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Pick up any sport compact magazine, watch any television show about cars going sideways, or take a look at any website with drifting news and you can't help but see the AEM Nissan 350Z piloted by Tanner Foust. Its distinct golden silhouette is now iconic in the drifting world and is often the first car that comes to mind for many of the sport's enthusiastic following; particularly after the 2007 season where it became the first import ever to win a Formula D championship! The perfectly prepped 350Z has shown that it has everything it needs to take down the competition with perfect poise. Originally prepared from the ground up in only 12 weeks, the Z made its debut in 2006 to compliment the Honda S2000 of AEM team mate and team manager, Steph Papadakis. In its inaugural season, the Z was driven to an impressive 3rd place finish. Currently, the Tanner and the Z hold the records for Best Qualification score in D1GP, Best Qualification Score in Formula D, Most Consistent Driver by Formula D competitors and Best Representative of Drifting by Formula D competitors. But enough about the accolades, let's get to the car! Beneath the carbon fiber hood, Nissan's tuner-friendly VQ motor motivates all 2900 lbs of sideways action with the help of a pair of Garrett GT2560R turbochargers to create approximately 500 bhp and 498 ft/lbs of torque at the wheels. Managing this power is and AEM Universal EMS with Drift Box Dynamics sensors. An ACT clutch puts the power into play and stands up to the harshest conditions that the sport has to offer. At all four corners sit Motegi Touge wheels with 18x9's in the front and 18x10's in the back. Taking the brunt of Tanner's sliding are super grippy Toyo Proxes R1R tires. All the jet-like launching and lateral motion is managed by custom Tokico coil overs with a combination of JIC and Battle Version links. The unmistakable exterior of the Nissan 350Z is complimented by a C-West body kit to give the AEM Nissan its defining stance while Seibon Carbon can be found throughout the car. A Rotara carbon wing creates the down force on the rear wheels to help the Z put power to the ground at speed. Inside the car, a veritable Sparco catalog exists with carbon seats, safety belts, steering wheel and even Tanner's suit being made by the company. As Formula D prepares for the 2008 season, look for the returning champion to put up an intense door-to-door slideways fight to retain the title and make his way back to the center podium a few more times. After last season's consistency, it is difficult to find any flaws with the car to improve, but it is a sure bet that Tanner and the AEM crew have a few more tricks up their sleeves by the time Long Beach rolls around! | ||
