The best JDM cars of the 90s … wow, what a selection to pick from – this was a great time for gearheads, and we were driving some of the coolest cars available, if only we’d have known back then just how collectible they’d become, perhaps we’d have been a bit more caring toward them … we kicked the ass out of them.

For those of you that don’t know, JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market, which basically encompasses everything that was originally built for the Japanese market only, although most of them later found fame & fortune throughout the world.

Early examples of JDM cars have an almost cult-like following. People collect them, love them, talk about them … to these people, the earlier JDM cars represent the pinnacle of automotive utopia, and while my foot is firmly in the camp of liking them, I don’t they’re the be all and end all.

A Little JDM History

To clarify, JDM cars were purely for the Japanese market, they weren’t exported, although there were private imports (when the cars reached a certain age). Many of the models may have gone on to be exported as a model variant, but the true definition of JDM means Japan-only, and they’re usually different (albeit only slightly) to the models that went on to be exported.

Part of the reasoning behind the JDM cult is that these cars were quite often fitted with early technology that the manufacturers weren’t yet willing to release to the wider world. Either because it was still in its infancy and not quite perfected, or as a way of keeping home market customers entertained and loyal; whatever the reason, the cars generally had toys-a-plenty.

The other reason that the JDM cars found popularity is that they would cover around half the miles of their European and American cousins, so when the cars became available on the used market, you could find yourself with an excellent low-mileage example, and cars were traded quickly and often in Japan.

The Best JDM Cars of The Nineties

Despite getting close to nearly thirty years old, you can still find a great number of these cars for sale. The only real difference is that their prices are constantly and consistently rising – pristine examples of early JDM cars are beginning to fetch big money – partly down to rarity value, partly because of the their cult status among gearheads.

If you’re in the market for one, don’t wait around too long because before you know it, your budget will have been blown, or your neighbor will have snapped it up. Now … where did I leave my loan application form?

Mazda RX7

Produced between 1991 – 2002, the RX7 was different. For a start, it used a rotary engine which was tiny (both physically and displacement) – just 1.3 liters, but it made some serious horsepower thanks to the twin turbos (the RX7 used the first ever mass produced sequential turbo system); between 247 – 276 hp depending on the exact spec.

Thanks to the compact size, Mazda could fit the motor behind the front axle line, which gave the car near perfect 50:50 weight distribution, which of course helped to make the RX a great handling car. Added to that was some outrageous styling – all swooping curves, big rear wing and purposeful stance, the RX was more … different … than most of its contemporaries, even today, a nice example can still catch your eye.

Thanks to some pretty lightweight engineering, the RX7 could push through 0-60 mph in just under six seconds, and go on to a max top speed of 155 mph.

Teeny tiny engine, big big performance.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi

What can you say about these legendary Scoobies? The WRX STi (Subaru Tecnica International) was purely JDM only and not available outside of the country, although other versions eventually made it across to our shores.

These cars were made famous by the likes of Colin McRae and Richard Burns, two outstandingly talented WRC drivers that seemed to be able to make them fly. Standard road going trim saw them knocking out between 247 – 276 hp, enough for most types of fun, but the WRX STi came with upgraded and tuned engines, better transmission and uprated suspension.

The WRX stands for World Rally eXperimental, which gave you just a hint at the history behind it. The flat-four motor has a distinctive sound, and the big turbo just aided that, especially when the dump valve whooshed & whistled.

If you’re on the lookout for one, then it has to be in triple-five colors.

Honda NSX

Honda wanted the NSX to be known as the first, true everyday sports car … that would be equally at home cruising on the highway, as it was showing the competition a clean tail as it disappeared up the road, all without needing big bucks spending on it every time you wanted to use it (unlike some of the Italian competition).

Back in the day that they came up with this, Honda were a major player in the F1 circus, so they borrowed some of the tech, some of the knowledge and the odd facility to create the best non-European super car available. It worked.

The 3.0 V6 VTEC equipped motor (variable valve timing was virtually unheard of back then) still only made around the same horsepower as the other JDM cars, but it was reliable and silky smooth. Thanks to the massive effort to save weight, it handled brilliantly and was fast, properly fast … 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds, but a top speed of 168 mph.

Knowing that using titanium connecting-rods, or being the first production car to use an all-aluminum semi-monocoque unit body, and revolutionary extruded aluminum frame wouldn’t be enough, they employed the services of one of their race drivers to help fine tune the handling – Ayrton Senna was pretty handy behind the wheel!

They also added a few new features that weren’t commonplace – ABS and electric power steering, even more rare to find them on a ‘super car’.

