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Distinctive AEM Cold Air Intake Kit Adds Horsepower to 2017 Audi A4

Aug 24, 2017

AEM Dryflow Filters increase power while protecting the engine from contaminants

The AEM 21-815C intake for Audi A4 provides a larger air box to fit an oversized Dryflow filter

The fully redesigned 2017 Audi A4 features an engine described by the editors of Car and Driver as “TFSI engine proved impressively torquey and willing to rev to its power peak, and while turbo lag is minimal, midrange throttle response is fabulous.” AEM can further supplement the performance of the 2017 Audi A4 with its 21-815C cold air intake kit, which adds another 11 horsepower to the 252 with which it left the Audi factory.

The turbocharged four-cylinder engine is comprised of a cast-iron block and aluminum cylinder head. The valvetrain is of a double overhead camshaft (DOHC) configuration, with four valves per cylinder controlled by the Audi valvelift system. A bore of 82.5 mm and a stroke of 92.8 mm provides a displacement of 1984 cc, rounded up to 2.0 L. The 2017 A4 engine produces 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.

The 21-815C has been developed by AEM engineers to take advantage of Audi’s use of forced induction. As the Audi A4 is turbocharged, it has a greater capacity for increased horsepower over normally-aspirated engines. By packing the turbocharger to capacity with cool, fresh intake air the engine’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU) will respond by adding more fuel. The equation is simple: more air plus more fuel equal more power.

If you’re familiar with turbocharged engines you recognize that the act of compressing the intake air heats it up considerably, as a function of how much the turbocharger pressurizes the incoming air. Internal combustion engines work best with cool intake air, so an intercooler is typically installed between the turbocharger and the intake ports. A cold air intake system actually assists your engine’s intercooler, as it delivers cooler air to the turbocharger, the output of which is lower in temperature, supplementing the drop in intake temperature the intercooler is designed to deliver.

The large AEM air box accomodates an oversized Dryflow air filter for increased power

The AEM air box is assembled outside the car for simple and easy installation using OEM hardware

The 21-815C intake system is a new design concept which allows for the full-assembled AEM replacement air box to simply be dropped in place of the OEM Audi unit. The air box is assembled outside the car and is then positioned in the engine compartment, utilizing only OEM mounting hardware. The AEM aluminum air box keeps hot engine air from entering the air intake system and directs cooler air to the filter using the factory inlet scoop.

The filter itself is an oversized AEM 21-209DK Dryflow filter with a 7.5” base diameter. The Dryflow filter is constructed of an innovative high-performance synthetic filter material. The washable, non-woven oil-free synthetic filter medium has been specified for its ability to deliver high air flow, excellent filtration, and improved performance. In fact, a Dryflow filter captures up to 99% of harmful contaminants before they can reach your engine.

While AEM Dryflow air filters typically do not require service until after about 100,000 miles of normal driving, a window is provided through which you can inspect the filter at any time. There’s also an AEM logo burnished on the window, so when your raise the hood on your A4 at the next Saturday morning “Morning Beverage and Motors” get-together everyone present will recognize you’re serious about performance.

Despite the fact that the air box needs to be assembled outside the car, the construction and installation of the AEM 21-815C cold air intake is a relatively straightforward DIY modification. The entire process should take just a few hours to install with just a few common hand tools you probably already own. The AEM 21-815C utilizes only the factory mounting locations, so there are no holes to drill or permanent modifications to make.

In most driving situations, a Dryflow filter doesn't require cleaning for up to 100,000 miles

The tapered cylinder shaped AEM Dryflow air filter is made from an oil-free, synthetic filter media

Cleaning the Dryflow filter consists of an application of AEM 1-1000 synthetic air filter cleaner. The cleaner loosens and dissolves dirt and grime collected by the filter, after which the filter need only be rinsed with water, dried, and reinstalled. If you drive regularly in dusty or dirty conditions, your filter will probably require more frequent inspection and maintenance.

