In drifting, the platform isn’t just a shell — it’s a strategic choice. Supra, Silvia, or BMW E-series all bring different strengths: balance, torque, weight, and even culture. FRESH X breaks down the 2025 grids of Formula Drift (USA), Drift Masters (Europe), and RDS GP (Russia) to reveal which drift car platforms dominate this season — and why
Formula Drift 2025: the race of technology and platforms
Formula Drift has always stood out for its engineering diversity. Tight competition, serious budgets, and a mix of top drivers from across the globe make this series the ultimate testing ground for drift car platforms. While old-school favorites like the Nissan Silvia or BMW E-series are still on the grid, the spotlight in 2025 is shifting toward modern builds.
The start of the season proves the trend: Long Beach Round 1 saw Fredric Aasbø take the win in his Toyota GR Supra, with James Deane placing second in the Ford Mustang RTR, and Adam LZ securing third in a BMW E36. In Round 2, Deane struck back, taking first place and putting the RTR Mustang at the top of the podium. Aasbø followed in second, and Odi Bakchis claimed third — once again showcasing the staying power of the Silvia
As of now, the leading platforms in Formula Drift 2025 by popularity are:
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BMW E46 — chosen by 7 drivers, including Branden Sorensen, Connor O'Sullivan, Andy Hateley, and Dylan Hughes. Its strong aftermarket support and balanced chassis make it a solid pick.
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Nissan Silvia (S13/ S14/ S15) — used by 6 drivers. Despite its age, it remains competitive, proven by Bakchis' podiums and Olsen’s Top 16 run.
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Ford Mustang RTR — experiencing a renaissance. James Deane’s high-profile switch from Silvia to the factory-backed Mustang was one of the biggest off-season moves — and it’s paying off: two podiums in two rounds, including a win. He’s joined by Vaughn Gittin Jr. — RTR ambassador and icon — and Ben Hobson, an emerging talent. With OEM-level support, strong V8 power, and a dialed-in chassis, the RTR Mustang is arguably the most complete platform on the grid today.
📸 Photo: James Deane on RTR Mustang at Formula Drift stage 1 — Atlanta. Author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ANkqQGmFw
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The GT86/ GR86 platform also remains highly relevant — appearing three times this season and consistently making it to the podium. Notable performances include Conor Shanahan, Daigo Saito, and 15-year-old Hiroya Minowa, who took first place at Round 3 in Florida. Jhonnattan Castro followed with second place in the same round, and Ken Gushi — a long-time global drifting competitor — continues to represent the platform at the highest level.
When it comes to driver and platform statistics in Formula Drift 2025, the breakdown is as follows:
📸 Stats of Formula Drift PRO drifters and their platforms in 2025 season
Formula Drift 2025 reveals a clear trend in professional drifting: top drift teams are investing heavily in proven high-performance platforms, prioritizing engineering consistency over experimentation. With few exceptions, the grid is dominated by factory-backed builds and optimized drift cars. Unless a major upset happens in the next rounds, the battle for the 2025 Formula Drift championship will likely come down to the Ford Mustang RTR, Toyota GR Supra, and the agile Toyota GT86 / GR86 — the most competitive and widely trusted drift platforms today.
Drift Masters 2025: Europe Chooses BMW
Drift Masters stands out with its aggressive pace, wide geographic reach, and more accessible approach to drift car setups. This season, the landscape is clear:
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BMW E92/ E36/ E82 — The Number One Drift Platform. BMW remains the top choice for European drifters thanks to its affordable aftermarket parts, reliable chassis, and tuning potential. Leading drivers like Benediktas Čirba, Itay Sadeh, Juha Pöytälaakso, and Oliver Randalu are all piloting BMWs. In total, 13 of the 35 registered drivers compete in BMWs, highlighting the brand’s dominance in the drift scene
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Toyota GT86/ GR86 continue to be among the most popular platforms in the Drift Masters series. Drivers such as Jack and Conor Shanahans, Juha Rintanen, Adam Zalewski, and Naoki Nakamura whose arrival marked a major highlight — all compete in these agile and reliable cars.
📸 Photo: Naoki Nakamura vs Jason Banet at Drift Masters | Spain. Author: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKKdliBsJJo/
- Nissan S13/ S14/ S15 — Classic Drift Platforms Holding Strong. Drivers like Duane McKeever, Lauri Heinonen, Paweł Korpuliński, Clint van Oort, and Tor Arne Kvia continue to prove the lasting effectiveness of the old-school Nissan Silvia models. Over the past four years, the 180SX has been a proven winner — it helped Lauri to climb the ranks and secure the last Drift Masters championship.
Among the unusual choices this season, we see Jarkko Jylhä’s Toyota Chaser as a classic example of the JDM approach, the rare Mercedes S203.5 platform driven by Teemu Peltola, and Orjan Nilsen’s Toyota Soarer
RDS GP 2025: The Power of the Supra
The Russian Drift Series showcases a unique blend of cutting-edge technology in this season, and Toyota Supra clearly emerges as the new standard in Russian drifting.
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Toyota Supra A80/ A90: Every fourth driver in RDS GP 2025 rely on Supra, including top names like Damir Idiyatulin, Artem Shabanov, and Evgeny Losev. The Supra’s popularity is driven by its high power output, wide availability of tuning parts, and well-developed builds based on the proven A80 experience.
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BMW E92: Drivers like Dmitry Ermokhin, Ilya Polishchuk, Boris Abramov, and Danila Skorobogatov rely on the BMW E92, which has become the reliable “workhorse” platform of the series.
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Nissan 370Z/ 400Z: Nissan’s new Z models are rising in popularity thanks to their rigid chassis, shared platform with the affordable 370Z, and extensive customization options. The entire Lecar Motorsport Addicted — Arkady Tsaregradtsev, brothers Ilya and Vladislav Popov, and Vladislav Erofeev — compete on this platform. Legendary drifter Georgy Chivchyan recently also switched to the Z platform, signaling a strong future for Nissan in drifting.
Here’s the driver-platform breakdown for RDS GP 2025:
📸 Stats on platform selection for RDS GP 2025
Key Insights and Trends of 2025
In summary, we see clear dominance of five key platforms: BMW E-series, Supra, Silvia, Toyota GT/GR86, and Nissan Z:
📸 Full stats on platforms at Formula Drift, Drift Masters and RDS GP 2025
BMW remains a versatile platform, especially popular in Europe and Russia, known for its balance, power, and accessibility.
Supra is making a strong comeback — mainly in RDS, but it’s steadily gaining ground in Drift Masters as well.
Nissan S-chassis still lead but are gradually being complemented by Z platforms on the global stage.
Toyota GT86 and GR86 are favorites among young drivers and drift schools, valued for their stability, weight, and affordability.
📸 Photo: Overall Drift Masters pit layout. Author: https://dm.gp/articles/general/the-2025-drift-masters-driver-line-up-is-finally-here/
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