no limit to the number of ways that you can modify and enhance your vehicle; drifting is one of those sports where the extent of customisation is really down to how much you want. However, it’s not advisable to go all out before you truly commit to the sport. There are some true essentials that you’re going to need to take your drifting to the next level, and then much of the rest comes down to preference, aesthetics, and gradual enhancement.

Five major pieces of equipment make up the essentials: the seat, differential, suspension, handbrake, and rubber. Let’s break them down a little…

Seat

This is the source of your comfort and something that you’re going to want to make sure that you get right. Installing a specialist seat, like a racing seat or a fixed-back seat, will make all the difference when drifting. Getting a harness installed is also a crucial safety measure!

Differential

For beginners, a limited shift differential (LSD), is the way to go for easier control over your drifting, whether on wet roads or dry roads.

Suspension

The suspension in your car is a key part of your ability to drift; a good all in one coilover unit will help you to retain more control over your vehicle and help with handling.

Handbrake

Always make sure that your handbrake is in excellent condition, otherwise, you’ll feel the repercussions when initiating a drift. If you find that your handbrake is not performing as it should, its better to get it replaced quickly.

Rubber

Drifting eats tyres; never be in any doubt that if you really get into drifting, then you’re going to be burning through tyres at a rapid rate. As a beginner, try investing in re-moulded types, and always think about quality!

Where are the drifting hotspots?

Putting the technical aspects of drifting aside, it’s about time to unleash what can really set drifting apart as a uniquely exhilarating sport – the best drifting hotspots around the world. These are places to really let loose and have fun, put your drifting skills to the test and explore parts of the world in one of the most exciting ways imaginable. Here are three of the best drifting hotspots:

Evergreen Drift Park, New Zealand

Located Meremere, New Zealand, the Evergreen Drift Park is a dedicated drift park that offers a brand-new track for drifting enthusiasts to check out. The track features narrow corners, with a unique set-up that creates a complex track with a unique design.

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi

The site of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Yas Marina Circuit features 21 corners that explore Yas Island. This stunning track offers a unique view of Abu Dhabi with exciting tight corners, long straights, and the chance to get up close to some sand dunes.

Franschhoek Pass, South Africa

A very narrow mountainous road in South Africa, Franschhoek Pass offers truly breath-taking views and a drifting experience like no other. Located in Cape Town, you can expect to pick up some serious speed on this road and take in some of the best views in South Africa at the same time.

Drifting competitions

While some drifters strive to compete in drifting competitions, others simply enjoy the sport as a way to let off steam; whichever category you fall into, there is something truly exhilarating about witnessing a drifting competition first hand.

Thankfully, drifting competitions are in relative abundance across the globe, so whether you’re willing to travel, or are looking for a competition to check out near you, you shouldn’t be hard pressed to get in on the excitement.

Drifting competitions come in all shapes and sizes, but they also come with a unique scoring and judging system. Drivers arrive, sign on, and get a clear picture of the track that they’re going to be facing. This involves mapping out a course, assessing the clipping points, and getting to grips with the line that the judges will expect to be followed.

A key thing to note here are the painted boxes on the track – these boxes (or sometimes cones), show where a driver has to run the rear or the front of their car.

Drivers have to compete in the qualifying run which will cut the competition down to only 32 drivers. Then it’s on to the battles, which see the first-place position take on the driver in the 32nd place position; tiering down in the same way until every driver has drifted. The drivers will take turns being the leader and the chaser, each time mirroring the driver in front without crossing the 3-metre rule.

Points are tallied up at the end of a run, with the drivers losing points for a bad start, understeering, hitting other vehicles, spinning the car out, and clipping. The winner of the competition will have shown the best demonstration of angle, line, style, speed, and a key part of any competition, show.

What drifting events are there?

As we mentioned, drifting competitions occur all over the world, with plenty of variations and series to watch or even get involved in. These draw in massive crowds and some of the biggest names in the drifting world. They’re also a great place to check out drifting cars and unique modifications as drivers strive to make sure their equipment is always up to the task. These are some of the main competitions to be on the lookout for:

Formula DRIFT, USA

This is a premier drifting series hosted in the United States. The competition began in 2003 and is performed at race tracks all around North America.

D1 Grand Prix, Japan

Another premier drifting series, this time hosted in Japan. The Drift 1 Grand Prix is one of the most well-known championships in the world; you need to be exceptional to even qualify for this competition!

King of Nations Series, Europe

The King of Nations series takes place in various locations across Europe, with a different global calendar each year that spans countries ranging from Italy to France.

Learning how to drift

Taking up drifting as a sport is a big decision, but one that is rewarding in so many ways. The ability to let loose and have fun with drifting is unlike any other experience in the world. Whether this is your first voyage into the sport or a welcome refresher of just what drifting is all about, we hope our guide has provided a little insight into the diverse, exciting, and outstanding world of drifting. Curious to try drifting yourself? There’s no better time to get started!

Anything else?

No doubt we’ve missed loads. Disagree with what we’ve said? Got something to add? Have any questions? Leave us a comment, feedback or questions below and we’ll slowly but surely add some debate to the article!

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