[Autocar]

According to the chief engineer for the Mustang program, there'll be two supercharger options. The first will bring power up to 400 HP and the other up to 500 HP.

In addition, Vaughn Gittin Jr. made a sideways appearance in the new D1 Grand Prix Falken Drift Mustang, closely followed by a troupe of similarly sliding 'Stangs.

leaner, meaner 2010 Ford mustang MODERNIZED, WITH MORE REFINEMENT, new look inside, OUT

* New muscular, sculptured exterior design is a modern evolution of Mustang heritage

* Powerful new interior design features world-class craftsmanship, upgraded materials and new technology

* Performance improvements – larger wheels, retuned suspension and increased horsepower – developed from engineering experience on the race track and from special editions including the Mustang Bullitt

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2008 – Muscle goes modern for 2010 as the Ford Mustang – America’s favorite muscle car for 45 years straight – hits the streets with a new exterior design; new world-class interior featuring well-crafted materials and updated technology; and a V-8 with even more horsepower and an even throatier signature Mustang exhaust sound.

Combine those elements with the new Mustang’s improved handling characteristics, more standard safety and technology features and its already-strong safety and quality performance and reputation, and it’s easy to see how the muscle car known around the world delivers on the promise of fast, fun and affordable performance for a whole new era.

“More than 9 million customers have made Mustang one of the world’s most beloved automotive and cultural icons,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Making sure this modern legend lives up to their expectations has been a driving force for the team, which went to great lengths – gathering customer input everywhere from race tracks to Main Streets in cities throughout the U.S. – working to create the best Mustang ever.”

For 2010, the team delivered. “The new Mustang marks new levels of both power and refinement,” said Paul Randle, Mustang chief engineer. “We’ve designed and engineered this to be the next classic Mustang that everyone talks about for years and years.”

In true Mustang tradition, there is a “steed for every need.” At launch, customers can choose from a V-6 or V-8 with their choice of coupe, convertible or innovative glass roof, plus several new options and features delivering the opportunity for customers to personalize their cleaner, meaner-looking Mustangs.

“The best Mustangs have always been the ones that connect young America with the spirit of the times – and the 2010 does exactly that,” said J Mays, Ford’s group vice president of Design. “The new Mustang is close to the magnetic center of the original, fully loaded with the swagger you’d expect, but with modern refinement and attention to detail like you’ve never seen in a muscle car.”

It starts with the more aggressive grille, punctuated with the first new Mustang emblem since the car’s introduction in 1964. Both the V-6 and GT have brand-new sculptured front-end designs unique to each model. The headlamps and turn indicators, now integrated into one unit, are modern interpretations inspired by the 1970 Mustang. On the V-6, the fog lamps are located on the lower fascia, while on the GT, the fog lamps are again located in the upper grille – but are smaller than the outgoing model, similar to the original lamps of the 1967-68 models that inspired them.

“We understand Mustang’s heritage and iconic status it has in the world and as a symbol of Americana,” said Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas. “We wanted to create a face that is more muscular but unquestionably, unequivocally Mustang and carry that spirit through to the entire car.”

The exterior sheet metal, except for the fast-back roofline, is all new for 2010. At the front, the new headlamps, lower fascias, fenders and grille are capped by a powerdome hood that adds to the muscular appearance while functionally allowing for enhanced air cooling of the engine.

Mustang’s washer-fluid nozzles are tucked into the cowl, while the antenna has been moved to the rear, both of which create a cleaner appearance while also reducing wind noise.

Front rear fenders feature taut, sculptured wheel flares, like a tight skin stretched over the wheels. A classic spear character line on the doors leads to a modern indication of “hip” rear fenders. “It helps give the car aggressive, forward direction, like it’s ready to jump,” said Doug Gaffka, Mustang chief designer.

The rear end design features aggressively angled rear corners, a sculptured decklid and prominent rear badge. A rear-view camera incorporated into the spoiler is available on some models.

A notable new tail lamp design features three LED bulbs firing sequentially from the inside for turn indication. The sequential bulbs were a distinct Mustang feature in the ’60s and comeback to the 2010 for the first time since then. Locating the reverse lamps vertically creates a modern version of the Ford classic three-lens taillamp.

