Powersliding vs Drifting – Sideways, But Not The Same

As petrol heads, we all like to see our cars go a little sideways around a corner. It looks good for the cameras, and it makes us look good as drivers even if Formula 1 drivers will tell you that a clean entry and exit is actually the fastest way to negotiate a corner in most situations.

Perhaps due to the popularity of Initial D, or perhaps the brief fame of the Formula D drift series that came to this region sometime back, the sight of a car turning a corner with its wheels pointed the opposite direction invariably became known as ‘drifting’.

That, as it turns out, is not entirely true. ‘Drifting’ is just one form of the art of going sideways in a car. There is also another form called ‘power-sliding’. The two terms are often used interchangeably in conversation, but they, in fact, represent very different things.

The difference between drifting and power-sliding is whether the car goes sideways before or after the apex.

In drifting, the car enters the corner sideways and exits cleanly, whilst powersliding requires the driver to make a clean entry then slide his/her way out.

The excellent video below shared from the CarThrottle YouTube channel explains the differences between these two modes of oversteering and the driving techniques to induce them demonstrated on a BMW M2.

Of course, the usual word of warning – do not try this on public roads.