86 – Gripshiftslide

Reviewed :: New-look Toyota 86

Grant — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 06:10:50 +0000

When Toyota invited us to take an extended test drive of the new-look 86 we jumped at the chance! Being a huge fan of the original car and its re-birthed version in 2012 this was a perfect opportunity to see how the car had been improved.

Having driven the previous 86 before we knew what to expect from the car but had things changed? The new-look 86 definitely looks more aggressive. We had 5 days to test and run the car through its paces from taking it to get groceries to spirited driving runs through the hills.

From the outside you can see they have given the front a new treatment; with all round LED lights in the fog lamps, headlights, taillights and an all new indicator position that sits just above the updated front bar.

What you may not notice at first are the small details that have been updated. From the new aluminium spoiler with its flat grey two tone finish to the little logos etched into the side of the headlights. Even the small side vents have been changed in favor of a more sleek look.

The improvements in style and handling are the most evident changes although some interesting features have been added like hill start assist and a built in lap timer.

When you look even closer you will notice the fine detail that has gone into the all new LED taillights that really help the car to stand out. You can see it has taken influences from after market taillights like the very popular Buddy Club LED taillight.

One of the more modern features they have added to the all new look 86 is its new multi information display that is integrated into the existing gauge setup. It’s great to see Toyota putting some effort into bringing more information to the driver. The multi function display lets you see oil and water temp and even battery voltage.

To make things more exciting Toyota has introduced a new button into the cabin. This ‘Track Mode’ button turns half of the stability control system off so you can really enjoy the car in its rawest form as it was intended.

Although everyone is begging for a factory turbo version of the 86 Toyota has instead brought out an even more refined version of the hugely successful 86. It’s widely rumored that Toyota is saving the turbo for a Supra rebirth.

The GTS manual gets a new cast aluminium manifold, polished valve stems, and cam journal plus a slightly revamped air intake which has added a whole lot more low down torque off the line! Enough to throw your shopping around the boot especially if you launch it at the lights.

Unfortunately the automatic version does not get the altered engine and retains the same engine as the previous version of the 86.

Honey I shrunk the kids… I mean steering wheel! Toyota has decided to decrease the size of the steering wheel to an impressive 362mm which make this the smallest production steering wheel in all of Toyota’s vehicles. The only thing that I didn’t like was the entertainment system. Although it was quick to recognize Bluetooth and continue podcasts; it’s cumbersome controls and GPS were old fashioned.

Everything has had a revamp including the wheels! These new-look 17-inch metallic alloys with fancy machine-cut highlights give the car a much needed aggressive look.

The newly added extra welding to the back end of the car helps stiffen the car up and improve response along with the quick steering rack. The car feels super tight and sharp during cornering especially if the car gets a bit tail happy. The quick rack, smaller steering wheel, and stiffer front suspension all combine to give the driver more control when things do go wrong.

Having driven the previous model I’ve noticed that the sound of the all-new 86 is a lot more aggressive and it revs more freely than the previous models! The quick revving nature of engine makes the gear ratios feel shorter which intern makes you feel as though you are going much faster.

So what else have they added? Steering wheel controls have been added on GTS models for that added bit of luxury. Plus a fancy new Grand Luxe’ trim on the instrument panel and door trims that looks and feels like fancy flocking out of a rally car.

After driving this car for a week I really started enjoying the car even more each day. Comfy for the daily commute, yet fun like a gokart, though the suburban sprawl or a thump in the hills.

I really like the newly tuned suspension. It’s soft, yet firm and responsive. It feels almost like coilovers on their soft setting. The new suspension set up really makes the car a joy to drive especially over speed humps.

Overall they have pulled together the best elements of the 86. Toyota further improved the car by making it look more bold but kept an elegant take on balance and performance.
All in all this is one of the best 86s ever produced and the 2017 new-look 86 is a true pleasure to drive. Not only does it put a smile on your face every time you drive it but it makes you realize exactly why the Toyota 86 is such a popular car in Australia. Thanks to Toyota Australia for giving us the opportunity to test and review one of their very special cars.
Thanks for reading,
Grant

#T86RS :: Sydney 500 – Last race of the season

Grant — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 11:13:02 +0000

The Toyota 86 Racing Series (T86RS) had its debut earlier this year and with the end of the year closing in fast it was time for the final races in the 86 Racing series for 2016.

GSS was lucky enough to be invited as a special guest of Toyota’s and get a sneaky lap around the Sydney 500 track in the 86 driven by a talented V8 Supercar driver just before the Sydney 500 was about to start.

The first thing that struck me about the track layout was its long straights that lead into small sharp corners. The Sydney 500 is basically a street course made out of concrete barriers placed around the outer perimeter of the Olympic park facility in Sydney which once held the Sydney 2000 Olympic games.

The track is fast and tight! A great circuit for the Toyota 86 Racing Series! Bringing the action closer with less margin for error while creating super close racing. This track is easy with one car but once you add 20+ cars fighting it out for the top position that’s when things get interesting.

Combining the old with the new this 86 was freshly wrapped in a classic Peter Wiliamson livery to commemorate the great history of Toyota and its racing pedigree. Toyota has been supporting Australian Motorsport since the first cars raced at Bathurst and what better way to celebrate then to put some of Peter Williamson’s famous cars on show for all the spectators at the Sydney 500. Having my own childhood memories of watching Bathurst with some of these very cars it was a great pleasure to see them up close and not behind a TV screen!

You can’t have close, competitive racing without damage; the tyre marks on the door of this 86 show exactly how close these guys are getting whilst jostling for position.

If you are a motorsport buff you will know the legendary story of this RA23 Celica and the famed axe incident at the 1981 Bathurst 1000! So great to see this piece of history in person along with many other class winning cars that Peter Williamson drove.

The 86 of Jonathon Webb was wearing the very same livery as this Peter Williamson Celica as a special tribute for the last round of the first season of the Toyota 86 Racing Series (T86RS).

There were plenty of things to see at the Sydney 500 including the Touring Car Masters which brings together the glory days of the Australian touring cars and an impressive line up of muscle cars.

The Sydney 500 together with Toyota Australia brings legendary drivers like Glenn Seton, Alex Davison and others to guest drive in the Toyota 86 Racing Series! One of the best things about the 86 Racing Series is the mix of old and young drivers! The mix of experience and inexperience makes for a great racing dynamic.

The Touring Car Masters event was filled with action and drama including Rusty French in the Prom Am Class blowing a power steering line just as he crossed the finish line!