The AEM 21-815C is designed to fit the following vehicles:

2017 AUDI A4 QUATTRO 2.0L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 AUDI A4 2.0L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models

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Mark Jager Prepares his 2006 Subaru WRX STI for Unlimited Class Time Attack

Aug 21, 2017

Mark Jager set class records at multiple Redline Time Attack events in 2016 in his Subaru WRX STI

Time attack racing in the United States gives drivers an opportunity to chase record-setting laptimes with heavily modified cars that often don’t fit the rule structures of traditional racing. Mark Jager originally purchased a 2006 Subaru WRX STI fresh off a dealership lot back in 2006. While the car was initially modified with an AEM 21-477C intake and a bolt-on exhaust, the car would eventually get turned into a full race car over the period of around 5 years. Jager’s addiction to chasing lap times started when his wife innocently purchased a track day experience as a gift in 2012. A few months later, Jager entered his first Time Attack competition. The addiction had begun, and Mark Jager’s Subaru WRX STI would never be the same.

Mark Jager sets up his pit at Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow Raceway

Jager began entering Extreme Speed track events, and soon found himself volunteering for the organization. Jager snagged time with several instructors to learn some tips and tricks to push the Subaru WRX STI to its’ limits, and soon found himself instructing new drivers himself. At the end of the season, Jager entered the annual Super Lap Battle competition at Buttonwillow and finished in 5th position in the Street AWD class. A junkie had been introduced to his new habit.

Over the next three seasons, Jager would move up the chain of proverbial Time Attack command. Jager became the AWD Street class champion in both Redline Time Attack and the Extreme Speed series in 2013, setting several track records along the way. Jager would continue smashing records in 2014, and continue his success in the Street class before moving up to the Limited/Modified class in 2015. Unfortunately, the growth wasn’t completely seamless as the 2015 season was marked with blown motors, poor advice, and a ton of hurdles for the team. But by the end of the 2015 season, Jager had a setup that was ready to dominate the Limited/Modified classes in various Time Attack organizations for the following year.

Mark Jager took the Unlimited AWD and Overall win at Super Lap Battle in November 2016

As rules would have it, Jager would get pushed out of Modified AWD and into the Unlimited class by the end of 2016. Taking the challenge head-on, Jager and the team prepped for the “Super Bowl of Time Attack” known as Super Lap Battle in the Unlimited AWD class, and took the overall class and event win despite facing several issues throughout the competition. Looking ahead to the 2017 season, Jager and the team had some key decisions to make. Some rule changes in 2016 had pushed the team from the Limited / Modified class into the Unlimited class, and Jager was at a crossroads. There was an opportunity to make some sacrifices to the car and reduce the aero package and tire package that they were used to running to stay in the lower class, or they could continue to push the limits of speed and pursue the Unlimited class with full commitment.

The debate didn’t last long, as Jager is a speed demon at heart. The decision was made to go the Unlimited route, and make every upgrade possible to maintain the top step of the podium.

Mark Jager set Modified Class Records at WSIR (1:23.129) and Streets of Willow (1:18.144) in 2016

As the team started planning for the upgrades that would take place in the off-season prior to the 2017 racing schedule, data became a key factor moving forward. “The best teams can unload their car from the trailer and put down fast laps in a short amount of time because they have substantial amounts of data based on what has worked in previous seasons”, said Jager. Data Acquisition suddenly became the biggest priority for the team, and a full overhaul was planned out that included a new standalone ECU, data logger system, and digital dash display. Since the new standalone ECU would require a full rewire, and the Unlimited class allows the team to completely remove the dashboard, a full overhaul was carefully planned and executed shortly after Super Lap Battle in 2016. Subaru wiring specialists iWire stepped up to take care of the entire wiring process for Jager, which gave piece of mind to the team.

The car was rewired and ready just in time to be debuted in the AEM booth at Formula Drift Long Beach in April. Time Attack fans may seem rare at a drifting event, but the appreciation for data logging and speed is shared among all motorsports fans and the car was very well received. Shortly after the event, more upgrades were made in preparation for the 2017 season. Weight reduction became a major focus as a carbon fiber roof was installed, and a Lexan windshield replaced the OEM glass at the front of the car. Tubular subframes are a no-no in the modified class, but with the aforementioned move into the Unlimited class, a tubular rear subframe became another opportunity to save weight and improve the suspension geometry simultaneously.

