autoevolution
 

Vaughn Gittin Jr. Drifts His 900 HP Mustang RTR, Ready for 2016 Season

Enough time has passed since the launch of the S550 Mustang for people to stop talking about how the famous pony has finally switched to an IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) setup. However, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his monstrous Mustang RTR seem never to get tired of showing us the handling benefits of the change.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. Drifts His 900 HP Mustang RTR 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
With the driver now getting ready for the 2016 drift season, it's time for his 'Stang racecar to get its shakedown. While we've seen the RTR beast hitting the dyno earlier this week, the time has now come to witness the machine in full sideways action.

This is exactly what we get in the video below, which shows the drifter starting off with a... straight line drift. Things get extreme pretty quickly, with the monster steering angle of the thing allowing the driver to go for mouth-watering slip angles.

There's something particularly satisfying about seeing such a beast, which might be involved in a crash and be brought back to life at any time, showing us its shiny side in such a clip - the video brings pieces of footage from the engine compartment, as well as from underneath the car, so we get to see all the bits and pieces getting dirty as they're put to work.

Motivation comes from a 436ci Roush Yates aluminum block V8 that works with a turbocharger to place around 900 horses at the mercy of Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s right foot. As for the transmission, we're talking about a dog box here (a motorsport gearbox with large teeth).

And while your standard Mustang GT tips the scales at around 3,700 lbs (1,680 kg), the racecar used here weighs in at 2,800 lbs (1,270 kg), so the performance is guaranteed.

We'll remind you the 2016 sideways season is scheduled to kick off this weekend with the Long Beach, CA stage and will end on October 7-8 in Irwindale, CA.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories