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HKS: Five Decades of Japanese Performance Engineering

HKS Co., Ltd. is one of the most storied names in the automotive aftermarket world. HKS was founded in 1973 by Hiroyuki Hasegawa — a former Yamaha Motor Company engineer — and his partner Goichi Kitagawa, with startup capital from Sigma Automotive, giving the brand its distinctive three-letter name. The company began operations in a modest dairy-farming shed at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan, driven by a singular vision: to design and build high-performance engine components that major OEM manufacturers couldn't or wouldn't produce.

What started as a small tuning operation quickly grew into a global force. HKS established its North American subsidiary, HKS USA, Inc., in 1982, and has since expanded into Europe and Asia, operating a state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D facility at its Fujinomiya, Shizuoka headquarters. Every part is engineered and manufactured in Japan, reflecting the brand's unwavering commitment to quality and precision.

Race-Proven Technology for the Street and Track

HKS earned its reputation not just through catalog breadth, but through genuine motorsport achievement. HKS-equipped vehicles have competed in drag racing, road racing, rallying, and top-speed trials, capturing numerous championships along the way. The brand has supplied Super GT and Formula D teams, and its hardware has been validated on legendary platforms like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, Toyota Supra 2JZ, Mitsubishi Evo 4G63, and Subaru WRX EJ25 — cars that defined an era of Japanese performance tuning.

HKS was also a true pioneer in automotive electronics, introducing the first commercially available electronic turbo timer and boost controller, as well as early piggyback fuel computers and sophisticated engine management tools. That spirit of innovation continues today across a full lineup that spans light street tuning to professional-level race builds.

HKS Product Highlights

At the heart of the HKS catalog are four core performance categories that enthusiasts turn to most:

• Coilover Spring and Shock Assemblies: The legendary Hipermax lineup — including the Hipermax S and Hipermax R — offers fully adjustable damping and ride height engineered for everything from comfortable daily driving to aggressive time attack builds.
• Coilover Adjustable Spring Lowering Kits: For drivers looking to dial in ride height and handling balance without a full coilover replacement, HKS offers adjustable spring lowering kits that integrate seamlessly with factory and aftermarket dampers.
• Exhaust System Kits: From the iconic Hi-Power cat-back to the LegaMax and Super Turbo systems, HKS exhaust kits use mandrel-bent pipework and carefully tuned resonance characteristics to improve flow and deliver that signature purposeful sound.
• Suspension Kits: Beyond coilovers, HKS offers complete suspension solutions engineered to improve handling dynamics and chassis balance across a wide range of sport compact and performance vehicles.

Whether you're building a weekend track car or refining a high-performance street machine, HKS delivers the engineering depth and motorsport heritage to back every component in its catalog. With over 50 years of proven innovation, the brand remains a benchmark for what aftermarket tuning can achieve.