2025 is the year of Universal Orlando Resort with the opening of Epic Universe, but 2026 will be quite the year for Universal Studios Hollywood as it will see the opening of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, the first roller coaster based on the massive Universal Pictures franchise.
We recently saw what one of the ride vehicles on the coaster will look like, as Universal unveiled a coaster version of Dominic Toretto’s iconic Dodge Charger. However, as an eagle-eyed fan pointed out on social media, that apparently won’t be the only Fast & Furious muscle cars to make an appearance, as the vehicles in the simulation video are also versions of cars driven by your favorite Fast & Furious characters.
OMG….Universal Studios really did it…They’re pairing up the cars like they did in race scenes.Dominic’s Charger and RX7 up front, and Brian’s R34 skyline and MK4 Supra in the backWhat in the actual $&!$ !!! pic.twitter.com/k06Bv9KgquJune 12, 2025
One of the vehicles in the still appears to be misidentified, as it’s not Dom’s RX7 that is seen in the first Fast & Furious film, but actually Han’s RX7 that was featured in his debut appearance in Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. Still, it’s pretty cool that whatever car you end up in, you’ll be riding in something that raced through the streets of a Fast & Furious movie, as you race down the roller coaster track.
It should be said that the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift video is only a simulated look at the ride, and as such, it’s not confirmed that all the ride vehicles will look exactly like they do in the video. The only ride vehicle that has been officially unveiled is the Charger. Still, it’s likely that these vehicles either are or were the plan for the coaster design, and if anything changes, it will likely be replaced by another Fast & Furious car fans know and love.
This is great for a number of reasons. The most in-demand spot on any roller coaster is the front. That’s not likely to change here, both because the front of a coaster is always more fun, and because the front vehicle will be the most famous car in the Fast & Furious franchise. However, there will be other fans who will want to ride in another specific vehicle, like maybe Brian’s Skyline, or who simply want to ride in all the cars throughout multiple rides. It makes each vehicle worth riding, though there will surely still be a much longer line for the front seat.
Hollywood Drift will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor roller coaster. It will be a truly unique experience, using state-of-the-art technology, a creative use of the space at the park, and a franchise that is so tailor-made for a roller coaster, it’s still hard to imagine it’s only just happening now. The ride is expected to open in the late spring or early summer of 2026.