Toyota Supra

Similar to the NSX, the 4th generation Supra was designed and built to be light … Toyota went to extreme lengths to shave off those extra few pounds … hollow carpet fibers (really), magnesium aluminum steering wheel, plastic gas tank, single exhaust pipe and a gas injected rear wing were the main delights to be found.

Even with adding features like dual airbags, traction control, bigger brakes / tires & wheels, the 4th gen Supra still weighed in just over 200 lbs lighter than the previous generation, although it must be said it wasn’t quite as svelte as the RX7 or NSX.

The sequential twin turbos were enough to push the 3.0 liter engine to run between 276-326 hp, which gave it a top speed of 156 mph and 0-60 sprint time of 5.1 seconds … pretty smart for the traffic light grand prix racers. These Supras from the 90s are one of the most sought after JDM cars right now – they look great, handle like they’re on rails and pack a punch … who wouldn’t want one?

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI

The Lancer Evo was Mitsubishi’s answer to the all-conquering Impreza from Subaru. Not only were they vying for the win on the street (in terms of sales), but they were also taking the fight to Subaru on the stages – Tommi Makinen delivering them some great results.

So important was Makinen to the brand, that a special, limited edition ‘Tommi Makinen’ version was created purely for the JDM crowd. It featured upgrades such as 17” Enkei white wheels, faster spooling turbo which was down to the titanium internals, lower ride height and quick steering rack. Although strictly a JDM car, the gray market imports were so large that Mitsubishi eventually made it official.

The Evo was a popular model, and you generally sat in either camp – you were an Evo fan, or an Impreza fan, both had wild styling and big rear wings, although for the Evo VI, there were some minor styling changes (like the reduction in size and movement of the fog lamps) to gain a better aerodynamic advantage.

With the turbo charged 4-cylinder 2.0 liter engine kicking out around 276 hp, the Evo was fast – around 5.6 seconds to 60 mph.

Nissan Skyline GT-R

The Skyline was originally made in the late 60s, to around 1973, but it wasn’t intended to be a performance car back then, just a regular driver that found no fame or glory (hence the short lifespan). In 1989, Nissan decided to revive the name, only this time it would be used on their flagship sports car with which they wanted to take on the world at motorsport.

Over the years, the GT-R became more sporty and featured a lot of trick technology such as the SUPER-HICAS four wheel steering and the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, added to that was the onboard data analysis and computers … this was technology being used to make the car faster, not just as an incentive to buy.

So good was the Skyline that British motoring show ‘Top Gear’ said that it was the true contribution from Japan to the super car industry. It had an oddly sized 2.6 liter engine which made 276 hp, and the all-wheel drive system meant that it could lay that power down, regardless of the road or weather.

The Skyline is a modifiers favorite, with some examples now pushing easily over 1,000 hp once tuned; the strength of the engine being tested to the max, and still not bursting – these are hardcore road machines.

Honda DC2 Integra Type R

I have to confess … I have a soft spot for the ‘Teg Type R having owned one for a while. Honda truly produced something special with the Integra, and it’s widely acclaimed as being one of the best, if not the best front-wheel drive sports cars ever made. It really was that good.

The effort that Honda went to was never really surpassed, until we start talking about modern day examples like the Veyron, for Honda too lost money on every DC2 it sold, thanks to all of the extra hand finishing they did, in fact the engines were all hand built – no clumsy robots here.

Honda felt that hand building the engines was necessary as they were going for maximum performance, and in fact they managed the holy grail of all engine tuners (certainly back then) in achieving 100+ hp per liter without forced induction. The 1.8 liter 4-cylinder motor made just shy of 200 horsepower, and revved like crazy … a redline of 8500 RPM, and when the VTEC kicked in, it howled like a banshee. Perfect.

Allied to the power was an effort to make it light – a thinner windshield was used, lighter wheels, less sound insulation (and didn’t you know it) … it all added up to a lightweight, power hungry sports car that handled brilliantly. The wheels and tires were on the skinny side, but it was almost impossible to unstick the car through the twisty stuff, and again, Honda pulled a trick out of the bag by fitting the DC2 with a helical limited-slip differential – this thing was glued to the road.

Featuring red accents, a plaque stating that it was number XX and a close ratio transmission, the Integra Type R was everything that a gearhead wanted.

Nissan Sylvia S13

You can’t say that the Sylvia was the car that started the whole JDM movement, but it was certainly one of the originals. Throughout its life, it’s had numerous upgrades and enhancements; power has ranged from 133 hp right up to 247 hp, and depending on which model you bought, you could have a limited-slip differential fitted as standard – this made an excellent drift, even straight out of the showroom, and that’s part of its legend.

