Rhys Millen Partnership with Pontiac

[adam]

Originally posted by Nightwalker
HOLY! that waking of the giants. If Pontiac is entering the fray, who knows what other big company will join as well. This is rather exciting to see. I hope this will bring back production of RWD cars.

hopefully new drifter who to go pro might finally be getting some big boy sponsors!!!

i rike

it dont mean im completly swayed it just mean, d1 is on its way to becoming bigger than A$$car, that's all.

[raging panda]

personally i think that car looks horrible, not the normal GTO, just that one. This is pretty cool imo, hopefully other companies like Toyota will come out with another RWD, and stuff like that. That was a stupid comment about keeping it underground like in japan, they have D1 dummy. Thats about as commercial as it gets, backing from the giants of the tuning industry. I like this, make drifting more accessable, open more drift sessions around the country, make the parts cheaper for me to get. It's only going to go up from here so just hold on and hope for the best, in the end, only those who really have fun drifting will be around.

[MrodDrft]

Looks kinda like a pace car.. haha but i think it shud b cool to see the V8 battle the Japanese. I cant wait to see how that body kit holds up though.. haha looks like a wall magnet to me and those big blocky rims...

[REVLIMIT]

Well I think drifting actually did blow up a little to fast. Japan does have D1 but they have been drifting for about 15 years or so. While drifting hasnt been anywhere close to that long in the U.S. Personally I dont really think their should be a D1 yet in the US. But whats done is done and theres nothing anyone can do about it. So the only thing you can do is just jump into the flow of it and try to improve your skill and get some sponsors.

As for the car I think it looks pretty cool...though I think a different color would be a lot better. Such as a black, gunmetal, blue, etc. Or hell even a better yellow that yellow is kinda dull and faded.

[zdss14]

ha it does look like a pace car.
also arnt d1 drivers promoting stuff like a nascar driver on a soda machine.

[CrazyHawaiian]

This is great!! I'm so stoked GM is getting involved. I seriously thought it would be at least another year or two before they recognized drifting as a sport. Looks like they are on the ball! My hat goes off to Rhys Millen for going with GM!! As for the car choice, I give it two big thumbs up. The GTO is a new car in America, but being based off the Holden version in Australia, this car already has a huge aftermarket following. The GTO has the potential to drift just as good as any other car out there IMO.

[Bukkakedrifter]

baaaa, quit complaining about the drifing scene comming to America, this is good, as long as we set the example instead of paul walker and vin diesel. did you really think America would just ignore drifting for another 10 or 15 years while D1 events are being help in japan. finally GM will see what it takes to build a car rather that high displacement, the rally scene wasn't corupted by Americans because it was introduced responsibly. I really don't think that the average kid in a rear wheel drive car is dedicated enough to learn to drift, most will either spin out and go back to the 1/4 mile or they will accomplish a powerslide like americans have been doing since starsky and hutch and leave it at that, anyone with the dedication to learn the sport will also respect it,

[copiryte]

First of all the GTO is a rather crapy car and is not even a US car it is made in Australia, reviews on the car say it is nothing compared to a Camaro SS which they stoped making and the GTO took its place. THe car itself isnt even close to being a good drift platform, sure it can make alot of HP and torque but the weight distrubution/ bad suspension setup and massive weight there is no way he will be able to compete with real D1 drivers.

[Tsunami]

Let's compare the GTO to Chaser-a well known Japanese drift car.
1. With the GTO you get more power (and the LS1 can make every bit as much power as the 2jz) from the factory.
2. Both cars are at the same weight, around 3600lbs.
3. As for weight distribution do you think the 2jz in Yamamoto's drift chaser is light? It has a large turbo, intercooler piping and an intercooler. If you weigh in all those components and compare it with the LS1 in the GTO there will not be that big of a weight difference. Remember the 2jz is an iron block and the LS1 is aluminum.
4. When released the Chaser and Soarer were'nt immediately considered drifters. It took time and practice for the drivers to get the skill necessary to control the heavy cars and for the cars to get lightened sufficiently. Today you see these cars and think of them as nice drifters and the reason is the R&D. The same will be true for the GTO. It will take time and practice to get it right.
5. The GTO has the same roadholding capability and the same acceleration as that of a Z28 Camaro or a Firebird, and we have seen these cars drift successfully in Hawaii's driftsession.

And finally it has been stated that the Option video crew at Drift session and the D1 judges loved the domestic drifters.

And when people say domestics can't do it or will never be as good as Japanese cars that just makes us V8 guys that much more determined .

[sliintent]

The GTO was featured on CAR AND DRIVER TELIVISION, they conducted a road test on the car. they said in every aspect of performance it couldnt keep up with the camarro, its possible ion the right hands the car will be a good drift car, but even though the engine is v8 it is still heavier than the 2jz, the sorar and chaser are factory performance cars have elite suspension set ups from the start. the chaser is basicly a 4 door supra with a differnt body style the suspensions on the imports are modeled after porches designs and then modified to the likings of the makers, and those cars were raced inspired, I know the GTO is a performance car and is a good race car but i think it will take a long *Censored**Censored**Censored* time to even get it to be a reletively good drift car.

[Oki Drifter]

Re: idk about all this

Originally posted by boroboros13
man this is whacked. drifting is getting to big here. keep it on the down low and keep it real like they do in japan. american cars are not supposed to be in driffting. drifting is from japan and it needs to stay a japanese sport. I think that the american scene should consist of low key events and a tight nit group of underground drifters. man idk i dont want drifting to explode like this. to many people are all hyped up about it but they have no clue about the roots, the real drifters in japan, and japanese tuning and culture. idk i am kinda pissed about all the hype up here. keep it real.

who told this guy was an underground sport in Japan?
If drifting was underground.......we wouldn't have the D1 Gran Prix
Koguchi and other pros of japan are welcoming the idea of american cars drifting, they have no problem with it

I think this will be cool, we might even see a drifting olympics tournament in the near future
Bimmers, Peugots, Hyundais, Nissans, Ashton Martins, Lambos, Holdens, and Chevys all in the D1.........COOL!

[REVLIMIT]

The LS1 is actually a pretty damn light motor...though I'm not sure on how heavy the 2jZ is...the LS1 with full accesories (power steering, alternator, water pump, intake setup, etc, etc, etc.) only weights in at about 375-400lbs.

Personally I still think that if GM is backing the car then their gonna build it damn good FAST. Just by looking at their FWD drag racing devision you can see why. Their Saturn Ion is running like 8.02 or something and all their other cars are going almost into the 7's also. And their Ion took the hi speed record on their first try. O_o

[Feint]

GM is also pushing it with their SRT-4.Anyone see the stage 3 kit for that? GM is going to have the SRT-4 pushing well over 300hp at the wheeks on that thing.I wouldn't be shocked if they got almost 400hp out if it with all of there Stage upgrades(reffering to any future ones).
As of lately GM has been showing people that they mean business when it comes to sport compact events and other realted things such as drifting.Looking at their recent track record,I wouldn't start to doubt them before you see them.I'm not a GM guy,but to judge before seeing is kind of foolish imo.

[prodigy]

First of all the GTO is a rather crapy car and is not even a US car it is made in Australia.

I really hate when people say that. Where was it designed, that is all that matters. Who cares if they take it to some other company to get built with cheaper labor rates. The GTO is just a bigger Cavalier, it shouldn't even carry the muscle car name. It is a disgrace, and I don't think it is going to be able to cut it even if Rhys is driving it.

[prodigy]

GM is also pushing it with their SRT-4.

The SRT-4 is a Neon. It is Dodge not GM.