There were plenty of local and international celebs doing TV spots. Kate Peck was busy interviewing an ex pro skateboarder who had made the trip all the way from America just for the Sydney 500!

The V8 Supercars were the main attraction at the Sydney 500 with the crowds eager to see the cars and big name drivers.

The street course of the Sydney 500 is rather tight and to secure a good lap time around the track most drivers nearly have to hop all the curves around the circuit.

From the pit walk along the main straight you can see how packed this event really was. Lets hope that some kids amongst the crowd catch a glimpse of the Toyota Racing Series and forge their very own way into motorsport because of this great racing series by Toyota.

“Don’t adjust your screen!” This is not some type of down hill skier that has gotten lost! It is a member of a V8 Supercar pit crew wearing head to toe safety gear.

Here you can see the mix of personality and seriousness it takes to compete in the Toyota 86 Racing Series (T86RS). With a concentrated look and a silly helmet you too can become a driver!

What a mess! On the first lap going into the first corner this happens… Race 2 of the weekend was abandoned with so many young and eager drivers on a tight course something was bound to happen. That’s racing! You win some and you lose some.

Exciting to watch for fans of racing but not so exciting for the teams that have to fix the damage! Racing is not cheap but this is actually one of Australia’s best entry points for up-and-coming drivers with a confirmed prize pool of $125,000.

In Race 2 there were more casualties, including Damon Strongman, who had a bit of a front end wall slap causing some damage to his steering which left him stranded on the finish line.

Guest driver Jonathon Webb; who is known for winning the Bathurst 1000 with Will Davison in 2016, was taking the drive seriously with plenty of pre-race prep before the last race of the day.

William Brown was well out in front in Race 3 and by keeping clear of the carnage and having a trouble free race he was able to easily take the win. He has been one of the most outstanding drivers in the competition running head to head with David Sieders on the overall leader board for the series.

It was a hard day at the office for some drivers with the amount of cars damaged in this round whilst also being the end of the entire first season of the Toyota 86 Racing Series.

William Brown took out the round victory at the Sydney 500 earning himself the special Peter Williamson Trophy.
The lead to an overall win for the entire Toyota Racing 86 Racing Series championship earning himself a cool $50,000 at the ripe old age of 18! He also picked up the wind for the Australian Formula 4 championship!
The Toyota 86 Racing Series (T86RS) is back again in 2017 and we cannot wait to see more door to door racing action from these up and coming drivers.
Confirmed racing dates (T86RS) 2017:
– (April 21–23) Phillip Island SuperSprint,
– (July 7–9) Townsville 400
– (August 18–20) Sydney SuperSprint
– (October 5–8) Bathurst 1000
– (November TBC) Newcastle 500
More info at Toyota 86 Racing Series (T86RS)
Thanks for reading ,
Grant

Blog Heroes :: Low Key Fun

Grant — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 07:27:06 +0000

We’ve all seen the saying “Keep drifting fun” thrown around the net over the years. We certainly have some great national and state competitions in Australia, however outside of some casual drift matsuri style events, there really hasn’t been many track days that nail the brief. Unfortunately over the years many matsuri events have become synonyms with heavy contact driving between beaten up missile spec drift cars.
If you have a clean car and want to get out and burn some tyres with other like minded individuals where do you go? Enter Blog Heroes. The invitational event from the mind of Oliver Parkinson.

Oliver has been around the drift scene for years, in recent years he has been in the spotlight thanks to his stunning creation and arguably the lowest drift car in Australia. This black RB26 swapped S13.

Oliver set out to create his perfect drift car with just as much attention to the aesthetics as the mechanical side of the build. The car was never built with competitions in mind so that left Oliver with little to no events on his calendar to drive the car. The answer? Run your own track day and invite drivers from all over Australia who’ve proven themselves to be great drivers with the right attitude.

The best venue for such an event? Wilby Park Raceway, a great little secret near the Victorian/New South Wales border. The track originally started life as dirt course with an oiled surface. Due to council complaints the track was given a sealed surface. Now it hosts only a handful of events each year. With the event capped at 40 drivers it was the perfect laid back day for both amateur and professional level drifters.

The cars ranged from jaw dropping high dollar builds to low cost, high thrill drift cars. No matter the car, there were no bad attitudes or fake parts in sight. With a very opinionated view on replica parts drivers were encouraged to leave the fakes at home.

John Dreyer a local driver climbing the ranks of the 2016 VIC Drift Club competition was out in force with his incredible Bluebird.

This car started out as a very clean club registered cruiser eventually becoming the SR20 swapped competition ready drift car you see here. Despite the few badges of honor you see around the body, it is still surprisingly clean after it’s fair share of door to door battles.

Another regular of the Vic Drift scene is Mat Russell and his in instantly recognizable AE86.

Matt is not only known for being able to steer the pant’s off this little 86 he is also rather well known for owning every set of Impul Hosino’s in the world!

It’s always a pleasure to see the JVN Garage KE70 Corolla out on track, this car seems most comfortable flying towards a corner while completely facing the wrong direction.

If you’re in need of some GSS stickers make sure you head to our online store. Here.

Easily one of the cleanest drift cars in Australia and it’s street registered!! Gerald’s R33 sedan is always a sight for sore eye’s at local track days.

The most unique car of the day had to be this KE20 Corolla. While it wasn’t exactly setup to slide the owner looked like he was having a ball throwing the little car into each corner.

Another strange sight was this AW11 MR2. The owner brought it along to give the tiny coupe a shakedown. It was there purely for grip laps although that didn’t stop Matt Russel from getting behind the wheel and giving it a flick or two.

By 9am most drivers had finished unloading and then it was time for one of the most relaxed drivers briefings I’ve ever attended!

Oliver ran through the 4 rules of Blog Heroes.

“1. No dirt drops, 2. No spin & pin, 3. No statics, 4. Don’t be a d$#khead!” Easy right?!

Most people seemed to pay attention during the short briefing.

After the meeting the last handful of cars went through scrutineering and it was time to hit the track.

There didn’t seem to much of a warm up to the action, most drivers took to the track like a duck to water. Many of which had never driven here before.

The overgrown fields surrounding the track proved to be treacherous thanks to the heavy rainfall. In some places the standing water was well over ankle deep.

The track also claimed it’s fair share of aero parts early in the morning.

There was also plenty of drift train action between friends.

Despite the relatively low speed course, tyres were being destroyed left right and center!…

Many coming completely off the rim!

One of my favorite pairs to watch, The JVN KE70 and Michael’s R32. These guys had smiles all day long while getting nice and close in the corners.

