1000bhp Ford Mustang drift cars burn rubber

Sideways to victory


WHEN IT comes modern-day motorsport, you’ll often hear fans grumble that the likes of Formula One or the World Rally Championship aren’t all that exciting to watch any more. Perhaps, then, it’s time for all those fed up with the establishment to follow the Formula Drift World Championship.

As you’ll see from this video, a Formula Drift car is hair-raisingly spectacular to watch in action. In fact, the only thing that’s better is probably seeing two cars go head to head around the same course – just as these Mustangs do.

The cars filmed strutting their stuff and shredding their tyres are Ford Mustangs. Part of the Ford Performance 2018 Mustang RTR team, they are believed to feature 1000bhp V8 engines and some rather special suspension and braking systems that allow them to be driven at the most ludicrous speeds and angles.


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In fact, most of the time the two hot shot drivers – Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Chelsea DeNofa – appear to have their cars facing at right angles to the direction of travel. Perhaps it helps give a better view of the road ahead than trying to pear over the top of the long bonnet’s huge power bulge?

For the 2018 season, the Formula Drift 5-D Mustangs get the latest facelift that is found on the regular road car — reviewed here by Driving.co.uk.

Despite the similarities on the surface, the ferocious roar of the engines and amount of smoke billowing from the back tyres is a good indication that these are far from showroom-standard specification.

Even so, we have a feeling that after watching this film, more motorsport fans will follow the Formula Drift World Championship.

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