The Sylvia was popular – named as Japan’s Car of the Year in its first year, the 2 door sports coupe captured the hearts and minds of drifters and gearheads, and was the ‘something a little different’ for regular commuters and drivers.

You could even choose whether you wanted forced induction or the naturally aspirated version when buying new, and the aggressive styling was an instant hit. The final piece in the winning jigsaw was the chassis – Nissan went to great lengths to perfect it, and the handling was sublime (for the time). If you can find an unmolested example today, you’ll be paying top dollar for it – the early examples are seriously collectible.

Honda Civic Type R

Another sporty Honda, another classic in the JDM world that seems to have a following all of its own. Honda took a normal Civic (which never really set the world alight) and made it a legend, it’s that simple.

The monocoque chassis was seam welded for rigidity, the engine was hand finished (including hand gas flowing the cylinder head), there was a helical lim-slip diff fitted, close ratio transmission, and everything that wasn’t necessary was junked. It had steel wheels, no air conditioning, no powered windows, no power steering and they even removed the radio – this was intended as a racer for the road.

The little 1.6 liter 4-cylinder engine had one of the highest specific outputs of all time – 182 horsepower (all naturally aspirated of course) and was rev hungry … you had to really drive it to get the best from it, although it wasn’t all peaky like a turbo engine (with no low down torque or go).

Inside the cabin, Honda made some effort to distinguish it from the regular Civic, fitting red accents everywhere and wrapping the steering wheel in leather. Truth be told, it wasn’t especially spectacular inside, but that didn’t matter because this was a pure pocket rocket that was all about driving fun, and it delivered that by the bucket load.

Today

That’s my list of nine of the best JDM cars from the Nineties, no doubt you may have one or two of your own that you should like to see on the list, and that’s the thing … the JDM scene was big, nearly every Japanese manufacture had something special for the home market, nearly all producing great power, or fitted with tech that we wouldn’t see in mainstream cars for years to come.

While it’s great to relive old memories, buying a JDM car now is fraught with the possibility of things going wrong. These cars are almost thirty years old, and by their very nature, they’ve led a hard life … they were made to be hooned everywhere, and whether you were a teenager or fully grown adult, you couldn’t help yourself when behind the wheel … the high-revving nature of the engines meant that it was foot in the firewall wherever you went.

You should also remember that parts supply isn’t what it was, although there are specialists everywhere, getting hold of parts could be time consuming and expensive – most specialist parts coming direct from Japan … what could be a minor problem with a modern car, may in fact see you immobile for a while, waiting on parts to arrive.

I love the original JDM cars, they were great fun to drive, fast, handled well and always made me smile, but would I own one today? Maybe only as a sunny day toy that’s kept under wraps for 99% of the time.

If you’re into luxury vehicles, you probably already have an idea of what your dream car would be. A luxury car isn’t just fun to drive, it’s also chock-full of features you just can’t get with any regular old car. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best luxury cars that have a sporty feel and make any road a race track.

Keep reading for our top list of sport-forward luxury cars.

2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Supercar

If you’ve ever wanted a supercar, this just might be your vehicle. It’s one of the fastest and most powerful Corvettes ever produced. The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is everything you’ve ever wanted in a racing-inspired car.

Features and highlights:

• 755 horsepower
• 715 lb-ft of torque
• Top speed of 212 MPH
• Four-mode exhaust system so you get the purr you want: Track, Sport, Tour, and Stealth
• Carbon-ceramic brakes for stop-on-a-dime performance
• Magnetic Selective Ride Control reads the road every millisecond and can adjust to the changing conditions of the road in an astounding 15 milliseconds
• 20% less drag
• An adjustable carbon-fiber high rear wing
• Jet black leather seating
• Bose premium audio
• Performance Data Recorder

2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Roadster

The performance division of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, doesn’t disappoint with this racing car gone road. Featuring refined aerodynamics, road performance, and power in spades, the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT is ready to take your driving experience to the next level. Head to a dealership to get your own certified Mercedes for sale.

Features and highlights:

• 469 horsepower
• 465 lb-ft of torque
• Nanoslide cylinder walls to reduce friction and increase durability
• AMG 4L V8s with twin turbos for a quick responsive feel
• 0-60 mph in just 3.9 seconds
• 4-wheel double wishbone suspension
• AMG Ride Control delivers 3-stage damping
• AMG Dynamic Select makes your driving experience unique and lets you customize the throttle, shifting, chassis, exhaust and more
• Carbon-fiber driveshaft
• Aerodynamic features that contribute to overall performance on the road

2019 Porsche 911 Carrera

Porsche is a beloved brand for a reason – it regularly inspires with its fleet of incredibly luxury cars. The newest in the lineup, the 911 Carrera S Model, reflects what the brand is known for: sleek styling, vintage touches, and incredible technology.

