If you’re an automotive enthusiast who grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s, chances are you’ve heard of the Drift King (DK). Type his name on YouTube, and you’ll quickly be redirected to videos of him hooning Japanese sports cars sideways in graceful drift maneuvers. DK, also known in Japan by his birth name Keiichi Tsuchiya, now 68, is a sort of pioneer in the drifting scene. He’s still a recognizable figure in Japan’s car culture.
So, it sort of makes sense to see Hyundai want to team up with him for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon, which kicks off tomorrow. The South Korean giant plans on presenting a DK Edition of its popular IONIQ 5 N performance electric vehicle (EV), but it’s still unclear if we’ll actually see that model in production form.
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Would Be A Wonderful Drift Car
Like many people who have had the opportunity to drive this car, I’m a huge fan of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. It’s by far
, but also a genuinely amazing performance tool. Forget the fact that it’s not powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). The IONIQ 5 N is a seriously fun and capable performance machine, one I’d be proud of having in my personal fleet. It also looks super cool.
I personally haven’t had a chance to sample its drift mode or any of its other track-oriented toys, but I do know from road experience that this car will rotate in corners and kick out the rear like a properly tuned sports car. I therefore totally accept the idea of using it as a basis for one of DK’s potential drift cars, as Hyundai shows us in this YouTube teaser video before the car’s official reveal.
No Details Yet Other Than This Teaser
What’s particularly interesting about this video is the realization that a famous Japanese automotive icon is driving a South Korean car. From a strictly geopolitical standpoint, it would be like watching Ken Block behind the wheel of a Chinese EV. Yet, it also makes total sense to see DK driving a performance EV, as it’s in tune with the times. Also, sadly, no Japanese carmaker currently builds something quite like the IONIQ 5 N. So, you know.
In the fast-paced video, DK is seen entering the Hyundai wearing his racing gear and proclaiming the words “ascending to another level” in Japanese, expressing just how next-generation this machine is. The car itself wears a massive rear wing, signaling the fact that it’s a special edition model. That said, Hyundai has so far released nothing official about this car. No press releases, no further teasers, and no spy shots. We therefore have no idea if, one, it’ll actually be sold as a production model and, two, if we’ll get it here in North America. We’ll make sure to cover the Tokyo Auto Salon closely to find out more, and will report back here with more details.
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