- Can you drift an automatic car?
- Technically yes, but only in very limited cases: high-performance cars with specific drift modes (BMW M with DCT, Mercedes-AMG, some Lexus) or modified cars. An average automatic does not allow sustained drifting because you lack the clutch for the clutch kick and the gearbox shifts on its own at the worst moment.
- How do you drift an automatic car?
- In a regular automatic you can only provoke limited slides: a handbrake turn in tight low-speed corners, or slides on very low-grip surfaces (dirt, rain). Real sustained drifting, no: without a clutch there is no clutch kick and the gearbox shifts on its own at the worst moment. To learn the full technique it is worth trying a prepared manual car.
- Why does the school use manual BMW E36 cars and not automatics?
- Because real drifting means using the clutch as a tool, and the vast majority of competitive drift cars in the world are manual or sequential. The BMW E36 328i has more than enough torque to break the rear axle loose, rear-wheel drive, a locked differential and a manual gearbox: the best balance of power, weight and a chassis that forgives beginner mistakes.
- Can I bring my own automatic car to the class?
- No. Classes are taught in the school BMW E36, not in student cars. It is a decision about safety and teaching quality: you remove the car variable and concentrate 100% on learning the technique.
- Do I need to know how to drive manual to take the class?
- No. The classes are designed for students who never touched a manual gearbox. In the 30-minute Drift Intro the first 10 minutes are spent feeling the BMW clutch in a straight line before going to the corner. In drifting the clutch is used with authority: press, release and give it throttle.
By Dmitrii McCarthy