Mark Jager ran a career-best time of 1:41.309 at Buttonwillow Raceway in November 2016

Initial plans for the 2017 season were to debut the car at the Motovicity Speedring event and defend Jager’s 2016 Unlimited AWD class win, but a change in venue from Autoclub Speedway in California to the M1 Concourse venue in Michigan will keep the team from debuting in September. All sights are now set to continue revising and improving the chassis in time for the Super Lap Battle event at Buttonwillow in November. Jager has found a lot of success over the years at Super Lap Battle, and hopes to continue that success with the newly revised chassis while starting the lengthy data gathering process that will only improve future succes.

Career Accomplishments:

2016 Redline Time Attack AWD Modified Class Records at WSIR (1:23.129) and Streets of Willow (1:18.144)

2016 Motovicity Speedring First place AWD Class / 3rd place Overall at Autoclub Speedway (1:38.307)

2016 Super Lap Battle 1st place Unlimited AWD / Overall event winner at Buttonwillow Raceway (1:41.309)

2015 3rd Place Limited AWD Class - Global Time Attack Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow Raceway (1:46.906)

2014 Redline Time Attack & Global Time Attack Street Class Champion

2014 Overall and Street Class AWD records at Buttonwillow (1:50.207), Big Willow (1:25.487), Autoclub Speedway Infield (1:10.105), and Chuckwalla CW (1:55.316)

2013 Redline Time Attack Street Class Champion

2013 Extreme Speed AWD Competition Street Class Champion

2013 Street Class Time Attack Records at WSIR (1:27.367), Autoclub Speedway Roval (1:45.394), and Chuckwalla CW (1:59.716)

2013 Eight 1st Place finishes at Redline Time Attack

2013 2nd Place Street AWD class – Super Lap Battle Buttonwillow CW

2012 5th place Street AWD Class - Super Lap Battle

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How 2004 Mitsubishi EVO 8 Driver Roy Narvaez Finally Conquered Pikes Peak

Aug 18, 2017

Roy Narvaez conquers the 2017 Pikes Peak Hill Climb in his Mitsubishi EVO

America has been described as a land of ‘opportunity’, and a young man named Roy Narvaez decided to seize that opportunity to make a better life for himself. As a teenager, Roy learned everything he could about computers, then parlayed that knowledge into a successful IT career. By 1999 he could finally afford to indulge his fascination with cars, so he bought a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX. This little pocket rocket was equipped with the turbocharged Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0L, which sent 210-hp to all four wheels through a permanent AWD system. Roy said, “I was 20 something years old, and I thought that was the coolest, fastest thing that ever existed.”

He soon discovered LA’s underground street racing scene and decided to try his hand at drag racing. It didn't take long for Roy to want even more power, and he eventually tuned the Eclipse all the way up to 700 hp. “This was before Fast & Furious came out, so there were only like 20 cars, and it was the same 20 cars every week. We used to race from like 10 o'clock at night, till 2 or 3 in the morning. And if a cop came by, they usually just asked if we were OK, then sometimes they would tell us stories about when they were young and used to race. Then that movie came out, and it kind of ruined the whole scene. It went from 20 guys having fun, to literally a couple of hundred. It was insane. There were people everywhere, people acting a fool, people crashing. So I got out of that scene and went to the Pomona Drag Strip to compete in the NHRA import circuit.”

R35 Nissan GTR modified by Narvaez Racing

After a few years, Roy said he “made the grown-up decision” to sell his Eclipse, get out of the car scene and focus on his career. Then one day in 2009, he was driving home from work and passed what appeared to be a Nissan GT-R. Since he had been out of the car scene for several years, he didn't know that the R35 Nissan GT-R was being legally sold in the United States. So he followed the driver and asked him how he got it into the country. Much to his surprise, the owner told Roy that he had bought it at the local Nissan dealership. A year later, Roy had his very own GTR, and naturally, he started road racing.

