Japanese drift champion Masato Kawabata has just broken the world drifting record with an astonishing 190mph 30-degree slide, obliterating the previous record of 135mph set by Polish drifter Jakub Przygoński back in 2013. The Japanese driver had the support of Nismo specialists who, along with GReddy Trust, developed a purpose-built, rear-wheel drive 1380bhp R35.
The record was set during a special event at the Fujairah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, chosen for its 1.86-mile long runway. According to Nissan, the team wanted to perform a drift in excess of 300km/h from the outset. Therefore the car was developed and tested at Japan’s high-speed Fuji Speedway, allowing the team to set the car up for “stability and confidence-inspiring handling characteristics”.
We’re pretty certain that ‘stability’ and 190mph slides don’t go together, so hats off to Kawabata. Nissan has yet to release the full in-depth video, so for the time-being we’ll have to make do with these stunning images.
There’s an old saying that everything is bigger in Texas, but we never knew that was true for high-performance supercars. Apparently, that saying also goes with Japanese supercars.
In its stock form, the Nissan GT-R puts out a mind-bending 545 hp from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6, which is nothing to snort at. In its most potent form, the GT-R Nismo, pumps out 600 hp and 481 lb-ft of torque, which allows the supercar to get to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph. Regardless of how you feel about the GT-R, there’s no denying that’s quick.
Tony Palo and his shop from T1 Race Development in Texas didn’t think the GT-R had enough power and pumped it up to an insane level. This video from Japan’s Motorhead magazine gives enthusiasts a close up look into the most powerful and quickest GT-R in the US.
In the beginning of the video, Palo’s GT-R is on a dyno and can be seen putting out 2,166 hp and 1,302 lb-ft of torque, but Palo claims that a different run showed 2,276 hp. In addition to the outrageous output, the GT-R also holds the half-mile speed record at 235.6 mph.
]]>With Spring break in full effect and literally hundreds of pro-am drifters and beginner sliders enjoying the last few days before returning to school or work, that usually calls for chill drift events to cap off the weekend. According to Formula Drift driver Corey Hosford, things got a little dicey during the Second Annual Easter drift held at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona.
While serving as a guest judge during their “wall ride” competition (where drift cars come as close to touching the wall as possible) one drift car understeered into a k-rail and jumped the barrier narrowly entering the judging booth were everyone else was spectating.
According to Corey,
]]>Last night I had the pleasure of hosting the @gofastent Easter drift event announcing with @thecanadiantuxedo. We were judging a “wall ride” contest and@keithcalcagnie wanted to take wall riding to the next level! I wanted to make sure I didn’t look away so I would be able to judge him fairly!
To be clear, those days are over.
Yes, a given manufacturer will still blow the budget sky-high in an effort to steal ink out from under the collective noses of competitors. On these occasions, the lion’s share of the funds will be diverted not toward dry ice providers or back-up dancers, but to celebrities on all of the lists from A to D or to special events organized outside the car shows themselves.
The car show strategy, in effect, has become far more strategic.
This is a critical development because manufacturers and their representatives are divided on how important the modern-day car show is to the bottom line. The age of the Internet has triggered changes; people don’t need to attend a car show to know all about a new vehicle within minutes of it being unveiled. Also, if a new car release is significant enough, these details will often migrate over from enthusiast outlets to mainstream media outlets.
But here’s the kicker: Having a presence at a big car show is an expensive proposition – so expensive, in fact, that it’s no longer a given that every manufacturer shows up every time. This development came to light in 2008, when the global recession hit like a thunderclap and sent sales tumbling. Later that year, Porsche and Nissan opted out of the North American International Auto Show – a move that would’ve previously been unthinkable.
]]>If a car with standard specs is not moving you at all, then the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon from mid-January is the place to go if you are into customization. Nissan is set to display quite an impressive number of modified models at the most important tuning event in Japan, with no less than 14 special cars being created for the show. At Nissan’s crowded stand, 13 customized versions of their production vehicles will be ready to be admired, plus the Motul Autech GT-R racer that won the series championship in the 2015 SUPER GT GT500 class.
It is not an exclusively manly stand, as three of the models were created in collaboration with the French fashion designer Lolita Lempicka. The Micra/March, Versa/Note and Juke Lolita Lempicka Concepts feature a two-tone white and black exterior, with a possibility for these to be produced in a limited edition series.
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Which means it stands out from the crowd. The distinctive styling works, and allows for plenty of room for those in the front seats.
The cabin seems well put together, and there’s plenty of adjustment in the front. However, those in the rear get a lot less room and light. To balance that, the boot is capacious. The level of tech is fine but no better, and most trim levels mean you don’t get sat-nav as standard. It’s a £1400 option.
Under the bonnet there is a range of engines from a range of sources. At the entry level, as mentioned, Renault provide the motive power. This is a 1.5-litre turbodiesel emitting 108g/km of CO2 and managing a claimed 68.9mpg. At the other end, and tested here, is a 2.2-litre turbodiesel that can manage 127g/km and 57.6mpg.
This latter unit is sourced from Mercedes, and pushes on well. Although the noise-cancelling software has some work to do, and still has some way to go as the revs rise. The engine rumble is joined by wind and tyre noise but all this sound is matched by decent performance.
This AWD model feels quite potent, working smoothly through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto box. It works better in auto than manual mode. There are plenty of variants to choose from, and we tried both Premium Tech and Sport. The former is pretty comfortable with gentle understeer building up. However it has more body lean than feels reassuring.
