The car Han gives Sean in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX “Evil-R” by APR Performance, according to the Petersen Automotive Museum. Its grille and bumper were changed to resemble an earlier Evo VIII, but the car itself is an Evo IX. Edmunds reports that eight of the 10 Japanese-market Evo IXs contributed to production were converted to rear-wheel drive for filming.
Is the Tokyo Drift car an Evo VIII or Evo IX?
It is an Evo IX with Evo VIII-like front-end styling. The Petersen Automotive Museum identifies the featured car as a 2005 Lancer Evolution IX “Evil-R” by APR Performance and says production changed its grille and bumper to make it resemble the earlier model. The altered appearance explains why viewers sometimes mistake it for an Evo VIII.
How the movie Evo IX was built
Edmunds’ 2006 report describes a purpose-built movie car, not a stock Evo IX. The build included an APR wide-body kit, Eibach springs, 19-by-8.5-inch Ray’s G-Games 99B wheels, and 255/35R19 Toyo Proxes T1R tires. Rhys Millen Racing modified the steering knuckles for more steering angle and fitted larger Brembo discs and calipers.
Edmunds says the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine was essentially stock apart from an RMR exhaust. Inside, the car had AutoMeter gauges on a carbon-fiber plate and a Sparco steering wheel with a quick-disconnect hub; the Recaro seats remained. These are historical details of the film build, not a recommended parts list for a road car.
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Was the Tokyo Drift Evo really rear-wheel drive?
Yes, some of the production cars were converted. Edmunds reports that Mitsubishi contributed 10 Japanese-market Evo IXs and that eight were converted to rear-wheel drive using a kit developed by Rhys Millen Racing. The conversion removed the splines driving the front wheels and capped the transfer-case output holes.
The movie’s rear-drive setup helped the stunt cars perform controlled slides. It was different from the all-wheel-drive configuration that defines the road-going Evo IX. Edmunds concluded that the AWD car was better suited to uses other than drifting.
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Movie car versus stock Evo IX: reported test figures
Edmunds tested the rear-drive movie car and compared it with a stock U.S.-market Evo IX it had tested previously. These are results from those specific tests, not universal guarantees for every car.
| Measure | Rear-drive movie car | Stock U.S.-market Evo IX comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Power measurement | 289.5 hp at the rear wheels on a chassis dynamometer | Not stated in this comparison |
| 0–60 mph | 6.6 seconds | 4.9 seconds |
| Quarter-mile | 14.5 seconds at 103.6 mph | 13.3 seconds at 103 mph |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
The power figure is measured at the rear wheels, not an engine-output rating. The different drivetrain configurations also matter when comparing acceleration and behavior.
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- Licensed product from the Fast & Furious Saga
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How many Tokyo Drift Evo IXs were used, and does one survive?
Edmunds reports that Mitsubishi contributed 10 Japanese-market Evo IXs to the production. The Petersen Automotive Museum says production built 10 replicas, all destroyed during filming, and identifies its displayed example as the only surviving Tokyo Drift Evo. The museum credits current owner Dustin Williams with a period-correct restoration.
Production used a large fleet of vehicles for different shots and stunts. Edmunds identifies Dennis McCarthy as the picture-car coordinator and quotes him: “We have over 200 cars for this movie, so they came from different places.”
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FAQ
What exact car is Sean’s Tokyo Drift Evo?
The Petersen Automotive Museum identifies it as a 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX “Evil-R” by APR Performance—the car Han gives Sean in the film.
Why does it look like an Evo VIII?
Production changed the grille and bumper to resemble an Evo VIII, according to the Petersen Automotive Museum. The museum identifies the car as an Evo IX.
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How much horsepower did the Tokyo Drift Evo make?
Edmunds measured 289.5 hp at the rear wheels on a chassis dynamometer. That is a wheel-power measurement of the tested movie car, not a factory engine rating.
Does the Tokyo Drift Evo still exist?
The Petersen Automotive Museum identifies its restored example as the only surviving Tokyo Drift Evo. It credits Dustin Williams as the current owner and says he carried out a period-correct restoration.
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