2004 Mitsubishi EVO VIII being rebuilt by Narvaez Racing for the 2015 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

By this time Roy had left the IT field, and started a successful chain of laundromats. So when his longtime friend and mechanic Robert Garcia suggested they go check out the Pikes Peak race, he was able to simply jump on a plane and fly out to Colorado. Roy first learned about the Pikes Peak Hillclimb during his street racing days and loved the idea of people drifting up a mountain. “I liked off-roading, I like racing, and it was like the perfect marriage of both. I wanted to do it but just couldn't afford it back then. When we were out there, I got to drive up the mountain in our rented Fiat. But I wasn't considering it because I felt that it was a little above my driving skills.”

On the way back home, his friend Robert suggested they build a Pikes Peak car, and told him the owner of Road Race Engineering had the perfect car to use: a wrecked 2004 Mitsubishi EVO 8. Then one day the owner of RRE asked Roy if he wanted to buy the EVO. He offered to sell it to him cheap, but only if he was going to build a Pikes Peak car with it. Roy said “So I bought it, and it just sat there. I also applied to enter the race, and surprisingly I was excepted. This happened in February 2015, the race is in June, and the car wasn't even built.” So he went to the shop and gutted it to remove all of the unnecessary weight.

Roy Narvaez finished 12th in the Time Attack 1 class at the 2017 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The Hulk EVO as it would become known had been rather seriously rear-ended and required a fair amount of bodywork to be drivable. Once that was complete, they installed a roll cage, a new transmission, new axles, and got it wrapped. Roy continued, “To be honest with you, the car wasn't ready when we left. It had been built in 3 months, but still needed a windshield, it needed to be tuned, and there was no aero on it. So at the end of each practice today, we would go to a local shop in Colorado and work on the car. The EVO was finally finished on race day. And I actually qualified in the middle of the pack, with no aero on the car!” Incredibly, this was the first time that Roy had ever driven the car. However, on the morning of the race, weather conditions quickly deteriorated and Roy was only able to make it halfway up the mountain.

Real-time shot of Roy Narvaez crashing at the 2016 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

With no luck climbing the 14,115 ft mountain, the crew of Narvaez Racing returned to California to finish building their car. After lots of fine tuning, they returned to Colorado, to once again take on the 12.42 mile Race to the Clouds. Except this time, they had plenty of time to practice, and the car ran great. Roy qualified in the top 10 of his class on Thursday, so Friday would have been an optional practice day. Initially, he wanted to take Friday off, that way everybody could just relax and enjoy the experience. But Roy eventually decided to go out for a practice run anyway.

That Friday morning was rather cold, and during the first section of his practice session, Roy was unhappy with his performance. He explained, “I turned in too early, I braked too early, it was just a bad run. Then I started getting into the groove. So to make up, I started pushing it. and I was going way too fast into one of the turns. I had cold tires on a cold road, and I locked up the brakes. I knew I was going to hit, but it happened so fast, it was like I blinked and it was over. And once I landed, my first thought was “Man, this is going to be a lot of work for the crew” I felt bad for them. But it didn't dawn on me until later, that there was a big cliff on the other side!”

The Mitsubishi EVO driven by Roy Narvaez nearly went off the mountain at the 2016 Pikes Peak Race

The damage to the little green EVO was pretty severe, and Roy was extremely lucky that his car landed where it did. Roy said that all of the drivers offered to lend a hand. “Time, tools, parts, some even offered to lend us a shop to do the work in. I've raced Time Attack, 24 hours of Lemons, drag racing, but I've never been a part of anything where people were willing to give up their time, and their parts, just to help you finish this race.” But after surveying the damage to his car, Roy decided not to continue. “I've already crashed with a great car, and I didn't want to put myself in the situation where we're running a car that might not be 100%." So Roy and his team returned home, disappointed that they were unable to finish the 2016 Pike's Peak Hill Climb for a second time.