The best of new, heritage

Cleverly combining modern technology with Mustang heritage is a signature of the 2010 model, in terms of both design and engineering.

“All of the Bullitt elements are the base foundation of the GT,” said Randle, noting engine and chassis improvements. “We also applied some improvements gained from Mustang racing. We’re learning constantly and always giving that to the customer on the base car.”

The wheel-and-tire combinations are 1 inch bigger across the board, ranging from 17 to 19 inches, which helps improve handling and braking. The shocks have been retuned on all models as well.

“We adjusted the springs, stabilizer bars and shocks to better balance the ride, steering and handling for all models, which results in a more engaging driving experience,” adds Mustang Vehicle Engineering manager Tom Barnes. “The 2010 Mustangs feel more controlled for steering and handling, yet retain a good ride balance.”

The 2010 Mustang 4.6-liter V-8 benefits from innovations from the popular Bullitt model. Power has increased to 315 horsepower.

“It runs on regular gasoline, but if you put in premium it has adaptive calibration that will give you even better mid-range torque,” Barnes said, adding that Easy Fuel™, Ford’s innovative capless fuel system, is standard on all models.

“It’s an upgrade to the most-robust, most-accessorized engine in the marketplace today,” Randle added. “No one has the reliability, no one has the upgraded options. This is a fantastic engine, proven on the race track, the drag strip and on the highway.”

AdvanceTrac™ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is now standard and complements Mustang’s all-speed traction control and anti-lock braking system (ABS).

“It gives a driver a little more confidence that in any type of condition the car will maintain what they want it to do,” Barnes said. “The 2010 Mustang improves ride quality and maintains world-class steering and handling.”

In addition to all of the design and driving dynamics improvements, the 2010 Ford Mustang is engineered to maintain its top government safety ratings. Standard safety equipment includes: dual stage front driver and passenger air bags; front seat-mounted side air bags; and, Ford’s Personal Safety System.

Interior leads in design, materials, content and comfort

Like the exterior, the interior design is all new with world-class materials and execution.

The powerful new one-piece instrument panel design is crafted in seamless soft-touch TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) skin fully encompassing available genuine aluminum-finish panels. Mustang’s chromed-ringed gauges and dual-vane air register vents are precisely crafted and positioned.

“That’s the difference between good enough and exceptional,” said Gary Morales, Interior Design manager. “We wouldn’t accept anything less than leadership design and world-class craftsmanship.”

The instrument panel and console flow as one shape, another strong connection to Mustang heritage. The seats and arm rests have softer materials with high-quality stitching.

The new center stack design adds the latest version of Ford SYNC™, with new features 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report. Drivers also can customize their ambient and instrument lighting through the My Color™ system, which features 125 color options.

“The centerstack is quite progressive. The electronic finish panel containing the audio and climate control buttons and knobs are integrated into the finish panel,” said Kim Zielinski, Mustang Instrument Panel engineer, 2010 Mustang. “I believe the customers will really like the new look.”

In addition to the improvements in technology and comfort, drivers will notice a quieter ride. “It’s much more vault-like,” Barnes said. “But we maintained the signature Mustang sound.”

The upgraded instrument panel along with new sound deadeners added to select areas helped improve interior quietness, especially at high speeds or on rough roads. All the better to hear that famous Mustang roar.

With a completely redone exterior that echoes the classic Mustang designs of the past, an interior featuring world-class materials, numerous technology upgrades and an improved driving experience, the 2010 Mustang is poised to become the latest classic in the proud line of Ford’s iconic American muscle car.

“The 2010 Mustang is drop-dead gorgeous,” Randle said. “This car marks the best efforts of 45 years of passion and enthusiasm among the best designers, engineers and manufacturing experts in the business, and we can’t wait for everyone to see it and start driving it.”

The 2010 Mustang will be built at the Auto Alliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

# # #

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 224,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

(Hat tip to everyone who sent this in!) [via 0-60mag]

Formula DRIFT Announces Red Bull Drifting World Championship

LONG BEACH, Calif. - July 14, 2008 - Formula DRIFT, North America's premier drifting Sanctioning Body, has partnered with Red Bull Energy Drink, the world's leading energy drink, to create one of the world's most anticipated drifting events ever - the Red Bull Drifting World Championship. The event, which will feature 32 of the world's best drifters, will be held on the docks at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., on Saturday, November 15, 2008.

