Check Out Tanner Foust’s Drift-tastic VW Passat

Rockstar Energy Drink Racing VW Passat (Credit: © Rockstar Energy Drink Racing)

If you’re a fan of Formula D or rally racing, then the name Tanner Foust should be one that you recognize. The precision driver left Formula D to take on rally driving in 2010, and parlayed that into three straight Global RallyCross championships in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Well, the 2014 racing season sees him make his return to Formula D, this time with a V-8-powered VW Passat.

On the outside, the Rockstar Energy Drink Passat somewhat resembles one you may see on the streets, save for the performance tires and wheels, rear wing, and wheel flares. What really sets this Passat apart is the V-8 engine it’s packing, which makes this family rig ready for drift action.

This is a 7.4-liter V-8 – likely a GM engine – that Tanner and his team tuned to a monstrous 700 horsepower. Once you add a dose of nitrous, this Passat jumps all the way to 900 ponies. Of course, the entire undercarriage likely underwent massive modifications too, and the power heads to the rear wheels instead of the front via a heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission. Despite its drifting setup, it is still awesome to see a 900-horse Passat that still looks ready to drop the kiddos off at soccer practice.

The start of the Formula D season and the official debut of Foust’s new rig, takes place at the Circuit of the Americas on June 4th through 7th. Make sure to make it on your calendar, you won’t want to miss this awesome econobox turned V-8-powered drift monster.

To get you all amped up for the upcoming Formula D season, Rockstar Energy Drink Racing and Tanner put together the teaser video below.