TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing)

Brand Overview

TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) is a legendary motorsport engineering company and high-performance custom car manufacturer originating from the UK. The brand was founded by former racer Tom Walkinshaw in 1975, with its businesses covering motorsport operations, high-performance road car engineering development, and custom limited edition car manufacturing.The company was initially established in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and at its peak, operated multiple lines including F1, Le Mans, touring cars, and F3, known for its engineering strength and innovation.

During its glorious period, TWR became famous for its huge achievements in the Jaguar XJR series prototype racing projects, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans championship twice in 1988 and 1990 in cooperation with Jaguar.TWR also provided technical outsourcing engineering services for multiple automobile brands—classic models such as Aston Martin DB7, Volvo C70, Renault Clio V6 were completed by the TWR team for engineering development.At the same time, TWR also created a series of era-defining supercars including XJR-15 and XJ220.

In 2002, TWR ceased operations due to surging financial pressure caused by the acquisition of the Arrows F1 team.In 2020, the company was successfully revived by Tom's son Fergus Walkinshaw in Newbury, Berkshire, with co-venture partner John Kane relaunching, continuing TWR's engineering DNA.The revived TWR focuses on creating independent custom high-performance cars, dedicated to preserving the precious "pure mechanical driving experience" in an era filled with electronic systems.

Development History

TWR's history can be divided into four stages: predecessor, golden era, transformation bankruptcy, and contemporary revival.

Early Racing Startup (1975–1980): Tom Walkinshaw was an early successful touring car driver, starting his racing career with an MG Midget in 1968, and winning the Scottish Ford Formula Annual Championship the following year, then active on multiple lines including F3, F5000, etc.In 1975, he founded the Tom Walkinshaw Racing Team, initially starting with modifying a BMW 3.0 CSL, participating in the European Touring Car Championship with both driver and team manager roles.Soon, TWR was commissioned by Mazda to operate its BTCC factory team and launched the Mazda RX-7 race car.

Golden Age Diversified Expansion (1980–1995): In the 1980s, TWR entered its prime. In 1984, Tom drove a Jaguar XJS to win the ETCC championship.That same year, it began participating in the Australian Bathurst 1000 endurance race with a three-car lineup.The true peak came from prototype projects—in 1988 and 1990, the Jaguar XJR-9 and XJR-12 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with TWR as the vehicle manufacturer and operator contributing significantly.At the same time, TWR's Australian branch and Holden established the Holden Racing Team (HRT), dominating the Australian Touring Car Championship.

Road car engineering was also the core business during TWR's golden era. The team handled the complete engineering development of mass production performance models such as Aston Martin DB7 (1994), Volvo C70 Coupe and Convertible (1997), and mid-engine rear-drive Renault Clio V6 (2000).In addition, TWR designed and manufactured two supercars independently—the 1990 XJR-15 (globally limited to about 50 units) and the 1992 XJ220 (in cooperation with Jaguar Sport).

Bankruptcy and Silence (1996–2002): In 1996, TWR acquired the financially troubled Arrows F1 team, which directly hampered engineering and road car businesses. Hampered by multiple factors such as operating costs and declining competitiveness, TWR officially ceased operations in 2002.Its Australian branch in Melbourne was independently developed into the Walkinshaw Group by Tom's eldest son Ryan.

Modern Revival (2020–Present): In 2020, Tom Walkinshaw's second son Fergus partnered with John Kane to establish a new TWR Performance in Newbury, Berkshire.The engineering team absorbed some original TWR employees and senior talents from the high-performance and racing fields.After three years of R&D, TWR officially released its first product in November 2024—the Supercat V12 Super GT.

Product Matrix / Product Line

TWR's product line in the current operation phase revolves around high-performance limited custom cars.