The Red Bull Drifting World Championship will bring the best drifting drivers in the world together to compete in a single historic event. Drivers from the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Europe and Canada will participate, but only one will claim the title of Red Bull Drifting World Champion. Current and past champions from the world's top professional drifting series will receive an exclusive invitation to showcase their skills and compete for the largest drifting prize purse ever offered.

"Formula DRIFT has worked over the last five years to bring the drifting world closer together via our partnered events in Singapore and Mexico as well as our open door/open dialogue with the top professional drifting leagues from each corner of the world. We are excited to be able to team up with Red Bull to bring the world together and stage the toughest competition with the best drivers," stated Jim Liaw, President/Co-Founder of Formula DRIFT.

The purpose-built course will include unprecedented features that will test the limits of the drivers and their cars such as a long straight to ensure triple-digit entry speeds, a big, sweeping first turn for high-speed drifting and multiple, technically challenging turns. Trackside viewing areas will allow spectators to get up close and personal with the competition.

"It is an exciting time for the sport of drifting. Red Bull is the leader for innovative sporting events worldwide and now drivers will be challenged like never before in a completely different environment than we're used to," said Rhys Millen, 2005 Formula DRIFT champion. "I'm proud to be flying the Red Bull colors heading into the Red Bull Drifting World Championship."

Formula DRIFT, North America's professional drifting championship series, will play the role of organizer, co-promoter, and sanctioning body for the World Championship event. Judging will be based on current Formula DRIFT rules and regulations with the possible addition of two international judges.

More information will be disclosed at a later date including brand and media partners and participating drivers.

[Source: Formula DRIFT]

It's been lowered a bit and sports the obligatory large exhaust tip, but overall it looks quite intact. Perhaps it spent the first 20 or so years of its life as a sedate daily driver.


I saw quite a few of these emblems at the Motoring J Style show a month ago. Hey, do you think we'll start seeing Echos with Platz emblems? Avalons with Pronard badging?


Yes, that's a NorCal Drift Academy T-shirt being used as a seat cover; let's hope the owner of this car keeps the body in one piece and the engine block unventilated as he slides around the track.

Shredding Tires with Tanner Foust - Garage419

As you can see, the Skyline was far from stock. It started life as an R32 GTS-T, but now it's powered by a RB26 from an R33 GT-R. The ride feels brutal at first, but you quickly adjust your mindset as your expectations realize that this is a full-on stripped-out racer capable of running in the highest level of drift competition. You may think it sounds loud in the video, but that was with the silencer on, something that comes off when it hits the track.

While the shop at ONI JDM isn't particularly big, you get the sense that the business is an extension of the guys' passion. Take the guy that gave me a drive in the R32, he worked as a mechanic during the week, but was a racer and drifter on the weekends. Now, I know that many of us here at Jalopnik aren't necessarily into the tuner scene, but you've gotta admire that dual-purpose spirit of racing on Sunday then wrenching on Monday.

So, despite the free health care, we've discovered the first real reason to move to Canada: awesome JDM rides.

[Check out their website at: ONIJDM.com]

JZZ30 TOYOTA SOARER D1 SPECIAL VERTEX RIDGE 30 SOARER Yes, you read that correctly. Vertex USA would like to announce Mr. Takahiro Ueno's famous D1 USA Vertex Soarer is up for sale! For SERIOUS inquiries only, please call our offices at: 888-3-Vertex ext. 401. Below are images and specs of this D1 legendary drift machine.

The JZZ30 Soarer is established perfection with [VERTEX] Body Kit and it reminiscence GT500 racing car. The bonnet and Doors are made by Carbon Fiber and all the windows replaced to Acrylic Windows to achieve lightweight special car. Front Bumper Canards and Front Aero Fenders manufactured to give effective aerodynamics and engine cooling. They also produce wide and aggressive visual. All the parts are balanced each other and fitted to make best potential of JZZ30 Soarer.

