Han’s Legendary Tokyo Drift RX-7 Is Up For Sale – But All Is Not What It Seems

Back in the mid-2000s, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift had a huge impact, sending Hollywood into a drifting frenzy. However ridiculous the movie may have been at times, it made just about everyone (ourselves included) dream of moving to Japan to slide around on the streets of Tokyo.

Anyone who watched the movie will undoubtedly remember Han’s legendary Veilside-kitted Mazda RX-7 FD, which has resurfaced after years of being hidden away. It’s set to be sold at auction in the UK this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

You can probably tell just by the “Goodwood” part that this isn’t going to be cheap! Interestingly, it’s being sold by the same auction house that sold Brian O’Connor’s R34 GT-R for a whopping $1.4 million (including fees) back in May 2023. This, (in comparison), is expected to be somewhat of a “bargain”.

The ridiculously wide orange FD was undoubtedly among the most talked-about vehicles from the movie. While some of them had somewhat questionable styling, Han’s Veilside-kitted RX-7 stood out as one of the more unique and tastefully modified ones alongside the 350Z and Evo.

In Tokyo Drift alone, 249 cars were destroyed in the action scenes, leaving very few survivors. This is one of just two remaining “Han’s RX-7s” that remain from the filming, and undoubtedly the cleanest.

Given that this particular car wasn’t used for the drifting sequences (boo!), it explains why it’s in such good shape. And, as you probably guessed, it’s expected to sell for more than most people’s houses.

Interested? You Might Want To Search Your Bucket Seats For Loose Change

Bonhams estimates this RX-7 will fetch between £250,000-£350,000 ($338,700-$474,000) when it goes under the hammer at Goodwood this weekend.

While the price tag might seem bonkers for a 90s JDM car, let’s not forget that the movie, and this hero car especially, had such a significant impact on the drifting world (and automotive scene in general). It could be worth crazy money to a couple of lucky bidders, and it may never pop up for auction again.

If you’re like us (we only found some old Dorito crumbs in the seats) and can only dream of getting behind the wheel, we’ve got you covered! You can slide the Veilside-kitted Han’s edition RX-7 in the free, Drifted-exclusive Drift Hunters MAX game!

Unfortunately, There’s Not Eleventy Million Horsepower Under The Hood

What made Han’s RX-7 so instantly recognizable was the bonkers Veilside Fortune body kit that many watching the movie had never seen before, combined with pearlescent orange paintwork with contrasting gloss black accents.

The unique widebody kit adds over 200mm (nearly 8 inches) to the stock Mazda RX-7 FD’s width. Filling out the huge fenders are wideboi Andrew Premier Series Racing Evolution 5 19-inch blingy deep-dish wheels measuring a whopping 12 inches wide at the rear, wrapped in chunky 315/25/R19 Pirelli P Zero rubber.

Alongside the aggressive looks, you’d expect the crazy power that helped it get sideways, right?

Well, as we mentioned, there’s a surprise…

Under the hood lies the same 1.3-liter 13B-REW twin-rotor turbocharged rotary engine it left the factory with, barely modified from its stock form.

The good news is you get peace of mind from the fact that it was rebuilt by legendary JDM tuning house RE-Amemiya before export from Japan. 

It’s running close to stock tune, currently pushing out around 280bhp, but in a car this light (estimated at around 1,050 kg), it’ll be more than enough to put a grin on your face. (If you dare to drive it properly for the money!)

However, the description states “… as it has been stood for some time a new owner may wish to undertake some servicing before the car is driven in anger.” So, consider holding off on the skids until then.

You might be thinking, “but it has a nitrous oxide (NOS) bottle” (of course). However, much like many of the “mods” you see on these movie cars, it’s just there for show.

Another nice reminder of its legacy is that you can still find various ‘#71 HANS’ labels on the passenger door, engine bay, and scuttle panel. They’re certainly expensive labels!

The interior screams early 2000s tuner culture with Veilside racing bucket seats with composite shells to match the bodykit, and an Alpine custom screen molded into the dash (complete with twin amplifiers) along with multiple speakers and a sub in the trunk.

Back then, this setup was absolutely cutting-edge – how times have changed!

It’s Destined To Be A Garage Queen, Not A Drift Car

Since arriving in the UK in 2008, the RX-7 has lived a cushty life. The owners (New Era Imports – the only UK owner) have kept the FD carefully stored and only driven it in dry conditions (on very rare occasions). Before leaving Japan, it got a comprehensive overhaul including new clutch, brakes, coilovers, and a Blitz Nur-Spec exhaust.

The odometer currently shows around 66,785 miles (107,480 km) from new, with only around 5,000 miles of those added since the above upgrades. It’s road legal with valid tax and MOT, so it’s ready to start tearing up the UK roads if you dare (once you’ve got it serviced, of course!)

The description states that this was “Spared the abuse often dished out to high-profile movie cars”, instead used as the pretty car used for the close-ups, and “Preserved in generally excellent condition”. At the same time, its siblings were getting thrashed and destroyed in the drifting scenes. 

Even beyond its F&F rarity, this stunning example is likely to be one of the cleanest Veilside RX-7s in existence today. Keep your eyes peeled on the auction results to see how much the lucky buyer has to fork out. Whatever the amount, it’ll likely be a good investment for the future.