Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Is Perhaps The Most Elegant Drift Car On The Planet

Building a drift car requires a lot of money, time and patience and, most importantly, a proper rear-wheel drive machine to start with. But what would you say to a Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG heavily converted for drifting?

We kid you not, an Oakland resident did just that. As you can imagine, his ride hides a lot of modifications beneath the body panels.

Since there’s not exactly a market for E-Class drift cars, its owner had to fabricate and improvise a lot, and was helped by his buddy, who happens to be the CEO of a company specialized in selling car parts for European models.

Equipped with a hydraulic handbrake, gearshift buttons mounted on the Momo steering wheel, KW suspension, larger limited-slip differential and a lot of other improvised, adapted or hand-built parts, this E55 AMG is one serious machine.

Also Watch: Here’s What To Look For When Buying A W211 Mercedes E55 AMG

Its owner went as far as keeping the original safety systems, but messing around with the electronics to be able to override them at will. Thus, the car is ready to powerslide at will, and on the way home, the driver can simply flip a switch and turn on the traction control and ABS.

Yes, you read that right, on the way home, because the E55 is still street legal, despite being a drift car. It also retains the air conditioning, heated seats, electric curtains and other amenities worthy of an executive car, which is said to have been fitted with every optional extra available when it was made in 2003.

The 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine is still found under the hood, married to a five-speed automatic transmission.

This is a finished project, so naturally, the owner is looking for a new build. He has yet to decide what car to buy and transform into an even more potent drifter. As for the E55 AMG, it will be displayed at his buddy’s company located on the East Coast.