[YouTube]

[via YouTube]

Vazin went on to say "It's not all or nothing, we're certainly reviewing it against a larger motorsports strategy, but for 2008 we're taking a pause." He wouldn't give a reason for doing so, other than saying they're working on strategy, but he did deny that it was at all a financial decision.

On the awkward timing given the introduction of the Nissan GT-R, Vazin responded with questions "The GT-R goes on sale in June, so we're a good six months away [and] the company is considering what to do with the GT-R. Can we go racing with it? What series could we be in that would be consistent across all markets?"

Though he insisted that Nissan was out of racing for FY2008, which for Nissan means March 31, 2009, the door was left open for the future "At the moment we finished CORR (Championship Off Road Racing) season for 2007 and felt pretty good about where we ended, and now it's a chance to reflect on what's the return and where we can make a difference."

You heard it here first. Nissan is out. Does this mean a great return in FY 2009 highlighted by a NISMO racing GT-R? Or will Nissan's reflection lead to them continuing their motorsports freeze? Only time will tell.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

During eliminations, however, Russakoff fell on hard times. In the most spectacular crash of the weekend, he powered into the tires, and the car launched several feet into the air on the rebound. Russakoff says he wanted to push the limits and please the judges. While Russakoff's first two passes were adequate, he says, his entry speeds were low. With a dearth of horsepower to play with, entry speed determines the entire run for the smaller cars. Despite this catastrophe, Russakoff managed to qualify 16th of 16. The crash took out his radiator and tweaked the front suspension, but he said it wouldn't be too expensive to fix. Though, even with parts from a friend's car, Russakoff couldn't get it back on the track in the four-hour window before Eliminations.

Twenty-four racers competing for 16 slots in the final leads to all manner of carnage. Weekend-ending crashes from Russakoff and Tiger Racing's Chanin earned them "good job" reprimands from the judges. Battles of attrition from Tiger teammate Jaytir and Kure racing's Fixmer's cars left a rich potpurri of car parts across the track from each of their three passes. But that wasn't enough to guarantee anyone a spot without fighting for it. In the end, the highest qualifying score was 99.9 and the lowest a hair's-breadth 99.0, with entry speeds ranging from 79.5 mph to 89.5 mph. Newcomer Forrest Wang made a crowd-pleasing drift, but only earned a 98.5. We have no doubt he's someone to keep an eye on in the future.

It wouldn't be a car show/race without a standard collection of garden-variety bikini babes. In addition to typical arm candy these events encourage, there was a bikini contest right after the main event. But it may have been most notable for its crowd-control benefits; the on-stage proceedings kept the crowd from migrating en masse to the parking lot like at most other events.

With eight pairs of drivers selected for the elimination round, the entire event shifted in tone. Where the qualifying round was like a demolition derby, the main event was more like The Magic Flute with burning rubber. All in all, only one bumper went flying, and that was due to unsportsmanlike contact between Ueo and Yoshioka. Apparently, Ueo has a reputation for taking opponents down with him, but tonight it only cost Yoshioka a rear bumper.

Because of the way that elimination pairs are chosen (#1 with #16, #2 with #15 and so forth) pitting both Team Orange drivers against each another provided counterpoint to the two's tandem runs they'd been practicing all weekend. Unfortunately, it made judging the two similar drivers with similar cars virtually impossible, causing seemingly endless sudden-death matches with neither driver flinching. Finally, Kumakubo, last year's series champ, slipped up and let his teammate progress to the semi-finals.

Ryan Hampton and his Corvette spun out, leading to a score of zero and his elimination, which was something of a disappointment, because his car was probably the best sounding car on the track and the only domestic model.

The final came down to Yoichi Imamura's widebody Nissan Z and Hideo Hiraoka's Silvia. In the end, Imamura made an unpopular victor. The crowd turned on him during the semi-final showdown against Yoshioka. He'd been passed spectacularly on the inside of a tight drift, only to have his opponent spin out and lose the heat. Regardless, to the victor goes the spoils. In this case, a $5,000 purse.