The Narvaez Racing Hulk EVO in a hail storm on Pikes Peak

Over the next year, Narvaez Racing repaired the Hulk Evo with the help of their friends at Road Race Engineering. Many of the EVO’s parts got either updated or upgraded, in preparation for the 2017 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Roy said: “They say the third year is this charm, and this year I made it all the way to the top of the mountain!" With a time of 12:15.773, he finished in 12th place out of 24 cars in the Time Attack 1 class for modified production cars. This is a particularly tough class to compete in, considering it’s filled with professional racing drivers like Rhys Millen, who placed first in this class with a staggering time of 9:47.427. David Donohue, who won the GT2 Class at LeMans in 1998, finished second in the Time Attack 1 class with a time of 9:49.954. British Touring Car Championship driver Robb Holland and Honda R&D Engineer James Robinson (driving a factory-sponsored Acura NSX) also competed in Roy’s class. So finishing in the middle of a field packed with that much talent is quite an accomplishment.

Narvaez Racing Team posing with their Ariel Atom, R35 Nissan GT-R, and Dodge Viper ACR

“I was pushing the car to its limits on the first and middle sections, then the fog started to roll in, which makes it difficult to figure out where you're going to brake. So I slowed down a little bit towards the top. But when I reached the top, I was just so happy that I made it. It took three years to reach this goal. It's not like any other race that I've ever competed in. When you get to the top, all of the other drivers are happy for you. The Pikes Peak Hillclimb isn't about competing against other drivers so much, as it's man and machine versus the mountain.”

As far as the 2018 Pikes Peak Hill Climb is concerned, Roy says he may return with the Hulk Evo, however, he hasn't ruled out taking something different. He does have a race-prepped Nissan GTR, a Dodge Viper ACR, and an insane little Ariel Atom that runs on ethanol. So he has a few interesting options already sitting in his garage. But no matter what car he brings, we at AEM can't wait to watch Roy Narvaez compete in the next Race to the Clouds.

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Fredric Aasbo Becomes Winningest Driver in Formula Drift History in 7 Short Seasons

Aug 4, 2017

Fredric Aasbo celebrates his 10th career Formula Drift win in Montreal, most overall by any driver

As a teenager, Fredric Aasbo watched drifting videos on DVD and YouTube, dreaming of being able to earn a living from the sport. Aasbo began sliding his Toyota Supra in Norway in the mid-2000s and rose to the top of the Nordic drifting series by winning back-to-back championships in 2007 and 2008. Near the end of the 2008 season, Aasbo was given an opportunity to bring his Toyota Supra to the United States to compete in an invite-only drifting ‘shootout’ that took place in the Port of Long Beach. At that event, Aasbo got his first taste of drifting in the United States and set a goal to be competing for full-time in the United States in the coming years.

In 2010, Aasbo pieced together a privateer program and competed in five of seven events in the Formula Drift championship. At his debut event in Long Beach, Aasbo piloted his Toyota Supra, nicknamed “Chucky”, to a 4th place overall finish. Aasbo would sit out the second and third rounds that season due to budget restrictions but would compete in the final four rounds of the season. Aasbo placed in the Top-8 at two of those four remaining events, finishing the season in 13th position overall and winning the Rookie of the Year award from Formula Drift. Between the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Formula Drift staged a pair of exhibition matches at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Qatar Racing Club in Doha, Qatar. Aasbo was on the short list of drivers selected to go to these events and would make the most of the opportunity by winning the Yas Marina exhibition and placing third at Qatar Racing Club.

Fredric Aasbo battles Tanner Foust in 2010. Aasbo would join Papadakis Racing for the 2011 season

Aasbo would be recognized for his performance and consistency by Papadakis Racing, who signed him to drive a newly built Scion tC2 for the 2011 season. Aasbo had big shoes to fill as Tanner Foust, the previous Papadakis Racing driver, was moving on from drifting to pursue Rallycross and television hosting but left the sport as the only back-to-back champion and winner of seven Formula Drift events. Aasbo would adapt to the new Scion tC2 and Papadakis Racing team very quickly, taking a Top 8 finish in his first event at Long Beach and a podium finish at the fifth event at Evergreen Speedway. Over the first three seasons, Aasbo would take home four podium finishes and would end the season in 12th position, 6th position, and 4th position, showing continual progress and consistency.

