Drifting is woven through Need for Speed Unbound - it is both a faster way to take corners in races and the heart of the takeover-style events that reward style over lap time. The game's signature visual effects make a good drift look spectacular, but scoring well and drifting competitively takes real technique and the right car setup. This guide covers how to initiate and hold a drift, how to build a car for it, and how to rack up big scores in Lakeshore's drift and takeover events.
How drifting works
Drifting in Unbound is about breaking the rear end loose and holding a controlled slide through a corner rather than gripping around it. You initiate a drift by unsettling the car - lifting off or braking into the corner, or using the handbrake - then steer into the slide and manage the throttle to hold the angle without spinning or straightening up. The longer and more controlled the slide, the better, especially in scored events where a continuous drift builds a multiplier. It takes practice to feel the balance between too little throttle, which lets the car straighten, and too much, which spins it. Once it clicks, drifting becomes one of the most satisfying and useful skills in the game.
Initiating and holding a slide
The two halves of drifting are initiation and control. To initiate, you upset the car's balance entering the corner - a brake-to-drift, a lift, or a handbrake tug depending on the corner and car - which breaks rear traction. Then comes the harder part: holding the slide by countersteering and feathering the throttle to maintain angle through the corner. The goal is a smooth, continuous slide rather than a series of jerky corrections. Linking drifts through connected corners without straightening up is where the big scores and the real skill lie. Practising on a quiet stretch of road, getting a feel for how your car initiates and holds, pays off far more than throwing yourself straight into scored events before the technique is comfortable.
Building a drift car
A good drift car is set up differently from a grip racer. Where a race build maximises traction, a drift build loosens the rear so the car slides easily and predictably - tuning toward a looser setup, with handling tuned to rotate rather than grip. Rear-wheel-drive cars are the natural choice because they break loose controllably. The same car you race may not drift well in its grip setup, which is why many players keep a dedicated drift build separate from their race cars. Our customization guide covers the tuning side; the key is to build the car for sliding rather than gripping, and to pick a car whose balance suits holding long drifts.
| Element | Key point |
|---|---|
| Initiation | Brake, lift or handbrake to break rear traction |
| Control | Countersteer and feather throttle to hold angle |
| Scoring | Long, linked slides build the multiplier |
| Car build | RWD, loosened rear, tuned to rotate |
Scoring in takeover events
Takeover-style events score you on style - drifts, near misses, jumps and the multiplier you build by chaining them without crashing or stopping. The strategy is to keep the car sliding and the chain alive, linking one drift into the next and stacking style moves to build a big multiplier before banking the score. A single long, linked run scores far more than many short ones, so the skill is sustaining the flow through a whole section. Lakeshore's streets, with their connected corners, give plenty of scope for long chains. These events reward the drift technique directly, which is why learning to drift opens up a whole scoring discipline as well as making you faster in races.
Building a drift garage without the grind
Building and tuning a dedicated drift car on top of your racers costs cash. If you want drift-ready cars without the grind, the NFS Unbound Modded Starter Save delivers a modded starter save loaded with money and progression, so you can buy and build any drift car you like. It is on the Need for Speed Unbound services hub, and pairs with the NFS Unbound Platinum Trophy service for completion.
Common drifting mistakes
Most drifting struggles come down to a handful of fixable mistakes. The biggest is throttle control - stabbing the accelerator spins the car, while lifting off entirely lets it straighten; the answer is smooth, feathered throttle to hold the angle. The second is trying to drift a grip-tuned race car, which resists sliding; a dedicated drift build with a loosened rear slides far more willingly. The third is over-correcting the countersteer, which causes the car to snap the other way, so inputs should be measured rather than frantic. The fourth is attempting big angle before you can hold a basic slide; start small and build up. And the fifth is chasing scored events before the technique is comfortable, when practising on a quiet road first would build the feel much faster. Fixing these - smooth throttle, the right car, measured steering, and patient practice - transforms drifting from a frustrating spin-fest into the smooth, controlled, spectacular slides the game is built around, and the improvement usually comes quickly once you know what to correct.
Drifting in races, not just takeovers
Drifting is not only for dedicated takeover events - used well, it is a faster way through certain corners in races too. A clean drift can carry more speed through a tight bend than braking and gripping around it, and it keeps your momentum up for the exit. The catch is that a full grip race car does not drift as readily as a dedicated drift build, so in races you are using lighter, more controlled slides rather than big angle, scrubbing just enough speed to make the corner while staying fast. Learning when to drift a corner and when to grip it is an advanced racing skill that comes with practice. It also feeds the game's style systems and looks spectacular thanks to the driving effects. The broader point is that the car control you build learning to drift - throttle control, weight transfer, catching slides - makes you a better driver everywhere, so time spent practising drifting improves your racing as well as opening up the takeover events it is most associated with.
The bottom line on drifting
Drifting in Unbound is both a scoring discipline in takeover events and a skill that makes you faster in races. Learn to initiate a slide by breaking rear traction and hold it with countersteer and throttle control, build a dedicated rear-drive drift car tuned to rotate, and chain long linked slides to rack up big takeover scores. The car control you develop - throttle, weight transfer, catching slides - carries over into better racing everywhere, and the game's signature effects make every drift look spectacular. Practise it early on a quiet road, and you open up a whole event type while becoming a more complete driver.
Related Need for Speed Unbound guides
- NFS Unbound Modded Starter Save
- NFS Unbound customization guide
- NFS Unbound best cars
- NFS Unbound beginner tips
- NFS Unbound fastest cars
- NFS Unbound how to make money fast
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you drift in Need for Speed Unbound?
Break the rear end loose entering a corner - by braking, lifting off or using the handbrake - then countersteer and feather the throttle to hold a controlled slide without spinning or straightening. Long, smooth, continuous slides are the goal.
How do you build a drift car in NFS Unbound?
Set it up to slide rather than grip - a rear-wheel-drive car tuned with a looser rear so it rotates easily and predictably. It differs from a race build that maximises traction, so many players keep a dedicated drift car separate from their racers.
How do you score big in takeover events?
Keep the car sliding and the style chain alive, linking one drift into the next and stacking near misses and jumps to build a big multiplier before banking. A single long, linked run scores far more than many short ones, so sustain the flow.
What car is best for drifting in NFS Unbound?
A rear-wheel-drive car with a drift setup - a loosened rear tuned to rotate - whose balance suits holding long slides. The specific car matters less than building it for sliding rather than gripping and picking one you can control.
Can I get drift cars without grinding?
A modded starter save delivers money and progression so you can buy and build any drift car you like, if you would rather not grind the cash to assemble and tune a dedicated drift garage yourself.