Best 16
Toshiki Yoshioka defeated Ernie Fixmer.
Katsuhiro Ueo defeated Kazuyoshi Okamura.
Yoichi Imamura defeated Michihiro Takatori.
Ken Nomura defeated Justin Pawlak.
Kazuhiro Tanaka defeated teammate Nobushige Kumakubo.
Tetsuya Hibino defeated Ryan Hampton.
Hideo Haraoka defeated Daigo Saito.
Takahiro Ueno defeated Quoc Ly.

Best 8
Toshiki Yoshioka defeated Katsuhiro Ueo.
Yoichi Imamura defeated Ken Nomura.
Kazuhiro Tanaka defeated Tetsuyo Hibino.
Hideo Hiraoka defeated Takahiro Ueno.

Semi-final
Yoichi Imamura defeated Toshiki Yoshioka.
Hideo Hiraoka defeated Kazuhiro Tanaka.

Final
Yoichi Imamura defeated Hideo Hiraoka.

(Results courtesy LVMS.com.)

Related:
Jalopnik at the D1 Grand Prix, Day One: Practice [internal]

There's some impressive steel gathered here in the desert. Six Nissan 240SXs, Six Nissan Silvias, a couple of Subaru Imprezas, a selection of Toyotas, a Mazda RX-7 and, representing the continent, a Corvette C5. And that's not even counting the flurry of amateur cars taking part in the driver search event.

The D1 pits have a more casual feel than at other races. Crews wear flip flops, and drivers and crews are busy but approachable, always making the time to greet fans. But the laid-back feel doesn't extend to the judges who walk around docking points for litter and cigarette butts.

For the D1 circuit racers, Friday was all about practice. During the day, the parking-lot-turned-race-course topped 110 F. Tires tended toward liquification. Engines overheated after just a few laps. According to D1 commentator Toshi Hayama, drivers were operating at about 40 percent of their potential. Once the sun went down, he said, we got more like 80 percent.

Aside from the technical challenges presented by a July afternoon in the Mojave, the practice session went off without an abundance of carnage. Subaru driver Kazuhiro Tanaka managed to rip the rear bumper off his orange Subaru Impreza during a spectacular drift, while Toshiki Yoshioka did him one better by ripping off both bumpers of his Toyota Trueno.

One of the unique things about D1 is that they recruit amateur racers through a driver search event, or "Ikaten." Ikaten participants who receive their D1 license are then allowed to proceed to qualifying for that event and may register to qualify for any D1 Grand Prix USA competition that year before they have to renew their license. If they don't manage to score in the top 30 in at least one competition per year, they get their license revoked.

Ten wannabe D1 racers showed up with their souped up grocery getters, but after two crashes and numerous failed attempts at a convincing drift, only two managed to get their licenses: #12, Forrest Wang and his consistently impressive 80 point drifts and #4, Jason who managed to pull a 90-point drift on one of his passes. Sixty-year-old Daijiro Inada, founder of the D1GP, also competed in the Ikaten, but failed to deliver the goods. [D1GP Las Vegas]

'Drongo' hoon on new charges [Gold Coast Bulletin]

Related:
Dude, What's the Side-Impact Rating on Your Truck? [Internal]

We have no words — only questions. Like — how's he accelerating? Why is he jumping into the engine bay — is it just to keep himself from sliding off, or does he not want to ruin the finish? So many questions. So few answers. – Ray Wert

Related:
Misses (sic) Santa Claus Rolls Her Volvo Police Car!; Cast Your Vote For Hoon of the Month! [internal]

In light of Bumbeck's shocking coverage of the ban on drifting that human detritus a husband and wife have forced through at the Altamont Speedway, we were going to ask you which motorsport you would like to see banned. But then we got to thinking about an image to use above and an example of a car-related sport we would like to see gone and we couldn't think of any. Not one. Some of you might say NASCAR. And while it would be nice if the rules were changed so that the cars themselves had some personality, these cats are still running around tracks at 180 mph two-inches from each other. I'm lucky enough to have enjoyed a few laps of the Pomona Raceway in an actual NASCAR and while I had nothing but detached boredom for the sport going in, upon exiting the vehicle I have nothing but respect for what great drivers these dudes are. So, anyway, which motorsport is tops in your book? – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Question Of The Day: What Would You Do With A Shelby GT500 Convertible And A Full Tank Of Gas? | Classic Top Gear: Richard Hammond Walks on Water [Internal]

