Ten years ago, if you would have said to the import crowd that modern Japanese sports cars with American engines would redefine the art of drifting, you would have been ridiculed to say the least. It was misconceived that the all-aluminum pushrod mill was antiquated and outdated, despite our best efforts to prove them otherwise.
All it took was a little push, and we still believe that it was Rhys Millen and his Pontiac GTO that broke through the barrier, and ultimately, changed the sport forever. For those of you who think we’re crazy, we brought you the recent story of how many of today’s most popular drifters prefer V8’s over the boosted 4-, and 6-cylinder engines that they were used to.
The reasons are obvious to those of us dedicated to V8’s, LS engines in particular, citing instant torque/throttle response, affordability, easy parts availability, lightweight, and the compact configuration.
Today, we ran across this video on YouTube that was shot at a recent drifting competition. In the clip, we see the Sikky 350z whipping around the bends as it’s V8 roars to extreme levels. A few spectators in the audience point out amongst themselves how the Nissan “doesn’t sound right,” and ” sounds air sick.”
The man recording the footage slightly misinforms the others that it’s an LS1 (really an LS2), and they respond by asking, “Why would you put an LS1 in a 350z?” In a way they may have a point since the 3.5L V6’s in these cars pumped out between 287-306hp from the factory. However, with a peak torque rating of only 268 ft-lbs. in the VQ35HR, that’s where the V6 falls short.
If you need a further explanation, then watch the video.