Features and highlights:

• 443 horsepower
• 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds
• Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) helps support smooth performance
• Lane Keeping Assist helps direct you back into proper lane position
• Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus gives you amazing traction on any road surface and nimble handling
• Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes for reliable stoppage
• 20-inch wheels in the front & rear

2018 Audi R8

Are you ready to own a legitimate sports car and live out your NASCAR or Formula 1 fantasy? Swoop up an Audi R8 Coupe. This insane vehicle boasts just under half the same parts as the R8 GT3 LMS race car and with every mile you drive, you’ll feel that racecar influence.

Features and highlights:

• 602 horsepower
• 413 lb-ft of torque
• 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds
• Quattro all-wheel drive
• 5 modes of handling including Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual, and Performance
• Audi virtual cockpit
• Google Earth capacity
• Parking system with rearview camera

2019 BMW 8-Series

The BMW 8-Series Coupe is about to blow your mind. It’s full of performance-forward features but wrapped up in a beautiful package.

Features and highlights:

• 523 horsepower
• 0-60 mph 3.6 seconds
• Adaptive M Suspension and M Sport Differential
• Fixed-caliper M Sport Brakes
• Only 400 of these vehicles worldwide
• Full Merino leather interior
• 20-inch M V-spoke jet black wheels

Wrapping Up

Not everybody can afford a luxury vehicle, but if you’re looking to give yourself the gift of ultimate driving, the cars on this list were built to impress. An exquisite luxury car is different than most cars on the road and there are usually fewer of them made. And with that scarcity comes features you won’t find anywhere else.

Performance, power, and sleek style characteristics make these cars stand out from the pack. They demand authority and attention on the road from onlookers. Passengers can pass the time in ultimate levels of comfort. Any of these cars will provide you with an incredible experience, so what are you waiting for? Push that pedal to the metal.

Pretty much since the invention of the automobile, people have been making them faster, prettier, louder … and although a little tail-out action is fun, it has always been just that … something fun. Today though, the sport of drifting is big, but to really get in to it, you need the best drift cars … these are just some of the most popular best drift cars for beginners.

The History of Drift (Driftory?)

When the automobile was first invented, anyone using one on a public highway had to follow a man walking in front of it, waving a big red flag to signify the danger. For a long time, it was thought that if you went over 15 mph, you’d die.

Of course, that notion was soon dispelled, and from that day forward, humankind has pushed to reach ever faster speeds, and as a result, big horsepower rules the day. Yet … having 5, 6 or even 900+ horsepower there’s only so much that a car or tire can take before it loses traction and ‘lights up’ the tires … burnout, donut, smoking, elevens … what ever you call it, it’s caused by one thing – lack of traction.

Controlling a car in a straight line while smoking the rear tires is one thing, even that can get a little … wayward … but add the element of corners in to the equation, and the fun begins. The old 60s muscle cars were great for that sort of thing … very little traction (because chassis’ were so poor and tires weren’t that grippy) and hundreds of horsepower meant that the slightest prod of the loud pedal would be enough to get it sideways.

Drifting was born.

A racer will tell you that drifting a car around a track means just one thing … a slow lap time, albeit rather a flamboyant one, and driving like that on public highways will get the attention of local law enforcement, so what do you do?

Find a load of other like-minded people where laptimes aren’t the be all and end all, where style and flamboyance is positively encouraged, and head down to the local raceway. Simple.

Drifting 101

If any of you have ever seen in-car footage of a professional rally driver, specifically their feet, you’ll know that they’re working the pedals like Michael Flatley on crack – these pro drivers could out-dance anyone if they chose to.

It’s similar for drift drivers – they aren’t just punching the gas pedal and hoping for the best, they’re perfectly timed and choreographed movements, using a combination of all three pedals, sometimes all at the same time. Sure, having a decent amount of horsepower helps, but some of these guys could work their magic in the most standard of compacts. Technique is key.

There’s plenty that you can do to a standard car to make it more drift-able, from stiffening the rear suspension, changing the front anti-roll bar, or even just over inflating the rear tires (but that isn’t recommended for regular use), the key thing is to make the rear-end more ‘loose’.

If you’re looking at getting a drift on, on a bigger scale, then choosing the right drift car is important, there are a couple of mods that you should make as a very basic start – suspension and diff.