Fredric Aasbo drifts the Papadakis Racing Scion tC2 at Road Atlanta in 2011

2014 would be a breakout year for Aasbo, finally landing his first event win in New Jersey. A second event win at Texas Motorspeedway, combined with two other podium finishes at Road Atlanta and Irwindale Speedway, pushed Aasbo to a second place overall finish in the championship. Aasbo actually had a chance to win the championship in the final battle of the final event at Irwindale Speedway, but a loss to Daigo Saito in that battle would hand the championship to Chris Forsberg. Getting so close to the championship motivated Aasbo and the Papadakis Racing team to attack the 2015 season hard. Several upgrades were made in the offseason to increase the horsepower and reliability of the 2AR-FE engine, which was the most powerful 4-cylinder engine in the series.

Fredric Aasbo piloted a Scion tC2 from 2011 to 2016 before stepping into a Toyota Corolla iM in 2017

The next year, 2015, was a near perfect year for Aasbo and the season. The season launched with an event win in Long Beach and was capped off by an event win at Irwindale including beating Saito in the top 16. Impressively enough, Saito had won every tandem battle since 2012 at Irwindale Speedway, so the defeat by Aasbo was the first and only loss by Saito at the track and avenged the loss in the prior season which ended the championship hopes. Aasbo would win a total of 4 of seven events in 2015, and won the championship by 99 points, a wider margin than any other championship winner in series history. Aasbo also won the newly-created Formula Drift World Championship title thanks to his results at international stops in Japan and Montreal.

Fredric Aasbo drifted the Papadakis Racing Toyota Corolla iM to his 9th and 10th career victories

Aasbo added a pair of wins in 2016 and entered the 2017 season tied with Chris Forsberg and Dai Yoshihara for third in overall career wins with 8 apiece. Leading the career wins list were Sam Hubinette and Vaughn Gittin Jr, who both had nine wins. Incredibly, Hubinette amassed his nine wins in the first four seasons of Formula Drift (24 total events) and has been retired from the sport since 2012. Gittin Jr. has competed in every one of Formula Drift’s 88 total events entering the 2017 season. But just five events into the 2017 season, Aasbo has wins in Orlando and Montreal, which puts him alone at the top of the career wins list with ten total. Aasbo’s 10 Formula Drift USA wins are paired with more than 30 wins away from Formula Drift USA competition and more than 100 total podiums globally over the past eleven years, which is believed to be the most among any competitive drifter.

Papadakis Racing celebrated Fredric Aasbo's 10th career win in Montreal in July 2017

Incredibly, Aasbo continues to compete in events on multiple continents. While competing in the Papadakis Racing Toyota Corolla iM in Formula Drift USA, Aasbo also competes in the V8-powered RS*R Toyota GT86 in select Formula Drift Japan events, and in a different 2J-powered Toyota GT86 in select European events. All 100 podiums have occurred in a Scion or Toyota badged car, placing Aasbo near the top as one of the most winningest Toyota drivers in the world across all motorsports.

Aasbo continues to pursue the 2017 Formula Drift USA championship, currently sitting in second place after five of eight events. Aasbo is just 34 points behind series leader James Deane, which could easily be made up at a single event as 107 championship points are available on a single competition weekend.

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Papadakis Racing Debuts Unconventional Toyota Corolla iM Drift Car for 2017

Aug 3, 2017

Papadakis Racing and Rockstar Energy Drink filmed "Rockstar D" to debut the Toyota Corolla iM

Papadakis Racing has never been shy about building unconventional drift cars. From the first NASCAR-powered V8 Scion tC that was piloted by Tanner Foust back in 2009 to the latest Toyota Corolla iM hatchback that Fredric Aasbo is piloting in 2017, Papadakis Racing has a way of turning obscure and unconventional cars into competitive drift vehicles. Foust would pilot that crazy Scion tC to a podium in the debut event for the car, with a win coming just three events later. Overall, Foust won three Formula Drift events and took home seven carbon fiber podium trophies in two full seasons of the Scion tC. Foust decided to pursue other driving opportunities after the 2010 season, and a replacement would be needed on the Papadakis Racing team. At the same time, Scion had moved from the original Scion tC to the tC2 chassis, which gave Papadakis Racing a new challenge.