Let the Kids Drift
Drifting is also wildly popular. The key difference is at the drift events we've been to there are many more spectators buying coilovers, RC cars, and churros then there are swilling beer and falling over. We politely remind Karin Rivard, the woman in the video complaining about alleged post-race track activities, and who looks as if she may be constipated, that she moved in next to a race track. A motorsports facility. A place where people go to race machines. These people that come to race also occasionally stay overnight in the same RV they used to tow their race cars to the race track. Overnight camping is another activity which Karin, her Hubby, and their Lawyer also want banned.

Watch The KTVU News Video

Not a Motorsports Fan
Thus two people and their lawyer have somehow forced the Board of Supes to potentially uphold a drifting and overnight parking ban at the race track. Mark and Karin Rivard seem to be the sole members of a group called "Community for a Better Altamont". Despite the images of eagles and baby foxes on their web site and in their newsletters, these folks seem to have a personal vendetta against Altamont Speedway, which they moved in next to in 2005. The race track was established in 1966. The ultimate irony is that Mark Rivard himself evidently cared nothing about the baby foxes when he constructed a personal motocross race track on his adjacent to Altamont Speedway property. The board of supes already ruled drifting and overnight camping were OK back in March, but the Rivards appealed the decision.

This excerpt from the Tracy Press back in March.

"The Rivards purchased a plot of land next to the track in 1999. Rivard, an executive at a staffing firm as well as a self-proclaimed former motocross racer, built a motocross track as well as a house on the property. He and his family moved there in December 2005, shortly after Lakeside Motorsports-Altamont, LLC — a group of investors that includes Bay Area businessmen and a Burbank developer — purchased the track.

Neither Rivard nor other members of Community for a Better Altamont returned calls seeking comment. Condren said he expects them to continue fighting the track.

'To the Rivards, Altamont Motorsports Park is an absolute," he said. "There is no middle ground — they want it absolutely gone. And that is not an option.'"

Source: Tracy Press March 23 2007 [tracypress.com]

Everything lay in the balance today. The drifters involved plan to win this battle, and take it all the way to the Governator if the Rivards and their Lawyer manage to pull baby foxes through loopholes. The irony of all this is that the time-proven way to get racing off the streets is to give people a place to do it - such as a race track. The commercial at the beginning of the KTVU news video states: "There are endless choices of where you can drive in California." Not for long with people like Mark and Karin Rivard. Always support your local race track. If you don't like racing, then building a house next door to a race track is probably not a great plan. – Mike Bumbeck

KTVU News Video [ktvu.com]
Community for a Better Altamont [betteraltamont.org]
County to Decide on Appeal Over Altamont Drifting [tracypress.com]
Alameda County Board of Supervisors [acgov.org]
Contact the Governator [gov.ca.gov]

Related:
SUPER GLOBAL ALL-STAR DRIFTING BATTLE! [Internal]

[Thanks to the Starlet obsessed at KP61.net for the tip]

Related:
Greco Dorifto! Grecian Hoons Prefer Starlet! [Internal]

Ok, so it's not really Iron Chef, and yeah, we're still not sure we're sold on drifting as a "sport." But we're pretty sure after we saw this here hoontastic effort, you're probably able to sell at least one of us on being able to call cucumber-cutting a "sport" at least on par with NASCAR. – Ray Wert

Related:
Hoon Of The Day: Lamborghini Takes Out Parked Cars In Santa Monica; Hoon Of The Day: Happy Wedding Day, Brah!; Hoon Of The Day: The Time To Make The Donuts Is Not In Front Of A Police Car; Hoon Of The Day: Lambo Driver Loses Cool Points — Smacks Curb, Pole And Traffic Sign In London [internal]

When you're a tank company of the Swedish armed forces, we'd imagine there's not much else to do but hoon around a frozen lake and practice two-track drifting techniques. Or, even possibly invent some two-track drifting techniques in your Leopard 2A4. You just know this'll spark some kind of annual event up there, which we'll see on BBC World next year. [Thanks to Jealousy for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

