2019-04-01 BMW Car

APRIL 2019 67

SPECIALIST PROFILE

A

ftermarket exhausts have
come a long way since I was
a lad; there’s technology and
finesse involved nowadays, and
results can be guaranteed. Gone
are the days of bolting-on what amounted
to be a section of old drainpipe and creating
a car that was uncomfortably noisy inside
and out. 
Today we have science on our side,
coupled with top-notch manufacturing
techniques and the use of high-quality
raw materials, all of which helps deliver an
aftermarket exhaust that enhances the way a
car looks and sounds, rather than destroys it.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS
Scorpion Exhausts Ltd has been operating
successfully in Derbyshire since 1992, and
has built itself an exceptional reputation
for the excellence of its exhausts and the
quality of its customer service. Managing
director, Shaun Leonard, has been with the
company since launching it 27 years ago
with his business partner, Ivan Holmes. 
The pair turned Scorpion Exhausts
into an internationally renowned
specialist producing systems for vehicle
manufacturers, car and bike racing teams
and enthusiast owners. “When Ivan and
I got together,“ Shaun told me as we sat
in the reception of the company’s Ripley
headquarters, “there really were very few
other specialists making stainless steel
performance exhausts. Our passion for all
things petrol allowed us to concentrate on
the fast-emerging hot hatch market of the
day, developing sports exhausts for the likes
of VW Golf GTis, Peugeot 205 GTis and the
Ford Escort RS Turbo.
“Supplying the tuning market in those
days meant developing large-bore exhausts
which allowed our trade tuning partners to
further increase engine performance. Along
with performance gains, our other aims
were to develop products that transformed
the driving experience, and sound played
a big part in that. Lifetime warranty which

we introduced to the high-performance

exhaust market, helped champion our

cause and give value to the brand. Looking

back, Scorpion really did create the industry

that so many others now supply.”

TWO-WHEEL GROWTH

“The motorcycle exhaust side of the

operation developed really by chance.

Having invested heavily in stainless steel

exhaust-making equipment, we found

ourselves being asked to provide support

though development and manufacturing to

a few UK motorcycle exhaust companies.

However, when doing so, we found a range

of issues with their existing product lines.

“Poor material choices, poor development

processes and a lack of good general build

quality. Having ridden bikes ourselves,

we realised our attention to detail when

it comes to exhausts could really make

an impact on the motorcycle market. So,

we developed a strategy, purchased a

motorcycle Dyno ‘engine performance

measuring machine’, switched to using high-

grade materials – stainless steel, titanium

and carbon fibre – and spent many hours

developing products which gave good

performance in both power and sound.

“We again introduced things like a lifetime

warranty and model-specific exhausts

when other brands we’re offering modular

products, where one exhaust fitted all.”

ENTHUSIAST NEEDS

Before moving back on to car exhaust

development, Charles Buxton, Scorpion’s

marketing manager, took a few moments

to run through more of the company’s

impressive history.

“By the mid-1990s, Scorpion had

become recognised as a serious exhaust

tuning brand. Its continuous drive to expand

and improve led it to start developing

systems and procedures that allowed it

to gain ISO quality status which, in turn,

helped it foster relationships with various

Ministry of Transport departments from

across Europe and the UK – RDW, TUV and

the UK’s VCA.

“The investment needed to achieve this

was costly in both time and money but,

looking back, it was well worth it. Today

a large part of our exhaust programme

is delivered with EC approval, which has

enabled the brand to expand its costumer

base throughout Europe, and beyond.

“During this same period, the company

also started to develop relationships with

various racing teams, tuning companies and

OE manufactures. We became technical

partners with some of the most high-profile

teams in motorsport; teams that have

competed in WRC, WTCC, British GT, Time

Attack and BTCC have all become good

friends over the past 25 years.

“To give you an idea, the current BTCC-

winning team and driver, Honda and

Gordon Shedden, use Scorpion products.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb

sprint champion, Roger Clark Motorsport,

and Olly Clark, with their world-famous

Subaru Impreza ‘Gobstopper’, are

customers as well. One of the fastest men

around the Isle of Man, who used to ride

for Quattro Plant Kawasaki, James Hillier, is

a Scorpion product user.

“Historically, we helped develop parts

for the first Super 2000 series World Rally

Car Toyota Corolla, which Alistair McRae

drove, plus the famous Subaru range of

cars developed by Prodrive – the P1 and

RB5 models all came with our performance

exhaust fitted as standard. We also

introduced what’s become one of the most

famous tailpipes in tuning history – DTM

• which we developed with the German
  tuning company G-Power. I could go, but
  there simply isn’t space!”

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

I wanted to get an idea about how Scorpion

actually sets about developing a new

exhaust system, and Shaun explained that

the first step, not surprisingly, is to get hold

of a car. “Often, we have to buy them,” he

Most of us would like our BMWs to sound better and, as Chris

Graham discovers, Scorpion Exhausts Ltd has the experience,

skill and expertise to make it happen.

surgeons

Sound

Shaun Leonard (right), founder and managing
director at Scorpion Exhausts Ltd, with marketing
manager Charles Buxton.