The tiny MR2 actually became a crowd favorite as it constantly locked up the front brakes while screaming around the small track. It looked incredibly fast out there.

Even after coming off track a few times Gerald managed to keep his R33 sedan super straight although it did pick up a lot of mud by the end of the day.

The smoke kings, John Dreyer and Matt Russell made for an exciting couple of laps with huge thick walls of smoke behind them throughout the entire track from start to finish.

The action was some of the most consistent I’ve seen, there was never more than a couple of quiet minutes on track.

It was good to see a couple of Nissan Cefiro’s hitting the track, a much rarer sight here in Australia compared to our friends across the ditch in NZ who seem to have imported every A31 available from Japan.

Denis’ 1JZ swapped E30 BMW was having some braking issues during the day which meant we didn’t get to see the usual aggressive driving we’re used to from him. Nether the less the car looked and sounded amazing!

After a quick lunch break the cars once again filled the track.

The man himself and the host of the party, Oliver got strapped in ready to finally unleash the RB26 over the afternoon.

After a few reserved laps Oliver turned the volume up to 11.

The speed this car maintains mid drift is ungodly. Oliver was cracking a very large smile even while the rear tyres separated the quarter panel from the chassis.

A man happy to finally be playing with his toy!

I actually kind of dug the “cut away” style look. Maybe this will become a new trend?

By the late afternoon most drivers were really finding their groove.

Even the mighty little Corolla was getting in some impressive lines.

The relaxed nature of the track was an amazing experience for drivers and photographers alike.

This meant the action was super close and the energy from the drivers pushing harder and harder to nail a perfect drift in front of my camera lens was truly surreal.

John Dreyer spent the afternoon mastering backwards entries, many of which defied everything we know about physics. A true mad man!

With the sun soon fading it was time to end what was one of the radest track days I’ve personally been to.

Even with the wet shoes I cannot wait to get back out to Wilby and check out another invite only event.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Japan Day 2 :: Daikoku Futo PA

Grant — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 09:32:31 +0000

After 36 hours in Japan we finally hit up some car action at none other than Daikoku Futo PA! This tiny car park in the middle of a man made island in the Yokohama harbor is a thing of legend. If you’re into Japanese cars chances are you’ve seen more than a few photos from this location. Here car owners from different walks of life all gather and soak up the experience that is Daikoku Futo any night of the week and during the day on weekends.

Staying in Yokohama meant the parking area was just 15 minutes from our hotel. So hurried back after dinner and set off on our adventure.

The very first sight we were greeted by as we drove down the long spiraling off ramp into the parking area. This ‘Tron’ looking BMW convertible that had light glowing from everywhere. We parked up and ran around like kids in a candy store.

I can’t explain the ‘fizzy’ feeling you get standing in this spot at night… The cars, the orange light and the sound of engines revving is just unlike any car meet at home. The scale of the freeway ramps that circle you create this theater filled with the sounds of cars entering and leaving the car park. It really is just massive!!

The amount of cars even on a quiet night like this was staggering, cars were coming and going all the time. It was impossible to keep up when shooting on a tripod.

These three where all friends.

We loved this bumper-less Crown. It was also refreshing to see a modified Crown after the sea of Japanese Taxi’s getting around Tokyo!

The wheels were on the smaller side for a car of this size bit it still looked great all together.

Our second night in Japan and we were already treated to the sight of a Hako Skyline.

It was beautiful!!

This matte green air-cooled Porsche was a very cool sight amongst all the domestic cars.

There was a small army of MX-5’s out in force.

I’ve only ever seen one or two cool looking MX-5’s together at home so it was awesome to see more than 5 at the same place.

This little dark green one was rocking some wide wheels on the rear. Photos don’t do it justice!

Our favorite MX-5 had to be this BN Sports kitted black number. The level of dish was high with this one!

There was a few Honda’s out and about too.

This little blue EG Civic was sitting stupidly low, it looked awesome from every angle.

The greatest Civic Type R in our eyes… The EK9. These things are just pure awesome!

Another Type R on the same TE 37 wheels.

Over in the corner some local bosozoku bikers were meeting and revving their bikes. When I got closer I realised they were playing songs. They had each made up their own song and began reciting them one after another simply using their engines.

This was one of the coolest aspects of the parking area, getting up close to these amazing machines/people I’ve heard so much about.

Old Suzuki’s and Honda’s seemed the bikes of choice and they all had their own personal touches.

Our personal favorite of the entire night had to be Kazuki’s flawless 86.

The subtle red glitter in the paintwork was beautiful. We were digging the mismatched wheels. Work Equips up front.

TE37V in the rear.

This is seriously one very cool street driven hachiroku!!

Not to far away we found some very nice looking Infiniti’s.

This FX was dropped on it’s airbag suspension while it was parked and had heaps of top end audio gear inside. The roof racks had a very cool flower wrap on them too.

The G-Series sedan was sitting low on a set of 3SDM 0.08 wheels.

These wheels looked the business gleaming away under the street lights.

As it turns out the Toyota Prius is one of the most modified cars in Japan, seriously every second one we saw had blacked out taillights, wheels and an exhaust. This one was a little bit different and certainly had a bigger budget then most sitting pretty atop a set of fifteen52 Tarmac wheels. This thing looked killer.

From big budget to low budget this ‘diy’ Legacy wagon would look at home at most grass root race events. The matte black paint and custom front splitter design along with the rear wing made for a menacing looking street car.

One of the few Supra’s we saw, this was definitely the more wild looking of the bunch. Check out the rear diffuser setup!!

The car park fell quiet for a short time, the silence was quickly interrupted by the unique burble of this Porsche arriving. The sound stuck out like a chip packet being opened in a church.

One for the rotary fans. This spotless white FD RX-7 was certainly worthy of a few photos.

The body kit seemed like a simple lip kit at first but became all the more extreme when you got closer. The rear diffuser alone was a work of carbon art!

A late and brief attendee was this Evo wagon, such a shame we don’t see more of these in Australia. I’ve only ever seen one in real life before this.

This Scion XB was pushing the camber out on the rear wheels, lots of character here. mismatched panels, rusted bonnet and stone chips galore. This was cool!

This tiny Suzuki Alto was just tucking these 14″ mesh wheels in the rear.

It had some patched up fender damage on the front from running so low around Tokyo’s streets.

Later in the evening another cool 86 arrived, this time a coupe!!

In the infamous two tonne black & white combination and on a set of Watanabe wheels… Perfect!

It doesn’t get much cooler than this, sitting behind an idling Toyota Sprinter in Yokohama.