There’s a lot of confusion over suspension setup, perhaps because the drift scene is so amateur friendly, but this seems to be the accepted setup:

A decent set of coilovers is a must, you want slightly stiffer springs than you’d have on your road car, but not too stiff as this will encourage the car to ‘hop’ rather than slide. Front suspension should be slightly stiffer than the rear, and you need around 3 – 4 degrees of negative camber upfront (with as close to zero at the rear as you can get).

Front geo and setup is important, because it’s that which holds the drift – everything pivots around the front end, the simple way to think about it is set the front end up for road race, set the rear end up for drag race.

A limited slip differential (LSD) is really a minimum requirement, better still, a fully-locking diff is the ideal if you can afford it.

Finally, the minimum requirement is affordability, both in terms of purchasing and repairing … you WILL definitely crash it.

Different Strokes

Understanding what makes for the best drift car is difficult … this isn’t just about having too much horsepower and hanging on to it, there is a science.

Also, using the catch all term of ‘drift car race’ is pretty lazy … that’s like just saying car racing … there’s many different formulas, types of race, types of race car … one size definitely doesn’t fit all. To a degree, your choice of car may be dictated by the actual type of drifting that you want to get in to – some cars are better for slower, wider drifting, whereas others are more nimble and allow for direction changes much easier.

Some of that is to do with the weight of the car (although all of these will be stripped out and lightened), put you also need to consider dynamics of the car, and physics … a long wheelbase just can’t turn as quickly as a shorter one, and then we have to look at inertia.

Once you’ve got the car, the learning really begins … like I say, this isn’t about giving it plenty on the gas pedal and hanging on, there’s a whole stack of techniques to learn like ‘clutch kicking’. The best advice I could give you is to take some professional lessons – so many race schools are now offering drift lessons, and it’s surprising just what you won’t know. Besides, understanding how to control an out of control car will do wonders for your road driving.

The Best Drift Cars

The following nine cars seem to be the most popular, I’ll try and highlight a bit about them, and why or what makes them the popular choice for a beginner’s drift car.

Nissan 240SX

The 240SX aka S13 is legendary in the drift-o-sphere – for so many reasons.

In fact, so many people are looking to purchase the 240SX for drifting, that prices for used models are on the increase, with that said, you can still pick them up for between $2,000 – $3,000, so they’re cheap enough. But just what makes them so popular?

They’re pretty simple underneath – multi-link suspension with a MacPherson strut means simplicity, and no need for heavily modified or different subframes – fit some decent suspension bushes are you’re halfway there (with a great set of coilovers of course). The unibody design means lightweight (relative) which also helps to keep it nimble, and the 55/45 weight distribution is near perfect for drifting.

Parts are plentiful. Replacement standard parts and aftermarket tuning parts are very popular, which makes them easy to get hold of, and of course … well priced (cheap!). You can pick up a used motor for around $400 and easily damaged parts are super easy to find second hand … did I mention … you WILL crash it.

There’s also the ‘swapability’ factor … lots of companies do off the shelf conversions for all manner of things … prefer a big American V8 hauling it along? Yes … you can buy a kit to do that. Same with most of the Japanese big horsepower motors – all straight from the crate, in one box.

Summary: Cheap to buy, cheap to repair and quite literally thousands of parts available, whether they’re standard, upgraded or a completely different manufacturer. Big horsepower, lightweight … perfect drift king.

Mazda RX-7

Let’s just get this out the way … it’s a great drift car, with a bit of experience, but those looking to learn in one should potentially give it a miss.

Why? They’re a bit rarer than things like the 240SX, which means parts aren’t as easily available, which makes the parts a bit more expensive, and if you really want high-quality, high-horsepower or performance parts, then they’re coming from Japan – expensive and time consuming.

The RX also takes a bit of getting used to with the power … yes, they can make some good bhp, but it’s quite a high revving motor, and most novices prefer the low down grunt of a V8 – which is why the 240SX has manufacturers supplying kits to swap them out.

Sticking with the engine for a moment … they can be quite fragile, and as a rotary, you’ll need someone that specializes in them, rather than just a regular engine guy when it does eventually pop.

With that all said, get that rotary engine singing, and the rear sliding and very little will live with it on a good day … perhaps the best engine noise yet (and that’s coming from someone that makes his living with V8s).

Summary: More expensive to buy and repair, parts aren’t quite as readily available, however, the Mazda RX-7 makes for a great drift car once you’ve completed your apprenticeship!

Ford Mustang

This really is one of the cars that started it all … big American muscle with too much horsepower for the available grip, and even heading in to the modern generation, it’s still a favorite with the drifters.

