I love a good heist movie, so I had serious mixed feelings about the release of The Fast and The Furious when it debuted in 2001. I saw the trailers, and debated seeing the film. I knew I was going to hate this “Vin Diesel” and my suspicions proved correct. While the heist scenes were quite good, the acting was nothing short of atrocious. Of course, the movie turned out to be a huge success and the beginning of a franchise where audiences will undoubtedly flock to the sixth installment this summer. This summer will also see the start of shooting for the seventh episode in this series that won’t die.
After a very average sequel, I thought the series would certainly peter out, only to be proven wrong by what looked like the worst conceived car film in history….The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006). Not only did they lose their star, Vin Diesel, but they were going to move the franchise to Japan to “drift.” What the hell is drifting?, I remember asking myself. Turns out that drifting is not only the first gay-themed Israeli film, but a motorsport.
For those unaware, drifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. A car is drifting when the rear slip angle is greater than the front slip angle, to such an extent that often the front wheels are pointing in the opposite direction to the turn. Yes, the wheels are turned to the right while the driver makes the girls swoon by turning left.
Kunimitsu Takahashi was the foremost creator of drifting techniques in the 1970s, and somehow this style of driving has not only failed to disappear but has competitions worldwide and a number of magazines and websites devoted to this sport(?).
Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) Model S Drifting Capabilities
While that in and of itself is quite surprising, more surprising for me was seeing a Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model S sedan showing off its drifting capabilities in a recent video made by Consumer Reports while awarding the Model S a near perfect score (99 out of 100). Despite being a 4,600 pound electric sedan, the 416 horsepower and 443 ft-lbs of torque allows the Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) to be drifted with ease. No word was given on its normal range without recharging when drifting a car that, while a very sexy car, looks more suited to taking the family to dinner.
