Modern Formula Drift cars have way more in common with modern stock cars (think NASCAR) than they do with the drift cars of even a few years ago. This means that they are putting out NASCAR-stock-car-like power and so many teams have begun using the incredibly stout four-speed manual transmissions that you’d find in cars on the banks of Daytona or Talladega.
These four-speed manual transmissions are incredibly simple and robust, given their design brief, but how exactly do they work? What makes them able to stand up to 800-plus horsepower for hours on end when, say, a five-speed Subaru WRX transmission struggles to be reliable with around 300 horsepower?
Racing legend Stephan Papadakis pulls one of these four-speeds apart to show us what it is in their design that makes them so damned strong and easy to service. It’s a quick video, but it’s a fascinating window into one of the less-known or publicized aspects of race car design.