The film features a new cast of characters and a different setting (Tokyo, Japan) from the other two films. It is the third installment in The Fast and the Furious films and stars Lucas Black, Bow Wow and Nathalie Kelly.The film was shot mainly on location in Tokyo, as well as in Los Angeles.

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Vin Diesel in a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner

This film does not retain any members from the original cast in leading roles although Vin Diesel does appear in the ending scene.

Overview

The film follows car enthusiast Sean Boswell, who is sent to live in Tokyo with his father, before finding solace viewing and competing in the drifting community within the city. The film was shot mainly on location in Tokyo, as well as in Los Angeles.

While in Tokyo, Sean befriends Twinkie, a military brat who introduces him to the world of drift racing in Japan.

To repay his debt for the car he destroyed, Sean agrees to work for Han. This leads to the duo becoming friends, with Han agreeing to teach Sean how to drift. Han also loans him a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for future races.

New in 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

Han (in his Mazda RX-7), Sean, and Neela (both in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution) who are pursued by Takashi and Morimoto (driving their Nissan 350Zs). 

With all of Han's cars impounded, Sean and Han's friends then rebuild a 1967 Ford Mustang that Sean's father was working on, with a Nissan Skyline engine salvaged from Han's Silvia that was totaled by Sean in his first drift race.

The Nissan Silvia which Sean trashes in his first race in Japan is depicted as having an RB26DETT engine swap which itself is donated to the Ford Mustang. However, the car in the movie was actually powered by the Silvia's original engine. 

The Veilside body-kitted Mazda RX-7 driven by Han was originally built by Veilside for the 2005 Tokyo Auto Salon, but was later bought by Universal and repainted from dark red, to orange and black, for use in the movie.

The car in which Dominic appears in at the end of the film is a highly customized 1970 Plymouth Satellite, which was built for the SEMA Show.

SCC tested the cars of the film, and noted that the cars in Tokyo Drift were slightly faster in an acceleration match up with the cars from 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Notable drifting personalities Keiichi Tsuchiya, Rhys Millen and Samuel Hubinette were consulted and employed by the movie to provide and execute the drifting and driving stunts in the film.

Some racing events were filmed within the Hawthorne Mall parking lot in Los Angeles, as filming in Tokyo required permits the studio was unable to obtain.

2003 Dodge Viper SRT

Did you notice?

1. Shortly after Twinkie's Volkswagen Touran "Hulkmobile" minivan is introduced, Shawn and Twinkie drive off. In the next scene, when the Touran enters the car park, a set of tires appear on its roof. In a deleted scene, Reiko and Earl steal tires from a gas station.
2. When Han teaches Sean to drive his Evo on the pier, the camera zooms in on the right left tire. Sparks appear on the right of the screen, from the camera boom hitting the pavement.
3. In the reverse shot of the Viper crashing into the sewer pipe, an obvious dummy is sitting in the driver's seat.
4. Before Sean and Morimoto race, Han makes a bet with DK, putting up his 72 Skyline for the chance to receive DK's 86 Corolla. In the 1980s, the Corolla was called the Sprinter in Japan, and the 86 Corolla they talked about is a Sprinter Trueno. Only America and other export countries had Corollas
5. When the Viper hits the concrete pipe, the interior shot of the airbags deploying shows the passenger seat empty, and the film is flipped so it looks like a right-hand drive.
6. When Sean first drives with Han to get money from the "Paw" to collect money, the RX7 they drive in is a "left hand drive" car. When he is thrown out of the building and they decide to drive, the car becomes "right hand drive", and stays that way throughout the rest of the movie.
7. In the final moments of the last race between D.K. and Sean, the Fairlady Z sideswipes the Mustang and loses its passenger side light. D.K. drives up the side of the hill, where small trees and shrubs knock out the driver's headlight. In later scenes, the driver's headlight is attached and working.#
8. In the beginning, a baseball is thrown through the back window of Sean's car. In the next shot, from a higher viewpoint, the car stops, and the window is intact. In the next shot, it is broken again.
9. When Clay, driving the Viper in the opening race, swerves to ram Shaun's car, his car is slightly in front of Shaun's. In the next shot, from what would be Shaun's perspective, the Viper is clearly behind the other car.
10. When Sean leaves Han's shop, the half-closed garage door hits Sean's car just above the windshield, and scrapes along the roof of the car. In the next shot, the car is not damaged.
11. When Sean is first given the red Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, his numerous collisions while practicing around the harbor tear off the rear spoiler. When he starts practicing on the hills, the EVO has no spoiler. When he first drives uphill, the spoiler is on the trunk. Subsequent shots show the EVO without the spoiler.
12. In the final race with D.K., the spoiler on his car falls off. It reappears in the next shot.
13. When Sean is putting the turbo in the Mustang, the engine is mounted sideways. A few moments later it has turned 90 degrees.

Nissan Fairlady Z

Featured Cars

• Main cars

2002 Nissan Fairlady Z
2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
1967 Ford Mustang
1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10
Mazda RX-7
Nissan Silvia
2005 Volkswagen Touran I [Typ 1T]
2004 Mazda RX-8

• Other Cars

2005 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6
2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10
2000 Honda S2000
1998 Lexus GS 400
2001 Lotus Elise [Type M117]
1996 Mazda 626
2000 Mazda RX-7
Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse [W140]
Nissan 180SX
Nissan Silvia
Nissan Skyline GT-R
1970 Plymouth Road Runner
1996 Toyota Chaser
Toyota Crown