At this year's Tokyo Auto Salon there was a simple looking red 180SX parked amongst the group of flashy drift cars in Drift Tengoku booth. While this car may not have received a second glance from many show goers, long time drift enthusiasts instantly knew what this car is all about. As current drift car style is seemingly getting wilder and wilder, this car was done in replication of the style seen in the early days of the Japanese drift scene when there was no D1GP or any sort of "pro" drifting for that matter.
You won't find metal flake paintwork, a huge GT wing, or the incredibly wide wheels that are found on many of today's drift cars, but you will find simple modifications that bring back the spirit of the original drift cars. There actually seems to be signs of this simple style coming back as seen by cars like Mark Slide Squad's new S13 that was at All Star Bash 4.
Since I wasn't even old enough to drive in the late '90s I can only speak based on what I have seen in old Japanese magazines and videos, but I do like the idea of this style coming back. What about you guys?
-Mike Garrett