[Webpark: ! ! ) (5.70Mb)]

Related:
More hoons of the day [internal]

NOPI Drag and Drift [Nopi.com]; Drift Fury [DriftFury.com]

Related:
Are You A NOPI Chic? Dubspeed Driven's Choose Your Own Adventure Photo Galleries; Team Orange Cleans Up at D1GP Final Round; SUPER GLOBAL ALL-STAR DRIFTING BATTLE! [Internal]

The Greeks know what's what. They gave us good food, their own brand of sexual intercourse, democracy, Zorba and well, let's face it, the Romans were just sort of a ripoff of the Greeks with added conquest and some aqueducts. And when these Hellenic hoons go drifting, they do so behind the wheel of the Mighty Starlet. Zeus didn't raise no fools. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Super Amateur Dorifto Crash Potential! [Internal]

Man, it's times like this that we really, really, wish we had a Lada Riva. People tell us we don't really want one. But we really think we do. With a turbo. And Panasports. And a snorkel and a wheelie bar and a deployable oil slick that lights on fire. And a hammerhead shark to ride shotgun with us. Oh, and like 80 KC Daylighters mounted everywhere. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Holiest of Holies! The Ladacamino! [Internal]

To be honest, we've really got no idea what drifting has to do with the Barrett-Jackson auction out in Scottsdale, but for some reason it's part of FoMoCo's "Family Fun Day" party out west. Despite the lack of an understanding of "why," we do know the "what." That there is Tony Brakohiapa, a drifter born in West Africa and living in San Francisco. The dude's 28, and was a stunt driver in the most recent sucktastic "Fast & Furious" movie which I think was called "Tokyo Drift Like The Kids Are Doing" or something like that. He's drifting around the "course" in a 2005 Saleen S281 beefed up to 550 hp. We also know he's doing stuff in a Mustang we've never seen done before. We'll have more pictures and video later, and FoMoCo's press release giving no reason "why" either is after the jump. [Hat tip to the boldly moving WD!] – Ray Wert

FORD AND BARRETT-JACKSON TEAM UP FOR 2007

* Building on last year's success, Ford and Barrett-Jackson will again team up for the 2007 auction season in Scottsdale, Ariz. and Palm Beach, Fla.

* Ford to sponsor Barrett-Jackson Family Value Day on Monday, January 15 in Scottsdale

* Unique Mustang to be auctioned at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, proceeds to benefit Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 8 - Ford and Barrett-Jackson, two American icons, will create more history in the auction world for 2007. Building on last year's successful auctions in Scottsdale, Ariz. and Palm Beach, Fla., Ford will team up with Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, LLC, as a key automotive sponsor.

Ford will sponsor the Barrett-Jackson Family Value Day, scheduled for Monday, January 15. In its second year, Family Value Day is dedicated to bringing in the young generation of car enthusiasts by offering discounted tickets for adults and allowing children under the age of 12 in for free. Last year's first-ever Family Value Day brought in 25,000. All cars that will be auctioned off during the event are available for viewing on Family Value Day before the actual auction begins.

"Our experiment during the 2006 auction of opening for a day dedicated to families was a great success," said Craig Jackson, president and CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, LLC. "It was a pleasure to see thousands of kids and their parents enjoying the event, knowing that a whole new generation of hobbyists is emerging. We are thrilled to join forces with Ford to make this year's Family Value Day even more exciting for our guests."

In addition to Ford's sponsorship of Family Value Day, the automotive manufacturer is announcing they will auction off a unique Mustang at the Scottsdale auction with proceeds benefiting The Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.

"Barrett-Jackson is the world's most unique platform for selling the world's most unique cars," said Robert Parker, Ford car marketing manager. "It's not just about classic cars and resto mods anymore, Barrett-Jackson has become a great venue to sell premier models of some of Ford's latest and greatest cars."

As part of its sponsorship, Ford will once again bring interactive elements to Barrett-Jackson. A drifting track and a dyno-simulated drag racing display were some of the experiential elements Ford brought to the 2006 events. "We've found that experiential elements allow us to better connect with our customers," said Parker. "We created a lot of memories for our current and future customers in 2006 and we intend to do the same in 2007." Feature cars from the manufacturer will also be among the elements that Ford will bring back to the event, adding an entirely new element to the Barrett-Jackson experience.

