BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Prodrive is one of the world's largest and most successful motorsport and automotive technology businesses, with more than 500 staff and a turnover of more than Ł100 million.

Today we run motorsport programmes for Aston Martin Racing in world sports car racing and MINI in the World Rally Championship. We also work with vehicle manufacturers to help develop new technologies and performance vehicles for the road, and are increasingly involved in the aerospace, marine and defence industries, manufacturing specialist components for applications as diverse as commercial passenger aircraft, satellites, racing yachts and high end audio.

Motorsport

We are one of the world’s leading independent motorsport business. We have won six World Rally Championship titles; in circuit racing, we have won five British Touring Car Championships (BTCC); three GT1 titles at Le Mans; and the Le Mans Series title in 2009.

We were the name behind the Subaru World Rally Team’s rise to fame from 1990 to 2008 and helped make Subaru synonymous with rallying, turning it into an icon on the rally stage and respected performance marque around the world. However, Prodrive’s rallying history is far more than just Subaru. Over the years, we have won more than 130 international rallies with other great motorsport names like Porsche, BMW and MG. Indeed, it was with a BMW M3, that Prodrive won its first ever World Rally Championship event in Corsica in 1987.

In touring car racing, Prodrive has worked with BMW, Alfa Romeo, Honda, Ford and Volvo, winning BTCC titles in the 1980s, 90s and in 2000. In 2003, we moved into the Australian V8 Supercar Series creating Ford Performance Racing now one of the leading teams in this championship. At the end of 2012 we handed over the team to Rod Nash racing.

In 2003, we achieved the ultimate circuit racing accolade by winning the GTS class at the Le Mans 24 Hours with a Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello. Now we manage Aston Martin Racing, which saw the British company return to sports car racing in 2005 with the DBR9. In 2007 and 2008 the team won the GT1 class at Le Mans and in 2009 its new LMP1 car took the Le Mans Series title. In 2013 we are competing with four Vantage GTEs in the World Endurance Championship.

From the beginning of 2002 to the end of the 2004 season, Prodrive managed the BAR Honda Formula One Team, taking it from the middle of the grid to second in the manufacturers’ championship.

Automotive Technology

During the 1990s, we began offering our technical expertise and project engineering skills to the mainstream automotive market. Over the years, this part of the business has grown rapidly to represent nearly half the company’s turnover.

The company has the capability to take concepts through to full working prototypes. It has particular expertise in the design, calibration and testing of powertrains, drivelines and vehicle dynamics, as well as control and systems integration. In recent years, it has begun to specialise in the development of emission reducing technologies such as electric and flywheel hybrids and variable compression ratio engines. The company also has particular expertise in the design and production of limited edition cars.

In the UK, Prodrive has its own 250-acre proving ground, including a 2.5 mile test track; low friction straights; areas for suspension and dynamics performance testing; and a high speed, six lane, mile-long straight.

Specialist manufacturing

In the last three years, Prodrive has increasingly been offering its design and manufacturing expertise to businesses in the aerospace, marine and defence industries. Using its advanced machining and composite operations, it has made panels for imaging satellites; actuators for commercial jet engines; lightweight winches for racing yachts; carbon cabinets for audio loud speakers; and full carbon interiors, trim and body panels for leading sports car manufacturers. The company’s composite operation also makes lightweight components for a number of Formula One teams and premium car manufacturers.