Trying to stay across all the action of the time attack, drifting or the many side-shows at the 2023 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge can sometimes mean the bustling trader area gets missed. However, that’s a huge shame as it is chock full of absolute radness, as these 7 sick rides show.
1. A Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo
Freshly finished this epic build comes from the Home Built By Jeff YouTube channel. Starting with an exceptionally-sad 105-series Alfa Romeo coupe he’s made every part of the car himself, and jammed a Ferrari V8 in the short nose. The impressive part of the build, moreso than Jeff doing it all himself, is that he’s an amateur!
2. The VK Commodore drift car with a Dodge NASCAR V8
Cat Coleiro, also known as Driftcat, has been drifting her VK Commodore since the sport first kicked off in Australia over 20 years ago. While some would expect the 80s GM sedan to rock an LS or Holden V8, these days it spins a 9000rpm Dodge NASCAR engine! She’s not running in the 2023 International Drifting Cup presented by Garrett Advancing Motion but hopefully she does fire it up.
3. 2JZ ground-pounding Nissan Prairie
Minivans aren’t typically a style of vehicle beloved by motorsport fans, but Jay Duca’s 2J-powered, ground-scraping, caged example could change that. Built on his Low Standards YouTube channel this car was finished mere hours before he had to leave Adelaide to make it to WTAC!
4. The first Aussie car to run in D1 Grand Prix USA
A piece of Aussie drifting history, the chrome-wrapped S15 200SX of Kurt Dunn has a long and storied history, having originally been built by Auto Salon Magazine and run in California at the D1 Grand Prix at Irwindale, California. Despite having been built some 16 years prior, and having gone missing for many of them, the chrome-wrapped beast retains its 2.2-litre SR20, custom widebody kit, fat wheels and adjustable suspension.
5. Twin-turbo Viper V10-powered R35 GT-R
Nissan’s R35 GT-R is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo all-wheel-drive powerhouse famed for its grip and supercar-shredding capabilities. So we’re stoked the lunatics from Hardtuned have taken their widebody R35, made it rear-drive and slapped a twin-turbo (+8-litre!) Viper V10 into it, lowered over 20x12in forged 3pc wheels. If some is good, why not more?
6. Max Orido’s 800hp R31 GTS-R Skyline
While the R32 GT-R which followed it is more famous, the R31 GTS-R is a seriously cool piece of Skyline history. Originally powered by RB20DETs this sinister black example now boasts an 800hp RB26 and was, at one time, owned by Japanese racing legend Max Orido. The mile-deep paint, clean fab work, cool widebody aesthetics all add up to one of the most impressive R31s we’ve ever seen.
7. Japan’s height of luxury
Soft-close doors, factory foot pass-through for reclining in the back seat, dictaphone and more! The choice of the Japanese royal family, presidents and distinguished members of society, Toyota’s Century is absolutely the top of the pops for luxurious vehicles made in Japan. Benny Neal, otherwise known as Mechanical Stig to Mighty Car Mods viewers, has brought his V12-powered example along and has it on display in the trader area – the features in this car are off tap!