HKS

HKS Exhaust Systems - 50+ Years of Turbo Engineering Mastery

HKS was formed in 1973 by Hiroyuki Hasegawa, a former Yamaha Motor Company engineer, and his partner Goichi Kitagawa, with startup capital supplied by Sigma Automotive—hence the name HKS combining the initials of Hasegawa, Kitagawa, and Sigma. The company began operations tuning gasoline engines in a dairy-farming shed at the foot of Mount Fuji, with a singular mission to design and build high-performance engines and components that major OE manufacturers could not or would not produce.

The Birth of Aftermarket Turbocharging

By July 1974, Hasegawa successfully engineered and built the world's first off-the-shelf turbocharger kit for a passenger vehicle—the FET kit designed for the GC100 Skyline's L20 engine, which improved stock power by 40 percent from 115ps to 160ps. This groundbreaking achievement revolutionized the Japanese automotive aftermarket and established HKS as the pioneer of bolt-on turbo technology. HKS became one of the leaders in Japanese tuning and is known internationally for high-end products, with all products made in Japan where all stages are carried out in-house: development, manufacturing, testing, and mass production.

Motorsport Legacy & Engineering Excellence

For over a quarter century, HKS products have been put to the test in drag racing, road racing, rallying, and top speed trials, with HKS-equipped vehicles capturing numerous racing championships and holding claim to a myriad of competition records using many off-the-shelf, race-proven components. Notable achievements include the 1983 HKS M300 Celica becoming the first Japanese car to break 300km/h, the 1992 unveiling of the HKS 300E V12 F1 spec racing engine, and multiple championships in JTCC, JGTC, Formula 3, and drag racing series.

HKS maintains its 100,000 square foot manufacturing and R&D facility in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture near Mount Fuji, with an international sales and distribution network spanning Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Since 1999, HKS has operated as a publicly traded company, demonstrating the longevity and stability rare among performance aftermarket manufacturers.

Premium Exhaust Product Lines

HKS Hi-Power Exhaust Systems - HKS utilized original unique technology to maintain exhaust capacity and sound level to meet the JASMA standard, which is more severe than regular safety standards, with the inner structure of the silencer redesigned to eliminate unwanted low exhaust resonance and improve sound quality. Inspired and designed from endurance and GT racing in Japan, Hi-Power systems feature race-inspired offset muffler and piping design that offers greater flow and higher RPM power gains due to less restrictive design, achieved by eliminating unnecessary bends for the straightest exhaust path.

HKS Legamax Premium Series - Legamax Premium mufflers offer performance benefits of a sports muffler with the class and elegance of a premium muffler, with every tail pipe design customized per application to ensure the muffler has impact and becomes a focal point while blending with the overall vehicle design, constructed of SUS304 grade stainless steel for high lustre finish and durability.

HKS Super Turbo Muffler - The turbo engine master HKS challenged to implement three characteristics together: effectiveness on stock to high-performance vehicles with upgraded turbines, performance exhaust sound meeting JASMA standard, and unique exhaust sound designed specifically for each engine. This represents HKS's high-dimensional approach where exhaust efficiency and sound pressure reduction are implemented simultaneously.

HKS Superior Spec-R Titanium - HKS SUPERIOR SPEC-R is the high-end model of HKS exhaust systems, featuring durable full titanium construction available with ultimate performance, sound quality, and appearance.

HKS Racing Muffler - Designed purely in pursuit of exhaust efficiency targeting 1000+ horsepower vehicles with ultra-low flow resistance, featuring 101.6mm pipe diameter throughout without narrowing. This represents HKS's most extreme performance exhaust solution for competition-level builds.

Vehicle Applications & Proven Performance

Subaru WRX/STI Applications: The Hi-Power Exhaust combines larger piping with smooth bends to provide an unobstructed path for exhaust gases, resulting in more horsepower, more torque, and better turbo response while exploiting the flagship Subaru rumble. Available for 2002-2007, 2008-2014, and 2015-2021 WRX/STI models with configurations including 3" piping diameter, dual Hi-Power mufflers with 4" burnt exhaust tips, and quad-tip Legamax Premium designs 

Nissan GT-R R35: Systems achieve low exhaust pressure with straight pipe geometry of 101.6mm middle pipe and dual 70mm to quad 60mm main pipe configuration, with inner and outer tails of different diameters for dynamic rear visual appeal. The Racing Exhaust was designed with the stated purpose of supporting 1000 ps (986 hp), constructed of 304 stainless steel.

Honda Civic Type R: HKS offers the Legamax Premium with 75mm piping for 2017-2021 FK8 Civic Type R, Hi-Power SPEC-L2 catback systems, and Legamax Sports for 2023+ FL5 models, engineered specifically for the turbocharged K20C1 and K20C2 VTEC engines.

Toyota GR Supra A90: Hi-Power catback exhaust systems available for 2020+ Toyota GR Supra with titanium tips and dual exit configuratio, optimized for the B58 turbocharged inline-six engine.

Additional Platforms: Complete exhaust systems available for Honda S2000 (2000-2009), CR-Z (2011-2016), Fit (2015-2020), and various Civic Si generations. Applications extend across Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 platforms and multiple Nissan Z-chassis vehicles.

Construction & Engineering Standards

Hi-Power systems feature tip diameters of 96mm, 115mm, and 120mm depending on application, with piping diameters ranging from 55mm to 95mm, all constructed from polished SUS304 stainless steel. Special Edition Carbon Titanium versions feature carbon fiber wrapped muffler shells with titanium tips for select applications.

HKS designed their systems to maintain sufficient ground clearance with redesigned flanges and layout, while enlarging pipe diameter to maintain large exhaust capacity. The cannon ball-shaped muffler design with modern titanium-color tips provides powerful rear aesthetics that enhance the vehicle's appearance while delivering race-proven functionality.

Key Features:

  • World's first aftermarket turbo company (1974)
  • JASMA-compliant sound engineering for track use
  • SUS304 stainless steel and titanium construction options
  • Race-developed technology from 50+ years of motorsport
  • Vehicle-specific engineering for optimal fitment
  • Made in Japan with in-house development and manufacturing
  • Systems supporting from stock to 1000+ horsepower builds

Explore our authentic HKS Performance exhaust collection featuring detailed specifications, sound comparisons, and precise vehicle fitment data for your build.