Baggsy’s Bonkers 2JZ-Powered GR Corolla Is Coming Together – And We Can’t Wait To See It At TRAX

When Steve “Baggsy” Biagioni announced plans to turn a Toyota GR Corolla into a drift car, we knew it wasn’t going to be a simple build. And the latest YouTube update proves exactly that.

Proven Power

With extensive chassis fabrication, a completely redesigned rear end and one of drifting’s most trusted powerplants now confirmed, the project is rapidly evolving into one of the most exciting builds currently underway – and we’re counting down the days until we get to see it in action at TRAX. The headline news is the engine choice. Rather than chasing something exotic, Baggsy has opted for what he knows works: a DY Engines-built Toyota 2JZ. “For me there is only one engine from the very beginning because of the reliability that we have found using this particular engine,” he explains. “That of course is a DY 2JZ.”
It’s hard to argue with the logic. The same specification has already proven itself repeatedly in his GT86. “That engine has been absolutely flawless… all we have literally done is change oil, change the oil filter and put fuel in it.”

Fab Work…

Around that proven package sits an extraordinary amount of custom fabrication. The Radium fuel cell has been relocated into the centre of the chassis for improved weight distribution, requiring a bespoke mounting system and hand-built firewall. Meanwhile, huge sections of the rear floor have been removed to improve airflow and package the cooling system, while the transmission tunnel has been heavily modified to accommodate the Quaife gearbox.

The team’s willingness to attack a brand-new GR Corolla with grinders has become a running joke throughout the build, but every cut has a purpose. Even unexpected supplier delays haven’t slowed progress for long. When a planned steering lock kit became unavailable, the team pivoted to a custom solution involving a BMW E92 steering rack and bespoke components designed from detailed 3D scans of the front end. It’s exactly the kind of problem-solving that defines high-level drift car construction. One of our favourite moments from the latest update is hearing Baggsy’s excitement about the next milestone. “I can’t wait for the next step, which is going to be putting it inside the Corolla… that’s just going to be a magic moment when we see this engine in the Corolla.

The Drift King?

With the engine position mocked up, custom mounts under fabrication and the driving position dialled in, the build is finally beginning to resemble a complete competition machine rather than a collection of ambitious ideas. For us, though, the most exciting part is still to come…
TRAX has always celebrated cutting-edge engineering and sideways action, and Baggsy’s GR Corolla promises to deliver both in abundance. Seeing the purpose-built, 2JZ-powered Corolla drift weapon light up the circuit at TRAX in the Drift Kings competition is going to be one of the standout moments of the show. If the craftsmanship and ingenuity shown in the build videos are anything to go by, this could become one of the defining drift cars of the current era. Roll on the 16th of August for TRAX Silverstone! Get your tickets here.