For those of you wondering whether it’s up there with the other favorites … I have three words … Ken Block’s Hoonigan. You see, Pony cars are known throughout the world for their ability to turn tires in to smoke, and there’s an abundance of tuning parts, from as many different manufacturers and suppliers as you’re likely to find anywhere.

Whether you upgrade your own motor, or buy a 1,000+ hp straight crate motor, you can’t walk down the block without tripping over a ‘Stang tuning company. Prolific. And it isn’t just powertrain … pretty much every part is available off the shelf, from an old classic right through to modern day monsters.

If you’re after American muscle, you won’t find better.

Summary: More American than the Stars & Stripes, legendary horsepower, you can trip over parts just about everywhere, but … if you’re on a tight budget, the purchase cost alone could steer you toward something Japanese or European.

Nissan 350Z

Manufactured between 2002 – 2009, the ‘Zed’ is a popular choice for drifters – mainly because even out of the box, it’s a pretty solid drift car – a revvy V6 3.5 liter motor with 285 hp, manual transmission and RWD, it even has a limited slip diff (LSD) as standard.

Weight (in standard form) is a bit of an issue, but that’s no problem for the drifter – just junk anything and everything that doesn’t have a use, easy. The motor is bulletproof as standard, it will run on forever with a bit of maintenance, and finding extra horsepower is easy enough, providing you have deep pockets.

285 hp is plenty enough to get started. As your confidence grows, you may want to up that a bit, and 500 hp is achievable, without sacrificing too much reliability. But it’s all forced induction in the shape of turbo or supercharging – you could spend as much as $10,000 on a high-end turbo kit, even a cheap one will set you back around $3,500 – $4,000.

Summary: A great drift car, with enough power as standard to be usable, and decent looks.

BMW M3 E36

When the E36 was first launched, it seemed to take a huge step forward over other performance sedans, the handling was sharp, the naturally aspirated 3.0 liter straight-6 motor was smoother than silk, it made close to 300 hp, and it was just … every performance car enthusiast wanted one.

Thanks to its age (manufactured between 1992 – 1995), the E36 M3 is cheap, both in terms to buy and repair, I guess my only concern with an old M3 is that by their very nature, they’ve been driven hard … it’ll be high mileage, with a great many of those miles being clocked up with the gas pedal firmly wedged in to the floormats.

Putting aside the mileage and the nature of that mileage, they’re still reliable, still deliver the horsepower, and are pretty cheap to repair, WHEN you crash it. The added bonus is that the Germans were really pushing the engineering thing back then, so they were built to take some punishment without turning in to a money pit.

Tuning parts are still available, there’s plenty of suspension kits and power mods that you can do, and although they don’t look like a traditional drift car, I think that even 25 years later, they still look pretty sporty.

Summary: European engineering at its finest, near 300 hp as standard, LSD and manual 5-speed transmission all-in … a great starter car to learn to drift in, and prices are low. The E36 M3 is definitely one of the best drift cars for beginners in Europe – perhaps more so than the legendary 240SX.

Nissan Skyline R33 GTS-T

For me personally, this was the car that got me hooked on Japanese horsepower … I’ve seen them on a rolling road dyno making 1,600+ hp, and not popping the engine.

Straight from the factory, these were great for tail-happy driving – 280 hp from the straight-6 turbocharged engine, driving through a 5-speed manual transmission and limited slip diff – what wasn’t to like?

The great thing about the R33 turbo was that more horsepower was easily available – over 400 hp with just bolt on mods, that’s before we start getting in to mechanical mods or turbo chargers that could suck an elephant in. Better still, the engine was strong – virtually un-burstable unless you start pushing 600+ horsepower.

They’re popular car … they have a bit of a cult following, but drifters love them, and tuners do to, which means parts are in plentiful supply, the knowledge base is incredible, and they won’t cost you a body part to make them faster or cooler … could this be the perfect drift car?

Summary: Cheap, powerful and rugged with a dependable engine, even with some big bhp numbers. I love the R33 GTS-T … the look of it is right … there’s nothing out of place, and lines give it an aggressive look that others can’t match.

Toyota Corolla AE86

The Corolla, or is that Hachi-Roku, Levin, Trueno or Sprinter? For it’s been known by all of those names, not surprising really as it’s getting on for 36 years old. True fans know it as the AE86, which basically signifies the rear-wheel drive, 1.6 liter version.

This is the car that really started the drift sport proper … forget the Mustang and muscle cars … they just happened to like going sideways, whereas the AE86 was the firm favorite of the Japanese racers hooning around the mountain trails, sideways.

They were simple, lightweight, rear-wheel driven and around 120 hp on-tap, which in today’s money is pretty poor, but back then … it worked.

