D1 Race Cars – A Rare Sight in the UK
D1 race cars are a rare breed on British soil. Unlike the high-pitched whine of Formula 1 or the abundance of touring cars, D1 machines are purpose-built for the art of drifting, a dance of control and chaos that demands precision, power, and a touch of madness. Born on the mountain passes of Japan and perfected on the circuits of the world, these machines are built for sideways speed, with more smoke and style than most drivers dare to dream of.
Bringing a handful of these cars together in the UK is no small feat. For enthusiasts, this is more than a display, it is a celebration of a motorsport culture that has inspired generations of drivers. It’s the first time a collection of D1 cars of this calibre has been assembled here, each one tuned to perfection and battle-scarred from countless sideways skirmishes.
These cars are a tribute to a driving style that demands commitment and rewards only the brave. This gathering is not just a showcase, but a rare opportunity to witness the legends of D1 up close, each machine a testament to the engineering brilliance and pure driving passion that define the sport.
Displayed in the paddock, you will be able to get up close and personal to the following cars :-
HKS S15 Hiper Genki Silvia RS-2
Built by HKS Co. Ltd in Japan the RS-2 was the most ground breaking car in D1 history, featuring many build details that were subsequently adapted and used in drift cars around the world and remains the most famous of D1 cars from this era in the world.
It was driven by drift legend Nobuteru Taniguchi the HKS works driver in the 2004 D1GP season and also competed in the USA and then after arriving in the UK, HKS Europe rebranded the car as part of European demonstrations including those at BTCC events in 2006.
Blitz Nissan Skyline ER34 by Uras
Built by Blitz Co in Japan, this car was used by Monkey-Man himself, Ken Nomura. Built to showcase the at-the-time new series of D1 Street Legal in Japan, Ken Nomura competed in the car for a short time before it was shipped to the UK in 2007. It has competed in a huge number of events throughout this time, all over Europe and is driven and maintained by Julian Smith at the infamous Garage D tuning and service shop.
1997 Nissan Laurel C35 Club S (D1GP) RB26DETT
This car may not need an in depth introduction for people in the know, this is the GoodYear Sponsored Car Modify Wonder C35 D1GP Laurel, Owned and ran by the owner of Car wonder Takashi Haruyama is well known for his funny personality, being the only person to repeatedly run the C35 and for being a regular attendee of D1GP series in Japan.
Nissan Silvia S15 Friends Racing D1GP
Friends Racing D1GP (Drift Championship) S15. Formed in 1999, established in 2011 in Tochigi Japan, Friends need no introduction, specialising in Nissan S15s, they have been prolific in all types of racing from time attack to drifting and continue to strive for motorsport perfection. This car has serious heritage mostly being used around the 2008 D1 Championship and truly encapsulates an era of drifting that is unlikely to ever be seen again.
No expense has been spared in making this into the tyre destroying 600ps beast that it is today, featuring a 2.2 stoked SR20DET engine, 260 Tomei cams, 87mm pistons, Trust TD07, 850cc injectors, wet nitrous, HKS dog box, Cusco LSD and a host of other supporting mods
1993 Nissan Silvia S13 180SX Onevia D1GP (Atsushi Kuroi)
the famous Atsushi Kuroi Toyo & Riverside Tuning S13 Onevia. This iconic D1GP car is known for its unique history and for the legacy this car has left behind, Let’s dive into the details of this extraordinary car.
The S13 Onevia was owned and operated by Atsushi Kuroi a Japanese professional drifting driver who competed in the D1 Grand Prix series for Team Toyo & River Side Tuning, Atsushi is well known for using S13’s throughout his career from 2001 until just before the 2010 season where unfortunately he died from a tragic motorbike accident.
It is said that Kuroi-San loved larger displacement engines and this shows with the Toyo Onevia, as far as we are aware it started life with the SR20 but was swapped out for a massive 3.1L 2 JZ-GTE.
As far as we know, there were two cars, one with black Aero mirrors with an RB26 and this one.
Year of Manufacture: 1993 used in D1 between 2003 to 2008
We would like to thank our friends at JDM Garage and Garage D for making this happen.
