Ed Loh at Motor Trend gathered some Scion Racing drift cars with a Nissan GT-R and put them to the tests at El Toro Field. They put the car through some traditional Motor Trend tests and let them slide around for a minute or two. Personally when I found out Ed was behind the project I really expected much more with his background in drifting but we’ll take it anyway. Here are how the drift cars stacked up behind the numbers.

You can watch a video along with some other pictures on the Motor Trend website showing you the tests in action along with some other quick shots. The best part of the video is watching Tanner Foust do the Motor Trend Figure Eight test.

Read More Here: http://www.motortrend.com/

We just got done taking out the Scion XB 6.0 Release Series out for a spin and it won me over for a daily driver option. While it’s not going to tow your S13 around to drifting events it’s a breeze to drive on a road trip or for any long distance. With a huge amount of interior space and a backseat you can actually put people in, I have to say the car makes sense. The XB 6.0 Release Series commands a  $18,443 price tag which is just $1,743 more than a base Scion xB.

The new Scion is more rounded than the previous body style. The 6.0 comes with a TRD lowering kit bringing the car down about 1 inch from the stock XB and optional 17 inch wheels which didn’t come on my model.

The Release Series grill deletes the Scion logo giving the front end a very clean look. The 2.4L engine seriously lacks some go with only 158hp but that’s why you have a race car for the weekends. It does 0-60mph in just under 9 seconds which might sounds ghastly but keep in mind that is almost four full seconds faster than the Nissan Cube. With one passenger you can load this car up to the max and we found that out by putting more faith in the storage space than we should of. We managed to pack a full Nissan 350z Origin body kit and brake system from Los Angeles into Orange County with all the doors shut. While the back was pretty tightly packed I was amazed at the storage capacity of the car.

The cluster is centered like all the other Scion’s which gives a great touch to the interior. The speedometer is digital which really provides easy viewing while on the road.

Another great feature on the XB 6.0 Release Series is this Pioneer Navigation system. This unit felt slower than some other OEM navigation/audio systems I have used in the past but it got the job done without a doubt. This system is not available for purchase on any other Scion XB  model giving it a unique feature. You can easily access your iPod or any other way you wish to enjoy music.

Another note is that only 2,500 Scion XB Release Series cars will be made and each one comes with a numbered plaque. This adds a great custom touch to your new daily driver waiting at the dealership.

Scion Racing 2009 Year in Review

The 2009 Scion Racing team video has quite a few drifting highlights from their respected stars Ken Gushi and Tanner Foust. The video is mixed with some other Scion assets but the bulk of the video comes from the Formula D season. The video was also created and directed by Will Roegge who is a very well known drifting video machine who makes great videos like our 2008 Redbull World Drift Championship film. Don’t miss this one Scion Racing and Rockstar Energy Drink fans.

Watch the video: http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/watchvideo/scion-racing-2009-year-in-review

Scion Racing at Irwindale Speedway

Irwindale Speedway marks the ending of Formula Drift every year. Tanner Foust and Ken Gushi geared up for a strong finish with the Scion tC team. The guys spend some time talking to the cameras and putting together some killer runs finishing off the Formula D season. Neither of them had a run for the championship but the Scion Racing team looked much better than years previous.

Watch the video: http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/watchvideo/scion-racing-at-irwindale-speedway-

Scion invited us to a gallery in Culver City where they drove a bunch of the 2009 SEMA cars inside for us to check out. The one above is a rally style build and I have to say it was easily my favorite car at the gallery display.

The Kogi BBQ truck has been a revolution in the Southern California area serving things like kalbi burrito’s. They were also their with a full truck serving all of Scion’s guest for the weekend.

The Cartel Customs Scion tC has an interesting paint scheme going and has a similar sled style to the XB they built before for the SEMA show. These are some of the cars you will see on display at the 2009 SEMA show this upcoming week in the Scion booth.

In about 48 hours this game will be rolling out into the public in the United States. Well, thanks to Turn 10 and ID Agency we have had our hands on the game for sometime. The great news is the storefront is full of guys already making Formula Drift skins for your cars. Above is my Fairlady Z with a Chris Forsberg x NOS Energy Drink wrap on it.

Tanner Foust has a 350z, Scion tC, and a X-Games wrap I found available. In the game you can drivetrain swap your Scion tC to RWD, install his Formula D design, add some horsepower and go sliding as Tanner Foust in his Scion tC Formula D powerhouse.

Here I am sliding around one of the benchmark courses where I went a little too deep drifting as Chris Forsberg. My bumper is about to fly off as I connected with the wall which also removes your drift points. The Top Secert S15 is already in the game as a car you can purchase and I’ve even seen some other D1GP cars along with several other Formula Drift  cars available in the storefront. These are the only two I have built so far but I will be updating you with some new  Forza 3 action soon. Also, we will be releasing a general “drift” setup this week so you guys can start sliding sooner than later once you pick it up.

The mechanic of the year went to Koji Haruguchi from the RS*R team. They work and maintain the Scion Racing tC driven by Ken Gushi. This car has seen plenty of failures over the two seasons it has run but they always find a way to compete and keep it up and running. With the exception of Long Beach they scored points at every round this year and landed a podium bringing out the old school Ken Gushi we all know. They even defeated the defending champions in their Scion tC this season. A nice work and effort to one of the hardest working teams in Formula D no doubt.

Tandem battle of the year went to Ken Gushi and Ueo when they met in the Top 8 at Formula D Sonoma. These guys put down one of the most insane performances we have seen in a long time. Their wings were both clipping the first outside clipping point when they flung the cars into the first turn. Anyone that watched these runs would vouch for the sheer insanity that was produced. Click here for photos from the Ueo Vs. Ken Gushi battle at Sonoma 2009. A few other tandem runs stuck in my mind for this award but I have to admit these guys were out of this world matching speed, angle, and line.

Former Winner:
2008 Formula D Best Tandem Battle: Robbie Nishida Vs. Tanner Foust (Vegas 08)

Rogue Status Rides with Tanner Foust

At the Scion Test Day Jasper Watts from Rogue Status hopped in Tanner Foust’s Scion tC and the fun really began. Tanner Foust walks everyone on video through properly starting his V8 Scion and how to get his Hankook Tires ready for battle. I was shocked at how well he held on to the camera while doing a burnout, very impressive! Then they go for a lap around Irwindale to finish off this clip.

Watch the video: http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/watchvideo/rogue-status-rides-with-tanner-foust

We got invited to Irwindale Speedway yesterday for a private Scion testing before Formula Drift. They had tons of stuff going on with media and this crazy Pursuit Vehicles Mitsubishi Evo filming Tanner Foust. The car was actually being driven by Rich Rutherford who is a former Formula Drift driver. The event was full of media, special guests for ride a longs, and a hard working atmosphere. I opted to document the behind the scenes adventures more than the drifting that was going on for a unique look at a Formula D team testing.

Check out the gallery: http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=141