There was truck loads of Toyota’s by this point. Check out the crazy fitment on this Crown.

This Chaser was in pristine condition and funnily enough had the loudest sub woofer I’ve heard on the street. It was ridiculous!!

It had a nice amount of dish too!

One of the toughest looking cars of the night had to be this black Nissan Cima.

The big chunky wheels set it off perfectly.

It’s hard to describe this car without using the word “gangster”…

Even more Toyota Crowns!! They’re literally everywhere here! We were about ready to call it a night before the police did it for us After a few too many cars got a bit loose when leaving the car park.

Then this arrived… The hero car of the night. a sky blue liberty Walk R35 GT-R.

The huge over fenders of the rocket bunny kit perfectly covered the massive rear wheels.

This thing was big!!

Seeing a car like this here in Japan was really a special moment for me, I stood still just enjoying it not even touching my camera for a few minutes before I felt the pain in my feet that comes from a 15 hour day of walking none stop.
So that was that we called it a night and headed back to our hotel.
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.

Toyota :: Festival of 86 '14

Grant — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:36:30 +0000

How many of you have purchased a new car and been invited to a yearly event to celebrate that new car? Never. Well that’s what happens when you purchase a car from Toyota Australia! Now we hear you, they don’t make this sort of song and dance about every Toyota that rolls off the showroom floor right? Well the mighty Toyota 86 is no ordinary car.
The 86 is inspired directly by the cult classic AE86 Corolla, that first appeared in 1983. This original car truly captured fans both extreme and casual with it’s nimble handling, RWD configuration and lightweight body. 30 years ago it broke free from the shackles of the ‘Corolla’ family name and was celebrated the world over. Production ended in 1987 and the Corolla then became the economy FWD hatchback we know today.
Toyota rekindled this flame and brought us the 86! Like the original, we see RWD return along with a very well constructed chassis with enough power to move it around a corner or three.
Now in it’s second year of production, it was time to celebrate and that means one massive party called Festival of 86!!

Toyota quickly discovered that good looking/handling cars come and go and fans do too unless you acknowledge and support them as a community. Toyota Australia are still finding their feet when it comes to a car like the 86, but everything we’ve seen them put their time and money into has been head and shoulders over the other manufactures in this country. With events like the Festival of the 86 to supporting one of Australia’s best drifters and letting them take an angle grinder to their creation, Toyota have well and truly helped cement the 86 as a ‘must have’ car for enthusiasts young and old.

This years Festival of 86 was again held in Sydney, but this time with the stunning backdrop of the White Bay Cruise Terminal. Don’t be fooled, Toyota weren’t in it just to push their latest product as the venue was littered with classic AE86’s everywhere!

You can’t look to the future without acknowledging your past, and when the past looks this good, who can blame you?!

86 owners were invited from all over the country to show off their pride and joy.

We love hunting out all the little touches owners have been adding to their cars, making the 86 a blank canvas for all tuners and enthusiasts alike.

This is the absolute picture perfect example of the original hatchback. Two tone paint, Watanabe wheels and JDM pop up headlights.

Who doesn’t love this face?

While the 86’s filled up outside, we headed indoors for all of Toyota’s displays and a visit from some special guests.

Between us and the doors, we found Sydney based Tunehouse Racing’s 86. Fresh from the World Time Attack Challenge, this car not only looks great but goes like a Zyrtec! This was the fastest 86 with a lap time of 1:42.8530 in the club sprint class.

Inside 86 owners gathered for some words from some of Australia’s top level drivers about their own experiences with the Toyota 86.

Neil Bates and Beau Yates are no strangers to high performance Toyota’s, Neil has won countless rally championships behind the wheel of various Toyota’s including both Corolla’s and the Celica GT-Four.
Neil drives around town in his own personal turbo charged 86 featuring the same two tone white/black paint made famous from the Japanese anime Initial D.

Beau is known for not only his skills drifting, but also his meticulously built and maintained drift AE86. His original car was built with backing from TRD and featured a 3 litre beams motor.
Flash forward and Beau is now competing in a ground up drift built turbo 86 with support from Toyota Australia. Beau has spent the last 12 months tuning and perfecting the car and has been very competitive in recent months.

The man behind the car, for the second year in a row Toyota Australia flew Tetsuya Tada in from Japan. Tada San is the chief engineer responsible for building the car we all know as the 86.
He loves meeting the fans and seeing how people have taken his creation and adapted, changed and of course enjoyed it!!

After queuing up for a chance to meet the man himself we began checking out all the high quality builds inside. Garage 88’s 86 is the perfect blend of performance and street car.

Beau’s purpose built drift car, it’s hard to believe this was just a stock standard car fresh off the showroom floor a little over a year ago.

The engine bay is filled with custom built goodies from the team at Hypertune – the same team helped build Beau’s original 86 so it was a no-brainer to get them on board for his new project.

A lot of 86’s have been given the Rocket Bunny treatment but not many pull it off as well as Beau’s drift car. The huge rear arches sit so well against the angry looking taillights and we just love that rear wing!

Our favourite street 86 of the event? This black number on Work XSA-04C wheels was beautifully executed! The duckbill wing and lip kit flows perfectly with the factory lines in black.

We were really blown away to see what the festival had become since the first event last year, check out our coverage here.

Motivational 86. We’re always fans of what the team from Cars For Hope do. If you’ve ever suffered from depression you’re not alone, jump on their site and connect with people who have fought the same battles.
http://carsforhope.com.au/

Back out in the sun we enjoyed our last walk through the car park, taking in all the Toyota goodness that was on display.

It’s great to see a retro racer untouched from 30 years ago. There’s something so nostalgic about old race car livery and all the brand logos.

Panda’s as far as the eye can see!

The coupe is quite the rare sight here in Australia. We were fortunate enough to receive the hatchback as a locally delivered model.

We have to admit the smooth looks of the Trueno pop up headlights are our favourite of the original 86’s.

More Watanbe’s!!! This is definitely the wheel of choice amongst AE86 owners.

New 86 owners seem to opt for anything from the Rays or Work Wheels catalouge, that’s not a bad thing at all!

It’s not all about super lows, this white 86 was flexing it’s muscles atop a set of Ray TE37’s wrapped in some super sticky rubber!!

Some owners really got into the festival!

Everywhere we looked we spotted a new lip kit or spoiler but we have not idea how owners keep up with it all. There’s literally too much to choose from!!

