The snow is starting to melt here in Oberlin, and some of the more menacing giants that’ve been built over the winter are starting to stir. It’s symbolic, I think, that Switzer Performance is entering a new era- a rebirth- in the spring.
Late last year, Switzer Performance fired our CEO, and regrouped around the original core of people that has worked to establish Switzer Performance as one of the world’s premier tuning houses over the last five years. We’ve re-structured the company, as well, in a way that has allowed us to re-focus our attention on leading the industry into uncharted performance territory while staying true to our original promise: to deliver hours of awesomeness from our products and an unequalled experience to our customers.
Before we talk about what’s ahead, however, let’s take a brief look back.
I joined the company nearly five years ago, just as Switzer Performance burst onto the Porsche aftermarket scene with a 1000 hp bolt-on performance package for Porsche’s 997 TT. That early development car became today’s E911 performance package- a clean-burning, flex-fuel capable, 9 second, 200 mph Teutonic missile of a car that set a new standard for Porsche power.
Four years ago, Switzer introduced the P700 and P800 performance packages for Nissan’s then-new R35 GTR at a time when many people still believed the car was “un-tunable”. More than 200 P800 packages have been sold so far, with some crossing the 100,000 mile threshold in a testament to Switzer’s bedrock promise of reliability.
Three years ago, we debuted our VR38 engine program. The core of all the high-horsepower Switzer builds, our engine program uses the VR38′s stock bore/stroke dimensions to deliver incredible power without sacrificing reliability or risking the failure of the customers’ engine block for the sake of a time slip or a line-item asterisk in a four-page forum signature.
Two years ago, we launched the first 1000 hp, pump-gas, every day super car. We called it the Switzer Performance Ultimate Street Edition (“USE”) GTR. The USE was designed as a comprehensive improvement package that upgraded the car’s power and speed, as well as ride and handling- improving the client’s comfort as it pushed the R35 GTR’s performance envelope.
One year ago, we introduced the world to Switzer’s Goliath and Beast builds. The massively powerful cars raised the industry’s performance bar again- this time to nearly 2000 HP and beyond without compromising the integrity of the GTR’s chassis and crash structures at a time when others were saying it couldn’t be done.
Goliath. Beast. Don’t forget the Sledgehammer, the Red Katana, the Vader, and all the other incredible machines that have been personified over the years. They aren’t just cars- not to our clients and not to us. They’re friends. They’re family. Most of all, however, they are exciting on a palpable, visceral level.
At its core, Switzer Performance is a fantastic company, and a fantastic group of people. Over the years, this place has become my home. These people have become my family. After a hard winter, we’re looking forward to a springtime with a renewed sense of what Switzer Performance really is- and we’ll be bringing that spirit of innovation and commitment to reliability with us into 2014, 2015, and beyond.
This year, expect to see R35 GTRs that will blow your mind with their power, speed, and- most importantly- their obsessive build quality.
A year from now, the ever-expanding Switzer Performance crew will be pushing the envelope with the R36 GTR, as well as a few other projects that aren’t quite ready for their curtain calls. I promise, however, each one will be worth the wait.
As I look back on my nearly 5 years with Switzer Performance (I started with the company as its sales manager on March 9th, 2009, raising the total employee headcount from 2 to 3), I can honestly say that I didn’t think we’d go from a 2-lift garage with no office to this sprawling, industrial complex …
… in just 5 short years. I didn’t think we’d build hundreds of cars, win dozens of events, and appear on the cover of some of the most dedicated enthusiast magazines in the world.
This Florida boy just wanted to build some cars and see some snow.
So, I guess that’s the long way of saying thank you to Tym Switzer, Tym Sr., Neil Switzer, all my clients, all my co-workers, and all of my dear friends here at Switzer Performance. Thanks for the last 5 years … I’m almost afraid to think of where we’ll be in 2019!