The Toyota Corolla iM drift car is powered by a 2AR-FE engine that pushes nearly 1,000 hp

After success with the original tC build, Papadakis added the challenge of reverting back to the Toyota 2AR motor instead of the Phase 9 TRD NASCAR motor that powered the original drift tC chassis. Moving from a TRD NASCAR motor that puts out 500+ whp to the rear wheels to a 2AR motor that was rated for 180 whp from the factory meant a full overhaul was coming. The 2AR motor was longitudinally mounted, stroked to 2.7L, paired with a Borg-Warner turbocharger, built with a host of aftermarket and custom drivetrain parts, and pushed to 23 pounds of boost.

A Papadakis Racing crew member works on the Toyota Corolla iM drift car at a Formula D event

In the first season of competition, the car pushed just under 450 whp to the rear wheels. In the second season, a host of parts were upgraded and the boost was upped to 30PSI, which cranked the horsepower up to around 600 whp. Over the following five seasons, the engine package would continue to be refined, hitting a peak of 900 wheel horsepower in 2016 on nearly 45 pounds of boost. However, with the sunsetting of the Scion brand at the end of 2016, a new challenge would be pushed in front of the team.

Fredric Aasbo's Toyota Corolla iM has turned heads all season for the unconventional platform

After several discussions, a Toyota Corolla iM was selected as the new drift chassis for the 2017 season. With a wheelbase of 102.4” which puts it just barely longer than the 100.4” wheelbase of the MkIV Toyota Supra and the 101.2” wheelbase of the Toyota GT86 / Scion FR-S, the car was selected specifically for the suspension geometry and initial measurements that pointed to the potential of the chassis. Luckily, the same 2AR engine could be fabricated to fit inside the Corolla iM engine bay, which would give the team a jumpstart on the chassis development knowing that they had plenty of horsepower to push to the rear wheels. While an AEM 21-776C intake would typically fit your typical Toyota Corolla iM that rolls off of your local Toyota dealership lot, this Corolla iM would require a custom intake setup from the turbocharger along with custom piping for the intercooler and intake manifold.

To debut the car, the team filmed a brief viral video that emulated the title screen from the famed Initial D cartoon in Japan. The video was filmed on the famed Mulholland Highway outside of Los Angeles, California, and debuted the new Toyota Corolla iM chassis to the world. The debut was a huge hit as fans had no idea what car Fredric Aasbo would pilot since the Scion brand had been retired. Aasbo would drive the car competitively just a few weeks after the video was released at the first event of the 2017 Formula Drift season in Long Beach. The Long Beach course is laid out on actual city streets that are closed to the public for the competition weekend, further playing on the Initial D concept that helped launch the car.

The Toyota Corolla iM was debuted via a viral video that was filmed on the famed Mulholland Dr

While Aasbo wouldn’t duplicate Foust’s success of debuting the car to a podium finish, Aasbo would find the top step of the podium in the second event of the season in Orlando. The win was Aasbo’s 9th of his career, which tied him with Samuel Hubinette and Vaughn Gittin Jr. for the most all-time in Formula Drift history. Aasbo would break the record just three events later in Montreal, becoming the first driver to win 10 events in Formula Drift history. Aasbo has won all 10 events while piloting Scion or Toyota cars, with both of those cars utilizing the 2AR-FE engine. Aasbo also won the 2015 season championship in the Scion tC2 by a record 99 point margin, and is currently sitting in second place in the 2017 season championship standings.

Fredric Aasbo won in the Toyota Corolla iM in only the second event at Orlando Speedworld

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