What a show! We were wrapped to once again be invited back by Toyota to enjoy the festivities of the 86’s 2nd birthday.
The 86 has proved it won’t be disappearing anytime soon with the this much support from fans, tuners and of course the manufacture! We can’t wait to see what Toyota have up their sleeve for updates and new models on the horizon.
Thanks for reading and till next year, happy Birthday 86! #festivalof86
– Gwyn.
Photos courtesy of Roberto Mocchetti | Full Motion Photography

From The Vault :: 86 Mega Meet

Grant — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 11:37:16 +0000

Here at GSS we attend A LOT of events around our full time jobs and sometimes life can get in the way for our two man team. So we will be bringing you a series of posts titled “From The Vault”. Each post will be an event or feature we’ve been meaning to post up but just never found the time.

Our first entry in the series, is from the very first Mega Meet of the 86 Club of Australia. It was held at Sandown Raceway Melbourne late last year. Coincidence has it, this week we’ll be celebrating the 86’s second birthday with Toyota Australia and the #festival of 86, keep your eyes peeled for that later this week…

Toyota fans from around the state flocked to the racetrack for a show & shine event run by the 86 Club and Pedders Racing, to celebrate the 86’s first birthday.
We attended a special event hosted by Toyota Australia a month earlier and enjoyed throwing the little coupe around a closed track. See it here.

We arrived bright and early to catch a quick briefing for all the attendees.

This wasn’t just a static show, the 86 club had organised a parade lap around the racetrack. All the drivers had to be to aware of the strict noise restrictions at this particular course.

With the clock ticking away, the cars lined up on the dummy grid ready for a 9am start.

With the noise limits in place, Matt Russell’s drift AE86 could not be started so it was pushed into place on the dummy grid.

With all the cars in position it was time for a few photos.

With so many 86’s to fit in the one photo some people needed some extra height.

There were smiles all round that morning – it is great to see such an active car club these days. A big thank you goes out to all the sponsors. Shannons Nationals, Pedders Racing, Import Monster and Martini Racing.

Already we were picking out a few favorites in the crowd, the Martini Racing 86 looked great covered in Charge Speed goodies. It’s crazy to think this car was completely stock on a show room floor just months earlier.

Pedders Racing brought down their race 86 to take part in the parade lap.

Once the clock hit 9am all the cars started up and took off, and while it was just a parade lap there was still plenty of spirited driving down the straight.

The Charge Speed kit looked even better flying down the straight.

After the lap the cars were arranged for the show.

Wheels and lip kits seem to be the first modification for most 86 owners and we spotted so many different lip kits. It’s nice to see the tuner market alive and well again.

It’s still hard to go past the original 86, the mighty little hatchback has really pushed the limits of being a classed as a “cult” car. It’s popularity worldwide is unbelievable now.

Definitely not what you think of when someone mentions a Toyota Corolla. This Tureno was an instant favorite of ours.

We found a few 86’s adorning some carbon accessories.

It’s not just lip kits, there was even a Rocket Bunny kitted GT86. This is the most extreme kit available so far, with huge fender flares and pot rivets as far as the eye can see.

Matt’s Russell’s drift car proved to be a crowd favorite. We loved the 80’s decals that have been added to make the little hatch more appealing for mainstream drift competitions.

Inside Matt’s office, simple but effective. Nardi wheel, seats and some sheet metal. Perfect!

Some of the boys explaining the difference between cars and women.

One of the most popular wheel choice among 86 owners, TE37 SL edition. These things are everywhere!

Some times it’s best to keep it as simple as possible. Bone stock dropped on a set of SSR MS1. An absolutely beautiful combo on the little white Toyota.

Orders from dealerships are still taking months to fulfill and it’s easy to see why when they look this good. We think the old saying about hotcakes will be changed to “They sell like 86’s!!”.

While everyone was busy getting their sausage sizzle on at the BBQ, we hand picked a few cars for some detailed shots.

First up – the Martini Racing 86. Wearing a full Charge Speed wide body kit and sporting some AP racing brakes and an Amuse exhaust too.

The club had local model Amanda stop by for some of the photos.

We couldn’t complain and began snapping away.

She had a lot of fun climbing in and out of all the bucket seats that’s for sure.

Cheeky… Smile!

We’ve seen plenty of examples of the Toyota Factory Aero Kit but none sit as well as this white GTS model.

Something about the slightly off white makes this factory kit work so well here.

Watch out boys, Miss 86 is showing you how it’s done! Simple lip kit and smoked fog lights do wonders to contrast the red paint.

XXR 527 wheels work quite well here and wheel nuts match the burnt titanium tip of the HKS exhaust poking out from behind the rear bumper.

Historic AE86 racer, check out that build number!!! The petrol filler in the boot wing is a very cool touch too.

Everything exactly as it raced more than 20 years ago. All untouched.

Plenty of scaffolding in the back to keep things safe.

This two-tone Trueno had our necks snapping when it rolled in. We loved everything about this period correct combo.

Single bride seat because who cares about passengers?!

The perfect amount of flare thanks to the body kit and the yellowish carbon bonnet sits nicely against the grey paint.

Up close and personal with Matt Russell’s drift machine.

The engine is of course absolute blasphemy… A Nissan SR20DET. Seeing how competitive this little underdog is out on the track, we couldn’t care less about the Frankenstein engine/car combo.

Everything about the styling screams “Back to the eighty’s”. Shockworks have jumped on board as major sponsor and you should check them out for your coilover needs. These guys are engineering wizards when it comes to comfort and performance!

Our favorite colour on 86’s both old and new. White!!

Initial D fan boys here… Akina, touge and tofu.

Amanda found a spare hat in this car and helped herself to it.

Some of the best club merch we’ve seen. Get on it!

Two good reasons to buy a Toyota 86… Cool merchandise and club meets.

Our pick of the entire event? This metallic red AE86!

Gorgeous from every angle and painstakingly maintained… This is a very loved car!!

Some of the Pedders family, proud as punch in the middle of their car show.

Here’s two of the event organisers with Amanda, showing not only that they can get a bunch of cars together for a show but they can also work it in front of the camera too!
Hats off to the great people behind this community, showing all other groups how it’s done.
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed looking back at this day and can’t wait to unlock some more stories from the vault for you all soon.
Thanks for reading,
Gwyn.
P.S. If you want to check out the next mega meet it’s happening in Melbourne again on the 7th of December. Follow the link for more details. Click here.