From a legend, to an almost ran … these aren’t that popular for drifting today, for two reasons … the power just can’t be had easily, and the price. The AE86 is getting collectible, finding one that has been unmolested & standard is nigh-on impossible, and even those that have been converted to a drift car don’t really work … the drift style needed to drive it is so far removed from today’s cars that people just can’t drive them efficiently.

Yes, in their day, they were the drift car of choice, much like the 240SX or 350Z is today – it had just enough power, was beautifully balanced, and the powerband was perfect for novice drivers. Today though … parts are increasingly difficult to get hold of (because of the age) and just like the purchase price, they’re expensive. If you can find a good example, buy it and store it somewhere warm & dry, because you can be sure it will only go up in value.

Summary: From the darling of the drift world to the long-in-the-tooth also ran. Finding a great example is difficult, and you’ll have to spend the dollars to get it, and to make it work. With so many better (and cheaper) choices, you’re heading in the wrong direction with the AE86, unless you’re a hardcore fan of vintage Japanese.

Mazda MX5 Miata

What can be said of the little Miata that hasn’t already been said? Cheap, lightweight, plentiful parts, rear-wheel drive … this is one of Japan’s finest small sports cars.

The MX5 Miata is the perfect cheap drift car for beginners – it has around 140 horsepower, which is just enough, it’s rear-wheel drive, and the whole ethos surrounding it was to make a lightweight sports car that handled.

Yes, it’s always nice to have a bit more power under the gas pedal, and that’s one of the drawbacks of the Miata … it’s naturally aspirated so finding an extra 100+ bhp is expensive … the only real way to do it is take the forced induction route, which will run in to thousands.

The aftermarket network is huge, which means cheap parts and great support, plus it’s extremely well built, solid and reliable, so if you’re just dipping your toe in the water, then it’s a great introduction to drifting. Buying a Miata can be just as cheap … I’ve seen these go for as little as $2,000, and even adding in a bit extra to get it right, you’re still way under the $5,000 mark.

Summary: If you’re looking for the perfect starter car for drifting, the Miata has to be on the list. Sure, it’s not going to take you to professional levels, but you’ll have great fun learning, without spending the price of a small condo in doing so. Cheap fun, super reliable.

Pontiac GTO

Back to the American muscle.

The GTO, or Goat as it’s affectionately known, is cheap American muscle and makes for a great drift car, thanks to the big thumping V8 under the hood – just make sure you get the manual transmission.

It’s popular for a number of reasons … it’s cheap, has decent torque, and the long wheelbase means that it isn’t too ‘twitchy’ – perfect for holding long, slow drifts, but not quite agile enough if you’re running round a tight circuit.

There’s a huge aftermarket network, and you can’t walk around any neighborhood without falling over parts … these things fall out of the trees they’re that popular. What started life as a touring sedan, makes for a pretty hot drift car, providing you get the basics right.

700+ hp is pretty achievable, and you won’t need to sell your kids to get there, all in all, it’s a great starter car thanks to the lazy power delivery and stable chassis.

Summary: An ideal starter drifter … lots of power on tap and long wheelbase makes it more controllable and easier to hold a long drift. Parts are super cheap, and it will never cost much to repair, after the inevitable crash.

Learning to Drift

I’m guessing most of us at one point in our life has gotten a little tail-happy with a car, we like to think we’re the next Ken Block, but the reality is that driving sideways is pure art – I’m more kindergarten refrigerator drawing than Van Gogh.

Don’t be tempted to try drifting on the highways, the police don’t like (I speak from experience).

If you have a love of cars, then you likely also have a love of going fast, but all too often, it seems like cars which go fast are too expensive for most people to even dream of attaining them. Well, the simple fact is that your car doesn’t have to roll off of the assembly line ready to race, as you can bring it to that point yourself.

The term “tuner” is often used to refer to Japanese imports that have been improved with aftermarket parts, however, you’ll find that cars from all around the world can be tuners. And this list is going to cover options from Japan, as well as Germany and the United States, and all of these cars can be improved for pure performance.

While you can swap the air filters and change the exhaust tunes on nearly any vehicles, you’ll find that some are particularly suited for the task. Whether they have a suitable chassis, suspension, or if they were designed with racing in mind, cars will be far more likely to make tuners that will perform well.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is an immensely popular platform for tuners thanks to its relative ubiquity, being one of the most popular cars in North America. That being said, not every model of Civic will be ideal for tuning, and you’ll typically want to opt for hatchback models thanks to their better handling when improved.

One of the best parts of the Honda Civic is that you can replace the performance chip in the engine so that you can get more out of it. This is particularly true for turbocharged models, so if you’re looking to tune up your car without having to improve the valve, cams, or anything mechanical, then the Civic should be right for you.

