BMW 335i Coming to Formula Drift in 2010 – Driven by Michael Essa
Posted by Wrecked Magazine on 31 Oct 2009 at 04:12 pm | Tagged as: Formula D, Rumors/Gossip, Spy Shots
I just got news via my facebook inbox that Michael Essa will be driving one of these in Formula Drift for 2010. What a great step up for a rookie in the 2009 season? Rumor has it the BMW 335 motor will be taken out for a M3 motor that will be turbocharged.
“The BMW 335i is a powerful rear-engine sports coupe with a rock-solid chassis leaving us plenty of room for aftermarket development—the platform will easily handle the 550-hp turbocharged 3.2-liter M3 powerplant which we are finishing development on. Michael Essa was the natural choice to drive this innovative new drift car. Not only does he have a strong motorsport racing background, but he possesses the demanding drifting creativity and competitiveness necessary to win,” says Nick Richards, President of GSR Autosport.
This could be a huge deal for Michael Essa and if this car is put together right I think he can very easily be a top 10 driver next year in this machine. The company GSR Autosport looks like a professional act which is building his machine. Here is some information about them:
Headquartered in Los Angeles, GSR Autosport is a multi-facetted professional automotive racing business. Founded and operated by genuine racing enthusiasts, GSR Autosport is a race car manufacturer that designs, develops, and builds turn-key vehicles, competitive automotive components, and race safety equipment in various facilities around the country.
I cannot wait to see renders or photos of the actual BMW, we will keep you posted as soon as we know something.
Congratulations Mike. Essa is quite a talented driver and mechanic.
Noooooooooooooooo! Keep the FC!
The FC will be missed! He should use the turbo diesel engine! That I’d like to see.
If anyone can pull off building a reliable BMW it is Essa.
Go Essa!!!!!!
Big ups too Bergenholtz for the public comradery, class guys!
http://driftvp.blogspot.com/2009/11/michael-essas-press-release.html
[...] Michael Essa announced he will be bringing out a BMW 335i for the 2010 Formula D season. So Formula Drift Irwindale was the end of his rookie season and the end of this V8 FC Mazda Rx-7 [...]