Thai Fighter :: Carbon Clad 86

Grant — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 00:41:32 +0000

In our modern ‘connected’ world, we are spoiled with a constant flow of information and entertainment at our fingertips. and the ability to interact with friends both near and far. What was once a great distance, is now just a stone throw away.
Here at Gripshiftslide the team is over the moon to share with you our very first international feature car!! Thanks to the power of the internet, we have crossed nearly 6,000 kilometers and landed in Thailand, This is where we meet a young man named Som and one of the most aggressively styled and street driven Toyota 86’s getting around.
These Toyota’s have been selling like hot cakes since 2011. Many have been left untouched, while others have had complete transformations. We don’t know of any other car that has had so many examples that have gone ‘under the knife’ hot off the dealership floor.
So what has changed for Toyota and what has the 86 done to inject that little bit of excitement back into driving a car?

So let’s be honest here right from the get-go, Toyota has been a renowned brand worldwide for years now, but years gone by with more focus on affordability, bang for your buck and environmental awareness. One would have to say that these particular traits within a car firm would not always stir the perpetual ethanol infused blood of a driver wanting that bit extra for his dollar.

What we want is to feel something. We want that bit of controlled exhilaration behind the wheel of a car that makes our eyebrows jump, our stomachs turn just a little, and of course, the satisfaction
of a well-executed handbrake turn (thank you Mr. Clarkson).

Not taking anything away from such a flourished brand, but ideally speaking, things went rather quiet for Toyota after the Supra was removed from production circa 2002. This was until around 2010 when a concept was put into light which would ultimately turn out to be the car you see above. Personally I see the Toyota 86 at least 3 times on my way to work, and again a similar number on my way home, which speaks to their obvious popularity. But what makes them so popular to modify? I guess to accurately compare it, we’d have to briefly examine its predecessor, the AE86.

The above mentioned predecessor is now more than 20 years old and in 2007 I was actually given one as a loan car strangely enough in Brisbane while my Honda CRX was in for suspension
maintenance. At the time I wasn’t entirely aware of the cultural status this car had, but what I do remember was nice heavy steering, a very throaty roar from the 120hp motor
and surprisingly how well balanced that car was. You could take it round a corner, lightly lift off the throttle and feel that ‘kick’ of the rear end while still retaining balance. Given its position as
a preferred choice in the drifting scene I would have originally expected something a bit more aggressive in the handling than it was, but I thoroughly enjoyed the 970kg little rocket for 2 days and
how easy it was to drive.
So does the GT86 still retain the AE86 DNA? Let’s take a look at the GT we have here…

Aggressive, although a clichéd word in automotive terms, is what stares at me. The swooping arches of the front guards leading to the bulging rear quarters are beautifully complimented by a set of
TE37 RT 18’s wrapped in Hankook rs3 245-40-18 up front and 265-35-18 on the rear, supported by a set of Tein Monoflex and stopping power supplied by Endless Brakes. Oh and if you can’t tell yet, the
front guards are of the carbon fiber specialty provided by Seibon.

The rear is no different. In a car that was designed as a compact RWD coupe and with a body shape that rides low to the ground to improve handling ability, it has not escaped the proverbial rear
diffuser/wing additions we see so commonly on track inspired vehicles. Seibon once again makes an appearance with the incorporation of a CSL style carbon fibre boot lid and wing coinciding with an
under-rear cover supplied by, you guessed it, Seibon. Surprisingly however, the diffuser itself along with the side skirts are all custom made items.

The rear section of the GT is one of my favorite areas, especially when complimented by this set of TE37’s. One design characteristic I really enjoy is the shape of the rear pointed window, which
appears to flow or lead very fluently into the downward motion of the roof line to meet the rear guard where the two seem to appropriately ‘echo’ each other.

The front end of the GT86 which speaks to the cars overall ground-hugging design maintains its low center of gravity and a slippery slick presence with hauntingly beautiful sweeping style, reminding
us of the heritage of Toyota sports cars of days gone, such as the renowned Toyota 2000GT.

One may debate the need to change such an already impressive design, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Som has added a very aggressive carbon fiber bonnet courtesy once again
from Seibon, along with front Carnard additions such as the lip to augment an already sporting appearance.

I’ve only been a passenger in the new GT, but I could deduce that the command center had a strong focus on driver orientation to hammer home the sports car theme, and the interior of this
GT has only received some basic additions from well-established brands such as Bride, Takata and a Miracle X Bar half cage. And if you’re wondering why we haven’t delved into the world of ‘what lies
beneath’, it’s primarily because this 2.0 litre boxer motor is still standard. Som has focused his efforts just as the Toyota executives have… Handling and styling!

Although we’re told jokes have been had among Som’s circle of friends that he may do something rather drastic… Swapping out the original boxer engine for something with twice as many pistons and a whole lot more power.
Som’s 86 is already in the middle of another rebuild and we cannot wait to see version 2.0!!

At the end of the day when you have a genuinely lightweight machine, a machine that allows you to feel something, provides that bit of controlled exhilaration behind the wheel of a car that lets
it be the extension of you, the GT 86 I find has evoked the emotions and surprise that I had back in 2007 of the last AE86. Combine this with a large aftermarket support base, answers my question
posed in the beginning, why do I see so many 86’s? Well, it’s clear you have a car that will grow with its owner, and vice versa.
– David Steer.
A special thank you for the photos from Ohmpimp Crows | Connection

ADGP round 4 :: The 2013/14 Championship Conclusion

Grant — Mon, 26 May 2014 08:53:58 +0000

With more than 40 cars due to hit the track and pit crews working feverishly, the morning air smelled like sweet E85. After a year the Australian Drift Grand Prix has traveled all around Australia and returned to Calder Park for the final round of the championship.

The pits were alive with the sound of wild horse power but the track was dormant. Soon thousands of dollars worth of tyres were about to be embedded into Melbourne’s home of motorsport Calder Park Raceway.

In the early morning many were hurrying to apply new sponsor stickers as they quickly unloaded their trailer loads of tyres and tools.

Prosnik’s car was running a different set of wheels this weekend making the S13 look even more aggressive than usual. This new bling helped to intimidate the competition whilst showing them that Prosnik is here to stay and is a real threat in the world of drift within Australia.

Beau Yates was finally back in the seat of his very well prepared Toyota sponsored 86. Probably the best modified 86 within Australia complete with the extensively modded Boxer engine. No cheating here; only hard work, dedication and a hell of a lot of testing / tuning.

This S14 is not just a pretty face! It is one serious drift weapon with years and years of high level experience. John Papadopoulos is the man behind this great looking Silvia. It was looking better than it had for many years but as we all know drift has a way of tarnishing the silverware.

