VIDEO: Rockstar/AEM's NASCAR V8-powered Scion tC drift car gets unboxed
Click above to view the videos after the jump
Here are two things that don't come to mind when you think of Scion: rear-wheel drive and V8 power. But that's exactly what the Rockstar/AEM crew have created with the Formula D-bound Scion tC. Joe Gibbs, TRD and Papadakis Racing put in the wrench time on the new racer and underhood is a V8 pulled from Toyota's NASCAR efforts and retuned with a drift-friendly powerband. Most of the details are still shrouded in mystery, but the noise emanating from the tC's exhaust is more than enough to get us interested. Check out a brief interview with the Steph and a "spy video" of it testing after the break.
[Sources: AutoFiends, MotorWorldHype]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dukeisduke 11:38AM (4/07/2009)
What is a "Toyota NASCAR V8", anyway? I mean, is it really a Toyota engine, or a Chevy? I mean, aren't Toyota's V8s all overhead cam?
Reply
Rick C. 12:52PM (4/07/2009)
You lost my interest when you used the word nascar.
catgirlshyla 3:44PM (4/08/2009)
I'm still waiting for a Consumer-model RWD Scion tC.
Alan 11:43AM (4/07/2009)
Its a 9000 rpm pushrod carbureted V8. Does not have anythign in common with any street car engine
Reply
dukeisduke 11:49AM (4/07/2009)
So much for the whole "stock car" thing. IOW, about as stock as the Ford 427 SOHC of the '60s.
JB 11:44AM (4/07/2009)
No it's a toyota engine... albiet one built the to the vintage design nascar rules dictate.
http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2004-02/toyota-crashes-nascar-party
Reply
dukeisduke 12:11PM (4/07/2009)
I'd like to look at one of those engines up close (torn down) to see the design details.
the_MVP_X 11:46AM (4/07/2009)
That's a bad ass car.
Reply
ack154 11:51AM (4/07/2009)
I don't think I'll ever really see the interest in drifting.
Reply
Andre 11:59AM (4/07/2009)
I felt the same way until a friend dragged me to a drift event, ever since then I've been hooked, it's just awesome in person instead on the internet or TV.. I dunno maybe i was just getting high off all those tires burning up and hearing the engines high revving/screeching around the tracks, lol.
ajkl 12:21PM (4/07/2009)
It's much more fun to be a participant than a spectator.
13enS 11:54AM (4/07/2009)
Reminds me of the ol' Datsun 210 project cars w/ Chevy small block wedged under the hood.
Reply
AZZO45b 1:02PM (4/07/2009)
^^ EXACTLY!!! Fine as a backyard project but WTF would Toyota endorse this non-sense? Most of the Formula Drift cars KEEP the OEM basics... you know RWD & most of the showroom basics.
I know there are engine mods & other tweaks, but I don't see the point in taking a FWD platform & making a pricy conversion to RWD + a very aftermarket motor! Only Toyota's Performance Parts group, TRD would seem to gain anything by this.
Bottomline HTF does this help Toyota SELL Scion tC's???
Juan 1:41PM (4/07/2009)
Seems shady to convert the car to RWD and drop in a wildly different engine than anything available to consumers.
Steve 11:59AM (4/07/2009)
Wait so is that the complete front end? They're really going to run it without a front bumper like that?
Reply
nfong2684 2:13PM (4/07/2009)
It will run the same body kit that Ken Gushi's RSR rwd Scion TC has, with some modified fender flares. Since the vid was just a test run released by the AEM/Papadakis team just to show off the car, which was debuted this past weekend at the Formula D tech inspection at UTI. This weekend will be the car's first time in competition and any sort of extended look at the vehicle, at Formula D Long Beach. And
Tomac 12:01PM (4/07/2009)
Nice setup for drifting, but outside of that application the car is far too overpowered for real driving. A shame about the mangled nose, too-- the tC is a nice-looking coupe (sorta Volvo-esque handsome), but I guess they needed the extra cooling for the big engine.
Application of a production Toyota V8 or turboed V6 would have made more sense to me. The NASCAR V8 is a race-only engine with mandated prehistoric technology.
I love the concept of converting FWD cars to RWD, though. Lots of nice designs out there, but most are handicapped because they power the front wheels. I'd love to have a Mazda3 hatchback with Miata running gear.
Reply
LoneWolf 12:02PM (4/07/2009)
or a SAAB 900 with a 350 powering the back wheels..
aj121489 4:03PM (4/07/2009)
This is what the tC SHOULD have been...(at least RWD)
Reply
JDMlover 8:19PM (4/07/2009)
YEAAA
TRD 4 LIFE.
Reply