Formula Drift licensed driver, James Robinson, is the man behind the wheel of the machine, as well as, the Senior Drivability Engineer of the Engine Research Division of Honda Research Americas Inc. We had the privilege to sit down with him at the KDW Challenge and speak to him about the Element.

1. What events has the car been entered in and has it placed in any major events?

The Element had its initial public debut at the 2006 SEMA event where it received some significant attention from the media (with very polarizing results!). From there, we showcased the vehicle at the 2007/2008 St.Petersburg drift exhibition (which is the same weekend as the IRL / ALMS race) as well as competing in the majority of 2008 NOPI pro-drift season. After the cancellation of the remainder of the NOPI drift series, we competed at the 2008 GTLive drift / time attack event where we were blessed to be awarded a Formula-D license.

2. Honda has a fairly broad range of vehicles, why was the Element chosen for modification?

Our rationale for choosing the Element over other Honda vehicles was based directly on trying to reach out to Generation-Y with a vehicle which resonates with that demographic... The Element. Also, the Element is one of the most versatile vehicles in our lineup and we thought that it would be an excellent way to showcase not only the vehicles' innate versatility, but also Honda's ability to think outside the box.

3. When building the Element, what was the most difficult modification or aspect of the build?

Probably the most difficult aspect of the build wasn't the actual development of the car, but was changing the minds of our competitors. Fundamentally, the Element is a very unique drift vehicle and we were not well received in the beginning because most people thought we were not serious about competition. Fortunately, we were given a chance to work / compete with many other drift teams and they have all become very strong supporters of the Element.

4. Any particular reason(s) for the color scheme of the car?

Currently, the car is in a color scheme transition - We've always maintained the Element in its typical orange/black paint scheme, but recently we've begun testing the waters with the darker factory blue paint scheme... What do you think of it?

5. Is the car still set to enter Formula Drift next season?

We are working out the logistics for next year, but so far we are set to contest the full 2010 season of Formula-D.

6. How does driving this car differ from other drift cars you've driven?

The Element is quite different from other drift cars as it is relatively top heavy. This forced us to set it up very stiffly to minimize body roll and that in turn has made it a little less forgiving that a typical drift car. Also, its wheelbase is actually quite short in comparison to most of the typical drift cars so it demands a bit more attention in corner transitions. One distinct benefit of the Element is the aerodynamics.... essentially the large flat rear end of the car develops a large low pressure zone behind the car and that draws the tire smoke up quite effectively! It's definitely a difficult vehicle to tandem behind.

7. Who inspired you to become a professional driver?

Actually, my grandfather and father both raced vintage cars when I was very young and I developed a strong interest in motorsports from that. While in college, my older brother began competing in SCCA Pro-Rally and I was hooked! In 2001, I began competition in SCCA Pro-Rally in the Group 2 / Production class with the THR (Team Honda Research) rally team and moved to drifting in the fall of 2007 with the Element-D. 2008 was my first year in drifting the Element-D and I had to learn quite a bit!!

8. How long did it take to complete the initial build?

The Element took roughly 500 hours to complete the initial build. At the time, we were investigating different intercooling designs (the first two being air/water) but finally settled on the current air/air setup. The Element has been exceptionally durable, as we've had no major failures in 2 years of hard usage!

9. How much horsepower and torque is the car currently producing?

Currently, the Element is making 510HP/480ft*lbs at the rear wheels

10. What's your favorite thing about the Element?

Probably my favorite aspect of the Element is that it is so unique. We've always had very good success in resonating with the crowds at any event we attend, and it has brought us a great deal of joy in seeing it go from an idea on paper to an actual competition vehicle. I definitely couldn't have done it without the help my fellow co-workers at Honda (most notably Andrew Jessup / Jared Vanderhoof / Justin Chiodo / Aaron Haliena / Marc Dinopolous / John Dirrig) and my very supportive wife, Shana!

Engine/Drivetrain Info:

• J32A3 Honda V-6 (60deg) 3.2L
• 8.0:1 CR CP forged pistons
• Forged Crower rods
• ARP 220ksi head studs
• (2) Garrett GT2860RS turbos
• Spearco air/air intercooler
• Mishimoto aluminum radiator
• T-56 6-speed gearbox
• Driveshaft Shop 1-piece aluminum propshaft
• Driveshaft Shop Stage-5 halfshafts
• Driveshaft Shop Billet hubs
• BFGoodrich KDW2 245/45/18 tires

Official History of Appearance:

• 2006 SEMA (static display)
• 2007 St. Petersburgh IRL/ALMS WDC drift exhibition
• 2007 Mid-Ohio IRL/ALMS (static display)
• 2007 NOPI (Pittsburgh) 1st official competition
• 2007 NOPI (Atlanta) Nationals
• 2008 St. Petersburgh IRL/ALMS WDC drift exhibition
• 2008 NOPI (St.Louis)
• 2008 NOPI (Englishtown)
• 2008 NOPI (Erie)
• 2008 NOPI (Columbus)
• 2008 USDrift (Summit Point)
• 2008 GTLive (2008) Received Formula-D License
• 2009 BFGoodrich KDW challenge