A very strange Commodore was showing some Nissans how it’s done. A turbo Commodore? It is not a VL! How could this be? It is not a V8! It’s a Nissan in disguise!

A relative newcomer to ADGP; Finny O’Hare with his battle weapon r33 was showing the crowd how it is done. Because this course closely resembled the one set up for Formula Drift Asia it was very challenging for many drivers who had not experienced this type of layout before.

Ryan was throwing it hard at this wall and Andrew Hawkins took the opportunity to capture the action. Every driver has their own style yet the crowd really loves the drivers that show personality through their driving.

Ryan was looking good Saturday but by Sunday things started to go wrong. First there was loosing a lead run against Jabbot because of an intercooler pipe that blew off and then other steering issues. This was not what he had planned for the weekend.

The widest R32 competing in ADGP has to be Michael Rosenblatt’s. This car has seen its fair set of changes since the series started and I’m sure this car will continue to transform in the newcoming season.

Consistent performance is the key to success although Michael regularly places in the top ten during most rounds. His continued achievements over 2013 are setting him up for even better results in 2014.

Not only were the national drivers impressing the judges but also some of the drivers competing in the state competition like Brent Gordon.

Probably the best looking helmet design in ADGP John Papadopoulos knows how to present a professional drift team. Although helmet designs are something not all drivers think about it’s one of those things that can help set your team apart from others.

The cool elephant skin pattern also extended onto the car livery. John wasn’t hitting the clipping points as well as the judges wanted but he kept pushing it all weekend and soon got a good handle on this advanced track layout.

Josh was putting it all on the line desperately striving for a top result. His initial entries were ferocious! No one else was giving the first corner as much commitment as Josh.

On the Saturday the rain hit only for an hour or so but it was enough to drastically change track conditions for the worst. Some drivers could handle the damp track whilst others spun out more than once per lap.

The rain slowed down the drift action which gave the drivers a chance to practice wall proximity.

This was a sure sign that the grip was returning to the track. Having a tyre rip off your car while going sideways at speed is not all shits and giggles. Alex kept his drift on! The crowd loved it and cheered!

The track soon dried up and the smoke returned much to the crowds delight. From that point on the drifting got better and better.

For the first time the other side of the track was opened up to spectators. A serious portion of the giant thistles had been removed and new concrete seating had been constructed. This gave the crowd a chance to see the show from a new perspective.

James Abbott (Jabbot) certainly knows how to hype up the crowd! A great driver with more ‘flare’ than finesse; but super high entertainment value!

Here you can see Josh midway through a wheel throw. He was constantly attacking the course with the same intensity he arrived with.

This R33 was laying down some serious skids with plenty of gusto! It was making real power off the first downhill sweeping corner.

3 Fingers Neat always put on a good show! With plenty of 2j power Schembri would bake the finish line to give the crowd a good soaking of tyre spray.

An unexpected Jack Widdas took the #1 spot in national qualifying in the GH Haulage R31 Skyline.

With Rob Whyte looking on, Beau Yates managed to put in a killer performance during qualifying to secure #2 spot with Dale Campaign coming in a close third.

I have never heard of a drift car running off straight gas until now! Meet Sean’s crowd pleasing XP Falcon complete with Au 4ltr turbo engine.

Everything is getting better at drift events and even the food! That’s right we occasionally stop to grab a bite!

The defending champion was pushing hard to put points on the board. He suffered from a few car dramas over the weekend but held it together and put in a respectable performance.

Had Rob Whyte done enough to hang on to the championship for a second time? The points were incredibly close. Andrew Hawkins kept his cards close to his chest and we would only find out after the final battle.

Three top level drivers all in one shot. Unfortunately none of them could stop Beau or Prosnik from battling their way to the top.

This was the best drifting I had seen this year period! Beau Yates had the 86 screaming and scraping doors with Michael Rosenblatt. The battle got replayed several times and each time it was so incredibly close that the judges had a very hard time picking a winner.

When these epic battles were over the ADGP media crew rushed to interview them and to let Beau know that he was through into the next battle. Michael Rosenblatt performance was so good that the subsequent final battles were boring in comparison. Michael had stuck to Beau’s door like glue and nobody came close to repeating that feat.

Putting Victoria on the map was the peoples champ Michael Prosnik, complete with his own cheer squad / crew. He placed second over the weekend and third overall in the championship.

Beau Yates took out first place winning his first round of this season! The 86 did not miss a beat and it was great to finally see Beau back on the podium where he belongs.

Our driver Jason Ferron continues to kick goals with a third placing in the state competition. He had some seriously close battles against Brad Tuohy and Brent Gordon but luckily got himself onto the podium.

Rob Whyte almost lost the championship to Nick Coulson! However, he had just had enough points to win his second ADGP championship in a row. Winning back to back championships is no easy task. Can the man repeat his performance in the new upcoming season of ADGP? Only time will tell…

Toyota :: TCCA Family Fun Day – Motokhana

Grant — Tue, 20 May 2014 09:43:48 +0000

Toyota Car Club of Australia Victoria hosted a demo motorkhana event at Toyota headquarters. If that wasn’t enough they also invited the 86/BRZ club and mr2 club to display their cars for a small show n shine.

This classic Toyota Corona was the first thing to grab my attention. With an interior that is not created out of plastic and some shiny bling highlights this little Corona looked the part.

If you’re an SW20 fan then you should appreciate how clean this one is. The Mr2 club bought out some of its finest examples to put on display here at Toyota.

Only Japanese royalty drive cars like these so I was very surprised when I saw one in the flesh. The 3rd generation Toyota Crown was known as the Super Deluxe Sedan and was Toyota’s classy ride of the time.

A car that is seriously becoming a collectors item is the Nissan Fairlady Z. It is one of the stand out cars of the last 50 years and Adam has carefully restored this Datsun to its full glory.

I could not take my eyes of this amazing car. It was perfect; siting on coilovers and wearing 15 inch RS Watanabes!

There were plenty of clean engine bays on display. It was hard to know which engine bay to dedicate my attention to.

Not only was there old Toyotas on display there were also some slightly more modern examples showing the old timers how its done.

I had never seen this type of tailight on the 86 before and I was more surprised to find out that they are made by Buddyclub.

The BRZ club turned up to display their cars and sit back to watch the motorkhana action unfold.

This WRX was driven by a motorkhana champion who definitely had some serious skills. I couldn’t believe how much punishment this car took while he redlined 1’st gear all day long.

This mighty Corona was one of the most entertaining cars of the day. Although the car is thirty plus years old it still made it round the cones faster than many of the more modern cars.

