HKS Toyota GT 86 to Compete in D1 Grand Prix [Videos]
It’s been a while since Nobuteru Taniguchi (NOB) has been behind the wheel of an HKS vehicle at a D1 Grand Prix event. But his past accolades piloting the HKS Mitsubishi EVO in Time Attack and HKS Nissan Silvia S15 in D1 Grand Prix still makes him one of the most respected drivers in the world. Maybe that’s why he gives himself the nickname of NOB – No One Better.
Now, with the introduction of the Toyota GT 86 to the world, we’ll once again see Nobuteru Taniguchi behind the wheel of a car going sideways that’s built by HKS. Spotted out at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon during the D1 Grand Prix drift exhibition, the HKS GT 86 is just one of a few GT 86s we anticipate to be going sideways in competition drift events this year. We’ve already seen Ken Gushi’s GReddy Scion FR-S that will compete in North America’s Formula Drift, and it appears that Falken Tire will come back to D1 Grand Prix with a GT 86 in Japan as well.
We just love how HKS used their classic, iconic livery on their new drift car that was seen over 10 years ago on several HKS demo cars. The car is looking competition ready already, sporting Advan wheels, Endless brakes and plenty of carbon fiber. We can probably expect HKS to outfit it with their suspension, exhaust and a turbo upgrade. But for now, all the GT 86/FR-S drift cars we’ve seen already show how promising the sports car platform will be.
Check out some videos after the break of the HKS GT 86 and Falken Tire GT 86 out in Japan.
GALLERY: HKS D1 Grand Prix Toyota GT 86
[Source: Jon Sibal]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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