Professional drifter Matty Hill will debut his new Toyota GR Supra at Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge on September 5-6 as part of the Garrett International Drifting Cup.
While the Supercars version is powered by a 2UR-GSE V8, Hill’s drift version is fitted with a 2JZ inline-six cylinder.
The 2JZ is widely regarded as one of Toyota’s most popular motors, powering the iconic A80 from production in the early 1990s through to the early 2000s.
Having spent the lion’s share of his career in a Nissan Silvia S15, the move into the GR Supra marks a return to his roots.
“I started in 2007 in a non-turbo Supra as a P-plater and I’ve always loved Supras,” Hill told Speedcafe.
“The A90 came out and I wanted to build that but it was really not achievable. No one wrecks them and they’re a $100,000 car. I was lucky this just came up at the right time.”
Several have been built for Formula Drift in the United States and Japan but the car is the first of its kind in Australia.
Hill said he was inspired by Japanese drifting legend Daigo Saito, who built one of the first GR Supra drift cars.
“It was a good opportunity and I fell in love with it and I just had this vision looking at Daigo’s car in Japan, all these Japanese drivers in D1 and I just said, ‘look, I’m gonna do it’.
“I got all these great partners together and we’ve just built this incredible car. I just couldn’t have done it without my friends, my family and all my sponsors who have helped me so much with this car. We finished it just a few hours ago and we’re just I’m so stoked man.”
The car is littered with custom and off-the-shelf parts designed for drifting. The Redsun Motorsport-built motor is fitted with a Turbosmart turbo, pushing 1500hp (1120kW).
Attached to that is a Samsonas Motorsports sequential gearbox, a Winters Performance Products differential, and a custom-made six-piece intake manifold by Hypertune.
Aesthetically, the car features two-piece wheels and a custom Carbonetics-supplied Pandem body kit.
“It’s running factory front and rear bumpers and headlights – very scary, very expensive,” he laughed. “So let’s hope we don’t damage them.”
Hill had his own race to be ready, finishing the car on the eve of World Time Attack Challenge.
“I haven’t even tested it,” he said.
“We rebuilt the motor yesterday morning at 2am, had it on the dyno yesterday at lunchtime. We had a few little issues that we had to fix with it. It’s completely untested.
“I have no idea what’s gonna happen, and we’re here at an international event, huge drivers and I’m debuting a brand new car that I’ve never tested, so hold on.
“It’s just got every single amazing sponsor in Australia that you can think of on the car, a few internationals as well. It’s just amazing man. It’s so surreal, like I haven’t even stood back and looked at it until I’m talking to you right now. It’s cool.
“I’ve had six hours in two days, and prior to that was many late nights as well. This was a massive hustle to try and get this finished. I’m feeling pretty wrecked, man. I’m gonna have a good sleep tonight.”
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