"Barrett-Jackson has grown into a week-long celebration of a mixture of cars, luxury, family, technology and fun," added Jackson. "Ford brings to the table a little bit of all of the above, making this sponsorship alliance the perfect mixture to offer something for everyone."

Related:
More Straw, Less Muscle: Media Control Program at Barrett-Jackson [internal]

And speaking of link subjects originating in the Jalopnik comments, Winding Road brings us this video record of BubbaDrift's El Camino drifting efforts. The team's LS1-powered "Hell Camino," if you weren't aware, furthers the recent adoption of the truckcar among drift teams, mainly for its rear lightness and sideways-inducing comportment. Unfortunately, trouble comes not from driftastic oversteer amusement, but by way of the dreaded understeer. Bubba, we hardly knew ye. – Mike Spinelli

[via Winding Road

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As announcer, translator, and judge Toshi Hayama later informed us all, the hachi-roku is the sworn nemesis of eventual D1GP All-Star event winner Ken "Nomuken" Nomura and his 533HP R34 Skyline. Hachi-roku is Japanese for eighty-six, which in itself is the latter part of the Toyota Corolla's AE86 chassis designation.

At the heart of the hachi-roku is the twin-cam Toyota 4AG. Note individual throttle bodies for maximum effective air-flow and sonic amusement. The symphony of rotaries, inline-sixes, fours-bangers, and V-8's is what makes the drifting soundtrack worth listening to.

The focus of the All-Star event was for Japanese and US drivers to host drivers from other parts of the globe. Flag waving was thereby encouraged.

Representing Malaysia was Tengku Djan, who had encountered the wall on Saturday. D1GP founder Daijiro Inada empowers repairs by way of stylish suit. Find more Tengku in the gallery.

Team Orange drivers Kumakubo and Tanaka opened the D1GP All-Star Match at Irwindale Speedway by hurtling around the course Joie Chitwood Thrill Show style - in opposite directions!

Katsuhiro Ueo absolutely refuses to take his foot out of the throttle of his hachi-roku for any reason.

Closeup of Ueo's personal tire smoke ventilation removal system.

Djan's hachi got a straightaway spanking at the hands of Yoichi Imamura's Nissan 350z.

2005 All-Star winner Vaughn Gitten Jr. got his supercharged Mustang into the running but went out first round against Djan.

Ireland's Darren McNamara absolutely slayed in his turbocharged AE86. Watch for this man in the near drifting future.

Samuel Hubinette took the hemi-mo-powered Dodge Charger into the All-Star in a big way.

Rhys Millen disabled his turbocharged Pontiac Solstice during practice on Friday. The team rolled down to the shop and affected repairs for a return to the All-Star on Sunday.

Hey Pal, look where you're going. Actually Daigo Saito is looking back to see where his cobbled-by-a-cone opponent went. Low slung coolers and apex cones don't mix well.

The sound of the anti-lag system on Tsuyoshi Tezuka's R32 Skyline is alone worth the price of a ticket. The bumper is here showing effects of a wall grazing. The gallery holds more drifting goodness. – Mike Bumbeck

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Our buddy Stephen offers four reasons why this video is worth 3:18 of your time:

· Three cars on the touge? Check.

· Drifting? Check.

· Popping and banging off the limiter on tree-lined roads? Check.

· Excitable Japanese commentator? Check.

We'd just like to add the following: Triple POV with pedal and steering shots? Check. Intermittently inserted 130 bpm Japanese synthpop? Check. Mid-1980s AE86 camera car? Check!

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Unlike other more circular forms of motorsport the rain did not stop this vehicular battle from proceeding. Many ponchos were sold and umbrella girls were cold at the asphalt bowl of echoing individual throttle bodies. Wet surfaces did bring some wall contact and a few drivers getting knocked out of the program before they could get in. Halfway through eliminations the skies opened once more but no matter to Tanaka. One by one the worthy competitors fell at his hands. Even Carl would have dug it. – Mike Bumbeck

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