Performance Divisions of Famous Brands | SRT, Nismo And More…

June 23, 2021

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These Divisions Make Some Phenomenal Beasts !!

There are many companies that make Commercial/Passenger Vehicles. But producing high-performance vehicles is a whole different thing. Sometimes due to customer demand or racing needs, companies produce sporty variants of existing models. Their sales figures are also very good.

Company	Performance Division	Year Of Establishment
Audi	Audi Sport GmbH	1983
BMW	BMW M GmbH	1972
Chevrolet	Chevrolet Performance	1967
Dodge	Street & Racing Technology (SRT)	1989
Fiat	Abarth & C. S.p.A	1949
Ford	Ford Performance	1901
Hyundai	Hyundai N	2016
Lexus	Lexus F	2006
Mazda	Mazdaspeed	1967
Mercedes Benz	Mercedes-AMG GmbH	1967
Nissan	Nismo	1984
Renault	Renault Sport (RS)	1976
Subaru	Subaru Tecnica International	1988
Toyota	Toyota Gazoo Racing	2007
Volkswagen	Volkswagen R	2002

But When it comes to raw performance, only tuning the engine doesn’t make much difference. It takes a whole lot more than that. However, a company can’t stop ongoing production for a better model. Thus, these divisions assist while designing the vehicle and also work on a speedy model of the same. Let’s take a look at the performance divisions behind some phenomenal cars:-

Performance Divisions of Famous Brands

These Divisions Make Some Phenomenal Beasts !!

1. Audi : Audi Sport GmbH

You must’ve seen the Quattro Moniker on various Audi models. That is the former name of Audi’s performance division, currently known as ‘Audi Sport’. Its former name is a homage to Audi’s original four-wheel-drive rally-inspired road car, the Audi Quattro. The core products of this division are Audi RS4, RS6 and R8.

2. BMW : BMW M GmbH

Normal BMW passenger cars are already awesome, but the tricolour M badge takes things on another level. Formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH, BMW M is a subsidiary of BMW AG that manufactures high-performance cars. The M-badged cars include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics and exterior modifications. Aside from cars, BMW M also provides M packages for the BMW S1000RR motorcycle.

3. Chevrolet : Chevrolet Performance

Chevrolet Performance is the brand that helps develop Chevrolet’s high performance vehicles. It also supports teams in nearly every form of automotive racing. It has aided in development of Chevrolet Camaro’s ZR1, ZL1, 1LE, SS and COPO Camaro variants. Other than this, the company also sells everything from camshafts and cylinder heads to crate engines and upgrades for late-model vehicles.

Also Read: The Quickest 0-60mph On-road Cars From 1971 To 2020

4. Dodge : Street & Racing Technology (SRT)

Nowadays, it is nearly impossible to imagine Performance Dodge models that don’t wear an SRT badge. It was formerly known as Performance Vehicle Operations which used the SRT brand, thus getting renamed the same. It was consolidated under the Dodge brand in 2014. Before that, it used to tune and produce vehicles for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands.

5. Fiat : Abarth & C. S.p.A

Renowned for the performance variant of the popular Fiat 500, Abarth C. S.p.A is an Italian racing and road car making division of Fiat. Its founder Carlo Abarth sold the company to Fiat on 31st July 1971. Alongside cars, Abarth collaborated with Yamaha to produce a limited-edition motorcycle in 2017. It is the Yamaha XSR900 Abarth.

6. Ford : Ford Performance

Formerly known as Ford Racing, Ford Performance is the high-performance division of Ford Motor Company. It is the multinational name used for its Motorsport and racing activity. The Ford Team RS and Special Vehicle Team merged into a global entity, thus forming the division. After this, the newly-formed division has produced iconic vehicles such as Ford GT, Focus RS and F-150 Raptor.

7. Hyundai : Hyundai N

Hyundai’s N marque is the high-performance division of cars produced by Hyundai. The first N-branded vehicle was 2017’s i30 N. The famous models are i30 N (2020), Kona N, Veloster N and i30 Fastback N.

8. Lexus : Lexus F

The Lexus F marque produces high-performance cars for Lexus. The F is short for Flagship and Fuji Speedway. It has also been associated with the brand’s racing activities. The IS-F sedan was the debut vehicle for the F marque. It is founded in 2006.

9. Mazda : Mazdaspeed

Mazdaspeed, often stylized as ‘MAZDASPEED’ is Mazda’s in-house performance division. The company builds production model vehicles and offers high-speed parts and accessories. Since its inception, it is also involved in motorsports. Its most-known consumer model is MazdaSpeed3, which was introduced in 2007.

Also Read: Top-selling sedans in the US in 2021

10. Mercedes-Benz : Mercedes-AMG GmbH

One of the most popular performance brand is the AMG. The high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG is Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG. The AMG models have aggressive looks, better handling, stability and extensive Carbon-fibre use than the regular Mercedes models. It also provides engines for Pagani’s Zonda and Huayra cars. AMG is also in a technical partnership with Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. from 25 July 2013.

11. Nissan : Nismo

Nissan Motorsports International Co. Ltd.; abbreviated as Nismo is the performance subsidiary of Nissan Motor Company. It was formed in 1984 as a result of the merger of two motorsport departments. The notable products of Nismo include the GT-R, 370Z, Juke Nismo and Sentra.

12. Renault – Renault Sport (RS)

Renault also has a performance and Special Vehicles division called Renault Sport. It was established as a merger between Alpine and Gordini competition departments. In January 2021, it was announced that all the Renault Sport racing operations would be merged into an Alpine-led business unit. Notable models of RS are the Renault GT/RS line, Twingo GT, Captur RS and others.

13. Subaru – Subaru Tecnica International

Subaru’s performance division is known as Subaru Tecnica International or STI. It was founded in 1988 by Subaru Corporation to promote the company’s performance-oriented identity. The division specialized in a variety of vehicles for the Subaru World Rally Team for competing in the World Rally Championship (WRC). These were the people behind the development of the famous rally car, Impreza WRX STI. Other vehicles include the Subaru Forester and Legacy models.

14. Toyota : Toyota Gazoo Racing

Toyota Gazoo Racing (or TGR/ Toyota GR) is a motorsport/performance brand of Toyota. The GR brand is also used for some performance-oriented road cars like GR Supra and GR Yaris. In 2021, another model was added to the list; the GR86.

15. Volkswagen : Volkswagen R

The brand used by German Auto Manufacturer Volkswagen to indicate a sport or high-performance model is ‘Volkswagen R’. To indicate the trim level, an R-badge is placed on the grille, front fenders and trunk of the R-models. Several Volkswagen models offer the R-line trim level since 2011, staring from Volkswagen CC.

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