The crowd was really enjoying the motorkhana spectacle and this little boy was glued to the action like a moth to a flame.

James took the chance to shake down his new car by taking passengers around the course while working on the setup of the car. Because the day was casual with no real time pressure people had time to fiddle with their cars in between sessions.

The best thing about this open day was the fact that the public had the opportunity to experience the action first hand! This really put a smile on the face of almost everybody who was lucky enough to get a ride.

Along with the normal cars there were some specialized motorkhana cars which are designed to be light, nimble and fast. This one was known as the “Sweet sixteen” featuring a Toyota 4AFE 1600 engine and a big set of brakes made from many different cars.

The variety of cars on course showed the public that you don’t need a supercar to compete in this sport. As long as you can steer your way through some cones and purchase some low level safety gear you are good to go.

It does not matter how old you are you can still enjoy motorsport! This motorkhana special only weighed 340kg. It also had a nifty little trick for stopping; with a small set of wheels at the front to stop the car from flipping forward during heavy braking.

Minis have always been a good choice for this type of event. With their short wheel base and nimble handling they make for a fun platform.

Specialized motokhana cars can often look more like an experimental car than a racing pocket rocket. As the crowds came and went you could tell that people were really enjoying the action on track.

With lots of cars on display and action on track the general public was treated to a fantastic free event. This AW11 was one car that stopped me dead in my tracks. Everything on this car was well balanced while being super functional.

The collaboration between a car club and manufacturer is something more clubs should try to achieve. Not only does it raise awareness about the club but it also changes up club events from your standard track day or car meet. TCCA is really doing some great work in the automotive community and we cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
Thanks for reading.
Grant

The Hot Seat :: Fredric Aasbo

Grant — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:11:35 +0000

Formula Drift Asia’s inaugural event here in Melbourne is just days away… Days!!!
This weekend Calderpark Raceway will be alive with the sound of screeching tyres and limiter bashing and Sunday will see some of the biggest names from all over the world going head to head along the walls of the Thunder Dome!
We caught up with Daigo Saito for a few questions in the lead up to the event and this week we are talking with Fredric Aasbo aka “The Hammer” from Norway!!
Fredric is bringing the freshly built RS-R GT86 from Japan, sporting an insane TRD Nascar V8 and this will be the cars first ever competition right here in Melbourne!!!

GSS: Hi Fredric, firstly we would love to start by asking you some questions about your success in not only Europe but around the world but we’re dying to know more about the car you’ll be driving in Australia! Tell us about how this crazy build came to be and how you ended up being handed the keys so to speak?

Fredric: Well, thank you! This has actually been in the works for a long time. I met the RS-R executives in Abu Dhabi in 2011. We won the Formula Drift Invitational over there in our very basic Japan Auto Toyota Supra, and they complemented our performance out there. Since then, we've been talking and trying to work something out together.

GSS: A NASCAR V8 motor is one of the crazier engine conversions we have heard of, have you had much time behind the wheel? what are your thoughts on its performance for drifting?

Fredric: I got to test the car at Suzuka Twin Circuit in Japan in February and it's such a different animal to what I'm used to. The response and throttle linearity is second to none, and RS-R really did their homework by putting in a milder cam which makes it better suited for drifting. Some of RS-R's changes over a typical NASCAR Nationwide motor setup has actually trickled down from my american team Papadakis Racing's V8 program in Formula Drift back in '09 and '10, so this is really a family get together sort of project.

GSS: We understand you’ll be sharing the car with Max Orido for this season of FD Asia, are you worried about returning the car with any scratches after its debut here on the slopes of the Calderpark Thunder Dome or will we get to see you driving as hard as you can in some amazing battles?

Fredric: Well, scratching is one thing but finishing the event is another - scratches are fine as long as they help you move forward and don't take you out. As of right now I know very little about the course and how it's set up, and RS-R has also carried out several changes since I drove the car in February. I am not worried about going hard, but I need to be able to work into it and I can't wait to give it my all trying to tame this animal!

GSS: You have gone from stride to stride, driving alongside some of the world’s best and picked up some incredible sponsors along the way. Can you tell us about the first time you realised you made the ‘big’ league?

Fredric: It's hard to pick one single event, because it's been such a step by step progress. Taking out past champions in our first Formula Drift rookie events was huge for us, and earning the Rookie of the Year title after competing at only 5 out of 7 events was also an incredible dream come true. But, it's the small things that matter the most, and the times where struggle hard and then are able to somehow pull out of it make for the best memories.

GSS: Being only 27 years old you still have many years ahead of you and your career, what’s next? Any big plans ahead?

Fredric: The big goal is obviously to win championships, and I have a lot left to learn. But along the way, I do my best to work closely with partners and sponsors and generate new opportunities for all of us. It's been extremely cool to see how different cultures work and what's really going on behind the scenes...

GSS: So when you’re not behind the wheel at one of the many drift comps of the year, where would we find you? How do you unwind?

Fredric: I hit the lakes with my buddies, or fire up the BBQ. I spend my offseason in Norway and it's very important for me to spend some quality time with my old buddies, and winter time, we usually go up in the mountain passes or on the frozen lakes and drift, board, ski and whatever else is fun. I feel like I get to see a lot of contrasts and that makes me feel very lucky.

GSS: With some inspiration from the “no expense spared” RS-R GT86 what would your ultimate drift or street car build be? what’s your idea of the ‘perfect’ car?

Fredric: Hm, that's tricky. I think the perfect road car for a guy like me would be a new, fifth gen Supra...

GSS: Have you been given any hot tips on any of the local or NZ based drivers competing here in Melbourne? Who’ll be on your radar?

Fredric: I've been following the D1NZ and Drift Australia series back in the days, and I know a lot of the ADGP are extremely competitive and fantastic tandem drivers. My Speedhunters team mate Mad Mike is coming over, which will be a great warm-up for our Speedhunters European Drift Tour. I am sincerely looking forward to coming to Australia for the first time, meeting everyone and mixing up on the track! See ya down under!!

Thanks for your time Fredric and we look forward to no only seeing you but hearing your car this weekend!

To purchase tickets for the event simply follow this link http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/Australian-Drifting-Grand-Prix-tickets/
For more details on the event head to the Australian Drifting GP site – http://trackbattle.com.au/adgp/
For more info on the drivers check out the Formula Drift Asia site – http://www.formuladriftasia.com/

This is the schedule for Sundays action, seriously if you’re only remotely interested in drifting this is the event to see!!
Thanks for reading,
– Gwyn.
Photos courtesy of Cheryl Tay and FD Asia