Company Bio

Marcel Horn, President of HPA Motorsports reflects on 15 years in business

The summer of 1987 stands out as the year where my passion for the Volkswagen brand was ignited. Still 2 years before I could legally drive, I dreamt of what my first car would be. Coming from a humble upbringing, I prepared to assemble this first jewel from reclaimed parts. Countless trips in and out of the autorecylers followed and this introduced me to the vast interchangability found not only within Volkswagen models, but their platforms as well. This was a dream come true and set the stage for what was to come. It was 1989 when I launched onto the Volkswagen scene with a 1976 brown 4 door 1.6L carbureted Rabbit, a model that I believe was not introduced south of the border until 1981. With suspension and a gear box from a 1979 GTI, and a down pipe from a Scirocco S, I was bitten with the performance bug.

HPA started as a hobby out of the family garage in 1990 and took its first corporate form in 1991. Highwater Performance Autostyling was the name that graced the area above my first commercial facility. This name was later shortened when the company was incorporated a few years later as HPA Motorsports Inc.

HPA’s ‘big break’ came early in 1997. Recognizing that the inbound “New Beetle” would debut as the first new model water-cooled Volkswagen to be released in North America, before a release in Europe, unleashed a dream to impact the tuning trends for this unique car. I saw this as a chance to set trends, instead of following existing ones from overseas. I laid out a business model where I would showcase the skills cultivated by my team over the past years. At the heart of the plan was a V6 conversion. Eight days after HPA took delivery of one of the first “New Beetles” to hit Canadian soil, the new motor was in and we were off to show the world. With unbelievable media attention from PRIMEDIA titles, Road & Track, along with countless other global magazines, we found ourselves in exciting new territory; the HPA GT6 conversion was born.

The global acclaim of the GT6 conversion earned us the rights to introduce KW Suspensions to North America as they were looking for a hungry, motivated, technically- versed partner. From 1998 to present, I have worked diligently in Detroit, with my right hand man, Glen Messinger, and landed accounts and customers such as Daimler Chrysler, Ford, Mazda, and Roush. Today, with KW corporate headquarters officially set up in California, I still am the director of OEM operations for KW, the world’s leading coilover suspension manufacturer.

1998 saw our tuning clientele expanding at an exponential rate. Our quest for more power landed us into a lifetime friendship with our technical partners at HGP, Germany. Together, we expanded their concept for a twin turbo V6 into what we offer around the world today. Showcased across all three RGT cars this last year, our collective efforts have raised the expectation of Volkswagen performance potential on a global scale.

In June 2002, my first son was born, followed by a second son in January 2005. Not only do they look a whole lot like their dad, both seem to already have a love of cars… the next generation of HPA is all set to go!

November 2004 was a moment in history for me and HPA. From my 15 year lead tech, Darren Scharfenberg, across my entire team of dedicated and passionate staff, it was a dream come true when our 2004 twin turbo R32 won best of SEMA 2004, and was immortalized in the world’s most successful gaming franchise, Gran Turismo. This would serve as an undeniable signature for everyone’s career. Accepting this award reduced me to tears as I reflected on the relentless pace and impossible hours my entire team had endured across the seasons to get us to that moment in time.

Working on special projects for OEM Volkswagen, Chrysler and Ford Motor Company, my groups’ experience is expanding exponentially. With successful debuts on nationally televised programs and at the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction, I can say that HPA has laid out the foundation for our next 15 years in this industry.

I find myself blessed with an extremely dedicated, talented staff, a team that has been able to tackle the most unimaginable challenges. This team of 13 has been embraced by our global technical partners and is ready to dive into whatever the future holds. Today, with all the projects and achievements, I can honestly say that the best part of the 15 years has been the amazing people I have met and worked with through the Volkswagen brand.