Most of the big OE automakers have some kind of ‘factory performance’ division that is responsible for motorsport activities, pumped-up production cars, or tuning and upgrades for new and late model vehicles. Some are just getting into it while others have been around for decades. Here’s a complete rundown on who’s who in the factory performance world, and a brief look at what they do.
Michigan, USA
FORD PERFORMANCE (FORD)
LOCATION: Dearborn, Michigan, USA
FOUNDED: December 2014
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; performance parts; motorsports
FORMERLY: SVT (North America) founded in 1991; Team RS (Europe) founded in 1963, and Ford Racing
FLAGSHIP: Ford GT
CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE (CHEVROLET)
LOCATION: Detroit, Michigan, USA
FOUNDED: 1967
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; high-performance engines; automobile parts and accessories; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2015 COPO Camaro
SRT (FCA US LLC)
LOCATION: Detroit, Michigan, USA
FOUNDED: 1991 (Team Viper)
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; high-performance engines; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
V-SERIES (CADILLAC)
LOCATION: Warren, Michigan, USA
FOUNDED: 2004MY (CTS-V)
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Cadillac CTS-V
California, USA
HONDA PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT / HPD (HONDA)
LOCATION: Santa Clarita, California, USA
FOUNDED: 1993
ACTIVITIES: Automobile parts and accessories; race engines; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2015 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid
MAZDASPEED (MAZDA)
LOCATION: Irvine, California, USA
FOUNDED: 1967 (Tokyo)
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2013 Mazdaspeed3
England
SPECIAL VEHICLE OPERATIONS / SVO (JAGUAR LAND ROVER)
LOCATION: Ryton near Coventry, England
FOUNDED: 2014
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles
FLAGSHIP: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
JOHN COOPER WORKS / JCW (MINI)
LOCATION: Oxford, England
FOUNDED: 2000
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts and accessories
FLAGSHIP: 2013 Mini JCW GP (2,000 units)
Germany
QUATTRO GMBH (AUDI)
LOCATION: Neckarsulm, Germany
FOUNDED: 1983
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles (RS and R8); automobile parts; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Audi RS 7 Sportback
AMG (MERCEDES-BENZ)
LOCATION: Affalterbach, Germany
FOUNDED: 1967
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; high-performance engines; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S
M (BMW)
LOCATION: Munich, Germany
FOUNDED: 1972
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts and accessories; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 BMW M2
VW R GMBH (VOLKSWAGEN)
LOCATION: Warmenau near Wolfsburg, Germany
FOUNDED: 2002
ACTIVITES: Automobiles; automobile parts and accessories (R-Line)
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Volkswagen Golf R
South Korea
N (HYUNDAI)
LOCATION: Namyang, South Korea
FOUNDED: 2015
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; motorsports (WRC)
FLAGSHIP: RM15 (Racing Midship 2015) Concept
Japan
F (LEXUS)
LOCATION: Nagoya, Japan
FOUNDED: 2007
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts and accessories (F-Sport); high-performance engines; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2015 Lexus RC F
NISMO (NISSAN MOTOR CO. LTD.)
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
FOUNDED: 1984
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Nissan GT-R NISMO
SUBARU TECHNICA INTERNATIONAL / STI (SUBARU)
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
FOUNDED: 1988
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; automobile parts and accessories; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2015 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
TOYOTA RACING DEVELOPMENT / TRD (TOYOTA)
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan (TRD Japan) / Torrance, California (TRD USA)
FOUNDED: 1954 (Japan, Toyopet Maintenance Co. Ltd.) / 1979 (USA, TRD)
ACTIVITIES: Motorsports; automobile parts and accessories
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Toyota TRD PRO Series
URL: TRDUSA.com
Italy
ABARTH (FCA ITALY S.P.A.)
LOCATION: Turin, Italy
FOUNDED: 1949
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Fiat 500 Abarth
Sweden
POLESTAR (VOLVO)
LOCATION: Gothenburg, Sweden
FOUNDED: 1996 (Flash Engineering)
ACTIVITIES: Automobiles; high-performance engines; motorsports
FLAGSHIP: 2016 Volvo S60/V60 Polestar
