Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels while negotiating a turn. A perfect drift is when the car is turning left, wheels are pointed right or vice versa.

Usually, drift cars are light to moderate weight rear-wheel-drive coupes and sedans over a large range of power levels. Engine power does not need to be high, and in fact if a car has too much power, it can be very hard to handle during a drift. Each driver has their own preference, and drift cars can be found with anything from 100 bhp (74 kW) to 1000 bhp (745 kW).

A proper mechanical limited slip differential (LSD) is almost considered essential for drifting.

The clutches on drift cars tend to be very tough ceramic brass button or multiple-plate varieties, for durability.