Nissan 240SX

The Nissan 240SX has long been a favorite of tuners, and due to that, you’ll find no shortage of garages which specialize in modifying this car. Along with the countless garages that you’ll come across, there is also a wide range of cosmetic aftermarket upgrades on the market like new bumpers and side skirts.

As with many tuners, the 240SX already features excellent handling and will be able to accommodate additional power without too much of an issue.

I would recommend changing up the aspiration of your car by adding either a turbocharger or a supercharger, as that is the most cost-effective method of gaining some horsepower. Of course, you’ll also want tires that can handle the added strain.

Subaru WRX

While the Subaru WRX is mainly known as an excellent rally car, you’ll find that it can also be tuned relatively simply. I would recommend using an exhaust kit and a new air filter so that you can improve the flow to the engine, speeding up the rate of combustion and improving your available power across the RPM range.

The Subaru WRX can also benefit immensely from having its engine chip reprogrammed. If you fail to reprogram the chip, it will try to cut power to the engine to prevent it from damaging itself if it were in its stock configuration.

A major benefit to parts that are made for the Subaru WRX is that they are relatively common which also makes them more affordable than parts for other cars.

Toyota 86

The Toyota 86 is a car that was developed together with Subaru, and it is also marketed under their badge as the BRZ. This car uses a boxer engine with natural aspiration, and it is designed with tuners in mind, as the engine is not all that powerful, but the handling is designed to handle increased output.

The low and sporty suspension helps keep the center of gravity low, and the car features an exact 50/50 front/back balance. If you want to tune your Toyota 86, then you’re going to want to focus on improving both the horsepower and the torque of the engine.

Honda S2000

The Honda S2000 is a beloved roadster manufactured by the Japanese automaker, and it is often compared to the Mazda MX-5 in that it is a sporty, fun, and immensely customizable roadster. In its stock configuration, this light little speedster produces about 240 hp, making it a speed demon right off of the assembly line.

When you modify your S2000, you’ll want to be careful not to push it too far, to the point that it starts to stray out of its performance envelope. For this reason, if you are considering seriously tuning your S2000, you’ll want to invest in tires which are designed for high performance.

You should also improve the brakes, as those that come stock on this car are adequate for its stock performance, but they don’t cut it when tuned.

Mazda Miata

The MX-5 from Mazda, also known as the Miata, was once the most popular sports car in the world, and it is still one of the more affordable options. While the stock MX-5 does an excellent job of feeling sporty due to its low weight and excellent suspension, it simply isn’t all that quick.

However, this is the story of many tuner cars, and with improved tires, the Miata will be able to handle corners at surprising speeds. The main advantage of this car, when compared to other models, is that it is an approachable choice for beginner tuners from both a tuning and driving perspective.

Modifying this car is a relatively simple task, and even when you do, it can handle the added power comfortably.

Ford Mustang

Whether your Mustang is equipped with the powerful 5L Coyote V8 or if it comes with the weaker EcoBoost power unit, you’ll find that it can benefit immensely from a few upgrades.

EcoBoost Mustangs should be tuned with a focus on engine power, as that will help bring it up to the level of the Mustang GT. If your Mustang is already producing 460 hp courtesy of the roaring V8 under the hood, we would recommend better tires and even an aftermarket spoiler for improved downforce and cornering performance.

If you want to go even further, feel free to improve the horsepower output of the Coyote, though we’ll warn you that the acceleration will be startling.

Volkswagen Golf

Much like the Miata, the Golf is typically known as a car that is fun to drive in its stock configuration (especially the GTI models), but they aren’t the fastest around.

Induction kits and cams are some of the most common upgrades for the golf’s engine, allowing you to squeeze more power out of the RPM band. While more modern versions of the Golf feature AWD, older, front-drive options should be fitted with a limited-slip differential, improving traction.

Overall, the Golf is a car that is small, lightweight, and can be made exceptionally powerful, all while still being a relatively convenient daily driver.

Mazda RX-7

Last but not least, we have the Mazda RX-7, one of the most legendary tuners ever to come out of Japan. Since this car uses a rotary engine, you won’t be able to install many of the same upgrades that you can use on a piston engine. If you’re looking to improve power output, you should focus on the exhaust and the intake.

If you’re trying to improve the compression of your rotary engine, it will have to be ported, which consists of expanding the ports that lead into the rotor compartment. You will likely also have to install a chip on the car to ensure that it can make the most efficient use of the power you have added to it.

With all of these additions to the engine, be sure to focus on handling improvements like better tires and chassis reinforcement as well.