It would be cool if Han pulled up in his VeilSide-kitted Mazda RX-7 and picked you up, just as he did Sean in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006, Universal Pictures). Better yet, imagine experiencing the adrenaline-pumping drag races and sideways action seen throughout the Fast & Furious franchise. Sadly, fantasies usually remain fantasies—or perhaps dreams do come true?
Enter Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, Universal Studios Hollywood’s first high-speed outdoor roller coaster. Opening in summer 2026, the ride aims to recreate the speed, energy, and meticulously choreographed automotive lunacy that has kept the franchise going for 25 years.
Of course, a regular roller coaster painted to resemble a sports car would not cut it. Hollywood Drift uses 360-degree rotating ride vehicles designed to create the sensation of a car drifting as the coaster races along the track. Riders will spin while travelling at speeds of up to 72 mph (116 km/h), which should make even a leisurely corner feel like Han has spotted an empty parking garage.
The coaster stretches across 4,100 feet (1.25 kilometers) of aerial track, equivalent to nearly 12 football fields. Parts of it wind over the theme park, including the multi-level StarWay escalator connecting the Upper and Lower Lots. Try waving at the people below if you can figure out which direction you are facing.
Four cars from the movies inspired the ride vehicles, and Universal did not raid the background-traffic department for them. There is Dominic Toretto’s black 1970 Dodge Charger, the 900-horsepower American muscle car that has spent much of the franchise launching itself into situations no suspension should survive.
Joining Dom’s Charger is the 1997 Mazda RX-7 driven by Han Seoul-oh, complete with 19-inch wheels, racing seats, upgraded suspension, and custom interior details. It may not involve Han personally collecting you, but sitting in an RX-7 while drifting at 72 mph is a respectable consolation prize.
Brian O’Conner gets two cars in the lineup. The first is his blue 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R, featuring the extensive performance and styling modifications that made it one of the franchise’s most recognizable Japanese performance cars. The other is his orange 1994 Toyota Supra, powered in the movie by the legendary 2JZ-GTE twin-turbo inline-six engine. It was the “10-second car” Brian owed Dom, although your trip aboard Hollywood Drift will probably last slightly longer than that.
Each coaster train will comprise all four vehicles, giving guests the chance to step into a car modeled after one driven by Dom, Han, or Brian. No word on how the cars are assigned, so prepare to settle any RX-7-related disputes with your family before reaching the platform.
Even the loading area is getting some automotive drama. The coaster sits on the Upper Lot inside an expansive red-brick, garage-like structure. A large freehand, spray-painted mural by artist Tristan Eaton covers an interior brick wall, depicting the climactic race from the original The Fast and the Furious. The artwork features the Dodge Charger and Toyota Supra flying through the air beside a speeding train, along with a tribute to Dominic Toretto.
Universal has also launched a promotional campaign narrated by Vin Diesel. Quite fittingly, the coaster arrives as the Fast & Furious franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary, with the next movie, Fast Forever, scheduled to hit theaters on March 17, 2028.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift opens at Universal Studios Hollywood in summer 2026. Universal has yet to announce an exact opening date. For those who think cars are a poor fit for a roller coaster since they cannot fly, well, dude, this is Fast & Furious. Cars fly all the time. One even went to space!
Images: Universal Studios Hollywood.
