There isn't any finely-stitched leather upholstery.
Or any premium hi-fi system.
And it is definitely no smooth ride in the HKS Altezza, better known as the Lexus IS200 here in Singapore.
But to the motorsports enthusiasts, this brash-looking machine is appreciated like a piece of art.
Registered in Japan and known as the HKS Yokomo Racing Performer IS220-Z, this "Ah Beng"-looking car has come out tops in drifting competitions in different parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and the Middle East.
Now it has arrived in Singapore and it will be driven by former Japanese Formula Drift champion Nobuteru Taniguchi at the Carrerista Jamboree - another motor sports event to add to Singapore's growing motor sports calendar.
It will be Taniguchi's first appearance in Singapore.
Taniguchi, who is better known as Nob (which stands for "No One Better"), will be performing drifting demonstrations in the IS220-Z at Changi Exhibition Centre from 27 to 31 Dec.
Garage R, one of the sponsors for the event, has spent $60,000 and placed $100,000 as a bank guarantee to bring in the IS220-Z and another similar model - IS220-R.
The cost covers the freight and insurance expenses and for four technical crews from Japan to travel here with the two cars.
Both cars are bought off the showroom, but fully rebuilt for Nob's drifting purposes.
Garage R's manager Brenur Ooi said: "In Singapore, we don't usually get to see a race car built for a specific purpose. These two cars have been fully customised, from the engines down to the bodyworks."
Not only do the cars score in their performance and aerodynamics, both also smell like Formula One cars.
Ooi, 36, who is also the team manager for Garage R's motor sports division, added:
"Motorsports enthusiasts will appreciate them as art pieces, immaculately put together by the HKS engineers in Japan.
"The IS220-Z still holds the highest lateral drift speed record of 190km/hr. On average, drivers are only able to drift between 140 and 160km/hr."
These prized cars come with a price tag of not less than $200,000 and both will be available for sale after the event.
About Carrerista Jamboree 2008
WHEN: 27 to 31 Dec.
WHERE: Changi Exhibition Centre.
OPERATING HOURS: 11am to 10pm daily (Except on 31 Dec: 11am to 1am on 1 Jan).
TICKETS: Single day ticket for adults ($20); children aged three to 12 ($10). Free entry for toddlers under three.
Special family package at $40 (two adults and two children below 12).
Three-day pass: $40; five-day pass: $60.
HOW TO GET THERE: Public shuttle bus service at $1 per passenger will be available from Expo MRT Station.
The shuttle service operates daily at a 15-minute interval from 10.30am to 10.30pm.
PARKING: 2,000 parking lots open to the public.
CHASSIS
Extra welding done to strengthen the chassis.
SIDE DIFFUSERS
Carbon fibre side diffusers at the back of the car create more downforce, allowing the car to travel faster by increasing the pressure between the contact area of the tyres and the road surface.
The side diffusers also direct smoke away, preventing the smoke from clouding the cabin. FENDERS
Both front and back fenders have been widened to generate more downforce. The wider fenders also allow for wider tyres to be used for better traction during drifting
RIMS
Seventeen-inch Advan rims for the front wheels and 18-inch rims for the back allow for easier controlling of this rear-wheel drive vehicle.
FRONT CARNARDS
Customised with carbon fibre, the front carnards on both sides of the car enhance the aerodynamics and generate more downforce.
BONNET
Specially hand-built with carbon fibre.
ENGINE
HKS Motorsports 2.2 Stroke
The four-cylinder engine which cost more than $40,000 has been fully modified to generate a higher revolution per minute (RPM), up to 11,000RPM. A normal car engine can go up to only 8,000RPM.
The engine has also added cooling equipment as drifting at higher RPM tends to heat up the engine faster.
INTAKE AIR DUCT
Specially hand-built with carbon fibre.
GT WING
The GT wing is attached to the chassis of the car to generate more downforce. FUEL CELL
It is not an ordinary fuel tank. Instead, it is called a fuel cell, placed in the car's boot.
The customised fuel cell has a sponge placed inside to stabilise the fuel during drifting.
TRANSMISSION
HKS Motorsports 6-Speed sequential gearbox with custom ratio. That is, the driver only needs to clutch in on engaging the first gear, afterwhich the gear shift functions like those in arcade games.
HANDBRAKE
The WRC-style handbrake lever is placed between the gear shift and the steering wheel for quick access, similar to those used in world rally cars.
This article was first published in The New Paper on Dec 24, 2008.
