C8 Corvette Drag Races 600 HP Lexus With 2JZ, Destruction Follows

As the format of the Hoonigan show dictates, these two cars couldn't be more different. And to be clear, even though the new Corvette is in hot demand, owning a 2JZ Lexus drift sedan is even cooler.

Toyota Supra prices have been getting out of hand, So what's a 2JZ-loving JDM fan supposed to do? Well, there's something called a Toyota Aristo, which is way cheaper. There are entire clubs in Japan dedicated to weekend drift events in this thing.

You or I might know it better as the Lexus GS300, and while the old luxury sedan did indeed come with a Supra-like engine over 20 years ago, it's not quite a 2JZ-GTE, at least not out of the box. This particular build has the naturally aspirated head fitted with the big Garrett turbocharger and the bottom end from a GTE because it has stronger internals.

The output depends on how much boost it's running. Here, it's quoted at 600 hp, but traction might be the biggest issue, as the camber needed to drift this thing means only a small part of the rear tire is in contact with the road. And to make matters worse, the Corvette is a fire-and-forget missile that's being manned by a skilled drag racer.

Normally, the 495-horsepower stock setup is enough for some amazing launches from a dig, while the automatic gearbox is going to be way faster than a man with a stick and a clutch. Making things even more unfair, the sports car is the first to be fitted with a prototype titanium exhaust that will save over 40 lbs (18 kg) of weight while adding a bit of power.

So what happens? Well, the Lexus is no match in a race it wasn't built to handle, and the engine develops a few problems afterward.