An Exclusive First Look at the Hero Car for Sung Kang’s ‘Drifter’ Movie

The next big automotive film – Drifter – is coming soon, and we got the first exclusive look at the hero car for the blockbuster movie: meet ‘Lola.’

Drifter – an upcoming feature film by actor and director Sung Kang (The Fast & The Furious franchise, Weekend in Taipei) – is an underdog story of sorts, with Sung playing the main character who discovers his passion and skill in the art of drifting while working at his local race circuit. As you’d expect from a feature film with high speed stunts and precise coordination of driving, the cars in it need to be built to spec, made to endure, and stylized to leave a lasting impression.

We were invited to preview the car in question – the Toyota AE86 hero car for the film. ‘Lola’ – Sung’s naming of the car that’s based off of the domestic ‘Corolla’ name for the AE86 here in the States – is a Rocket Bunny widebody-converted example of the classic and now cult-favorite ‘Hachiroku.’ AE86s have been favored by the car community not only for its distinct style and nostalgic sensibilities, but for its dynamic front-engined, rear-wheel drive handling characteristics and adaptability to modification and tuning. Historic Japanese anime Initial D and its main character famously used the Toyota AE86 (known in Japan as the Trueno) throughout its story which ultimately catapulted it to legendary status amongst car fanatics, drift fans, and automotive culture figures around the world.

“I want audiences to walk away feeling that when you find something you love, and surround yourself with people who share that passion, anything is possible.” – Sung Kang, actor and director of Drifter

About ‘Lola’

Sung jumped right in and confirmed what we were thinking when we first heard about Drifter – it’s not a movie about drifting if it doesn’t have an 86 in it. “For Drifter, it was the only choice for our hero car. It’s a 1986 GTS Corolla that starts stock and evolves throughout the film: first as a simple drift beater, then a budget build, and finally this fully built version.”

“This car actually came from SEMA — it was one of my project cars,” explained Dai Yoshihara, professional drift driver and principal stunt driver for the film. “It’s running an LS3 V8 from Chevrolet — definitely not what you’d expect in an AE86, but for the movie it made sense.”

Finite details of the movie haven’t been officially released yet, but this modification does divulge a bit of context to the plot of Drifter and its main character. Sung chimed in, drawing the connection between the engine and the vehicle: “The LS3 comes into the story because a mentor character donates the motor from his daughter’s Corvette to help the car compete professionally. It’s a symbolic gesture about passing on passion and potential.”

Besides the added oomph, ‘Lola’ adopts a new front suspension that strengthens and widens the car’s track, a GForce GSR gearbox that’s tied to a Supra/Celica rear end, new KW suspension with T3 links and much more. “We had so much community support — Yokohama Tires, Watanabe Wheels, Pandem Rocket Bunny, Sparco — everyone contributed parts and expertise,” said Sung humbly, while Dai and the crew all nodded in agreement. “It shows how much love and unity exists within the car world.”

Of course, the two weren’t completely devoid of the irony behind putting an American icon inside a JDM vehicle. “We needed more torque and reliability for the drift sequences,” explained Dai when asked why they used an LS3. “Personally, I prefer keeping 86s four cylinder, but this setup does exactly what we needed for filming.”

During our private invite, a second project car – Lexus‘ AE86 BEV Concept – joined in parallel, ultimately exploring the dichotomy of possibilities for the classic Hachiroku.

Spearheaded by Lexus International, the all-electric prototype adopts technologies from the luxury brand as well as Toyota, most notably a lithium-ion battery from the NX 450h+ PHEV and an electric motor from the Tundra Hybrid i-Force Max. The experimental AE86 BEV equally piqued our interest not only for its radically new approach to the Hachiroku, but also for its core identity traits that remain intact (e.g., modest power output, well-balanced handling, a lightweight build). Lexus preserved the original car’s 1.6L 4A-GE high-revving engine soundtrack (that admittedly comes out of speakers) as well as – amazingly – a functioning short-throw manual transmission and clutch, which can even simulate stalling.

Seeing the two special project cars established a lasting impression we couldn’t help but see and feel. Lexus clearly understands the global culture encompassing iconic classic cars such as the AE86 and, in a surprising but highly welcomed move, is pushing at once to preserve their importance and find innovative, compelling ways that usher them into an all-electric world for generations to enjoy.

About Drifter

“Drifter isn’t just about drifting,” Sung clarified when we asked him for more details about the film. “It’s about finding hope. It’s a hero’s journey about someone lost in life who finds purpose through the car community.”

But how will this new film differ from what we honestly know Sung mostly for: The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift? “It’s been 19 years since Tokyo Drift. This time, we wanted to make something fully authentic — no green screens, no fake stunts. Every drift, every burnout is real. We worked with Brian Scotto from HOONIGAN, who directed the action sequences, and Dai handled stunt driving. We also had appearances from Adam LZ, Chelsea DeNofa, Ryan Tuerck, and many others. It’s truly an all-star cast of real drifters.”

Lastly, we couldn’t help but ask what Sung really wanted out of Drifter or, in essence, was there a message that the audience should walk away with. “This film gave me hope. In Hollywood, it’s hard to find opportunities for someone who looks like me and wants to tell layered, honest stories. But through the car community, I found people who believed in the same dream.”

“The film is about people coming together, overcoming hopelessness, and finding meaning through cars. I want audiences to walk away feeling that when you find something you love, and surround yourself with people who share that passion, anything is possible.”

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