The Toyota Chaser has quickly become the most desirable drift car to have ever existed. Both the X90 and perhaps more specifically the X100 have become extremely popular among the drifting community. And it is clear to see why. There is nothing comparable to the Toyota Chaser, the looks and long wheelbase is like nothing else. Match that with a RWD layout, 5-speed manual, and the powerful 1JZ-GTE engine, and you’ve got yourself the recipe for success.

What Exactly is the Toyota Chaser?

The first-generation Toyota Chaser was first launched in 1977 and was considered a mid-level luxury 4-door sedan. In terms of luxury, it was on par with the Toyota Crown, but utilized smaller displacement engines (usually 2.0L) which made the Chaser cheaper to own in terms of tax liability. Still, somehow, Toyota managed to make the Chaser sportier as most cars were fitted with double wishbone suspension and coil springs.

With the fourth generation (X80) Toyota decided to try to reach further into the sports sedan market. This generation, and all the generations to come (X90 & X100), came available with the amazing turbocharged 1JZ engine, producing 280hp. These cars that came with the 1JZ engine were also known as the JZX80, JZX90, and JZX100, based on the generation of the vehicle. This new engine sparked new life into the Chaser, and it was clear that this was not only a luxury sedan no longer.

Is a Toyota Chaser a Good Drift Car?

There are many factors considered when deciding on whether a car is a great drift car or not. It is not enough to have a powerful rear-wheel-drive car, it needs to be balanced, have an LSD, have the right gear ratios, and be reliable enough to handle a beating. Luckily for the Toyota Chaser, most of these requirements are already covered in stock form. In fact, even in stock form the Toyota Chaser X90 and X100 are great drift cars. And with some minor aftermarket modifications can become extremely good drift cars.

If you are serious about drifting your Toyota Chaser then there are some things you’d want to have fitted to your car.

First things first, ensure that your car has a manual transmission and an LSD. This will make it so that you’ll have no problem throwing your car sideways. In order to have more control, and make smoother transitions you’d want to upgrade to some aftermarket coil overs. Believe it or not, besides having an LSD, upgrading the suspension makes for a surprising improvement.

Lastly, getting a cheap tune could very easily add another 100hp without you having to upgrade any mechanicals, this’ll make the drifting easier as at any point a clutch kick would be enough to

If you want to go even further, installing a larger turbocharger, intercooler, brakes, and an angle kit would be the next step.

How Did the Toyota Chaser Become a Drift Car?

The people at Toyota might not have known it, but unbeknownst to them, they were creating one of the best drift cars in the world. People were drifting Nissan Silvias, Toyota Supra’s, Mazda Miatas, who would even think of drifting large 4-door sedan when you already had some of the best drift cars at your disposal?

Well, if there is somebody who will come up and try crazy things it would be the Japanese. And I mean, looking back, drifting a slightly oversized sedan is not that big of all deal considering the Japanese is nowadays drifting anything that moves, from FWD Kei cars to Dodge Vans.

So really, one could say it was just about time someone tried drifting the Toyota Chaser, and subsequently found out that it indeed was quite a good drift car.

And to be honest, if you overlook the Chaser being a large 4-door sedan, on paper it does actually seem to be a great drift car – and it is.

Are There Many Aftermarket Parts for the Toyota Chaser?

When choosing a drift car, it is often good to first check if its easy to find aftermarket parts. Since drifting will often result in something breaking at some point, and the last thing you’d want is to have to wait months until your part arrives.

The good news is that there is an abundance of aftermarket parts for the Toyota Chaser. Everything from wide-body kits and interior upgrades to exhaust, engine, and transmission upgrades.

It is safe to say, that whatever style you’re into, whether it be a VIP style exterior, or a clean modest look – you’ll find what you’re looking for.

If you are interested in some great aftermarket brands for your JDM car, then you can find some of the best right here!

How Expensive is the Toyota Chaser?

The price of the Toyota Chaser varies quite widely depending on a few different factors. The main being the engine:

• Engine Choice
• Transmission (Manuals are more expensive)
• Condition (Mileage, Chassis, Rust, etc…)
• Generation (JZX80, JZX90, JZX100)

As we’d assume everyone reading this would likely be most interested in the turbocharged 1JZ we’ll base the prices up on this engine, as the same engine was available in all of the three latest generation Chaser.

A high mileage, automatic 1JZ Chaser in bad condition could be found for as low as $5,000-$10,000.

An average mileage, manual 1JZ Chaser in OK condition can be found anywhere between $20,000 to $30,000.

A low mileage, manual 1JZ Chaser in good condition can be found for anywhere between $30,000 to $100,000.

How To Buy a Toyota Chaser?

Unless you can’t find one at your local dealership, which to be fair, you likely won’t – then the next best thing would be to import.

Importing might seem like large hassle, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many companies with decades of experience which make importing a car from Japan a breeze.

There are many advantages to importing a car as well, such as:

• A large supply of cars (you can really find what you’re looking for)
• Competitive prices
• Able to get untouched (stock) cars
• The best import companies provide insurance and quality guarantees

If you are looking to import a Toyota Chaser, import it by using some of the best importing businesses in the world, read more about them here.