TWR Supercat: First work of the revival plan, paying tribute to the glorious history of TWR and Jaguar cooperation in the 1980s.Limited to 88 units, commemorating Tom's 1988 championship driving the XJR-9.It adopts the classic Jaguar XJS chassis and architecture, completely upgraded by the original team—the chassis includes tubular steel structure reinforcement, the body uses carbon fiber components, and the overall weight is reduced by 9.3% to 1605 kg (original 1770 kg).In terms of power system, TWR engineers independently developed a supercharged V12 engine, outputting 660 hp @ peak torque 730 N·m.Carrying the spirit of pure mechanical control, it uses rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox, standard with five driving modes and programmable traction/launch control, with optional carbon ceramic brake discs.The interior features a digital multimedia interface (MMI), supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while retaining classic design details.

Racing Business: Historically, TWR operated racing projects covering factory teams of Mazda, Jaguar, Volvo, and other brands.Currently, TWR participates in racing development and component supply in the form of engineering consulting, and has not yet re-established a factory team to compete.

Market Performance

The new TWR's first work, Supercat, has received a positive response in the high-end custom car market, locking in reliable orders without launching large-scale marketing—it received high attention from customers and the industry review circle by the end of 2024.Supercat began global deliveries in Summer 2025.

In the automotive engineering field, TWR builds high-end brand presence through Supercat's return, and maintains parts cooperation with the high-performance modification circle.Pro Alloy Motorsport announced in February 2025 the development of a full set of handcrafted cooling, oil, and fuel supply systems for TWR, intended to match the high-performance power unit of the Supercat.

On the potential product level, TWR has clearly stated it will use the same standard to develop and test more high-performance cars, using advanced facilities from global sports car brands and racing teams, continuing to launch independent custom products.

Key Technologies

TWR's technology system is jointly constituted by three levels: racing, engineering, and manufacturing.

Bidirectional Empowerment of Racing and Road Cars: High-rigid tubular chassis and aerodynamic solutions accumulated on the track are directly used in mass production models such as Supercat to ensure stability under extreme conditions.

Flagship Powertrain Independent Development: The 5.6L supercharged V12 engine equipped on the Supercat is fully developed independently by TWR engineers, outputting 660 hp and 730 N·m of torque, a high-performance power source that retains simulated mechanical characteristics and linear response.

Full Carbon Lightweight Body: The new generation TWR uses a large amount of carbon fiber on the Supercat, successfully controlling the overall weight while reinforcing the chassis torsional rigidity and safety.

Driving and Chassis Integration Technology: Active double wishbone suspension with adaptive dynamic damping system, satisfying both long-distance driving comfort and ultimate precision in track scenarios, presenting a typical GT dual character—both a road cruiser and a track weapon.

Racing Achievements

The honors won by TWR in major races construct the soul and core competitiveness of the brand.

• 24 Hours of Le Mans (1988, 1990): The Jaguar XJR-9 (1988) and XJR-12 (1990) created by TWR won the championship, rising to the status of a global legendary racing manufacturer.

• World Sportscar Championship (1987, 1988, 1991): The Jaguar team operated by TWR won the manufacturer championship three times.

• European Touring Car Championship (1984): Tom Walkinshaw himself won the championship driving a Jaguar XJS.

• Bathurst 1000 Endurance Race (1985, 1989, 1991, etc.): TWR and HRT won the most famous endurance race in Australia multiple times.

• Spa 24 Hours Endurance Race (1980s): Won the championship multiple times.

Future Outlook

The new TWR led by Fergus has clearly defined the development positioning towards an independent custom high-performance manufacturer—continuing tradition but breaking free from the constraints of OEM engineering outsourcing.

Product Series: After the Supercat, TWR plans to continue launching more designs paying tribute to classics, and developing new models based on the same rigorous processes and top-tier facilities.From the design previews, the brand is expected to launch high-performance custom cars of different body styles.

Adherence to Pure Mechanical Driving Spirit: TWR will adhere to the design philosophy of "analog cockpit"—not blindly piling up electronic systems, providing a cockpit experience true to original power for elite users who truly value driving pleasure.

Return of Racing Engineering: The new TWR has not yet officially returned to the track, but it is not excluded from returning to racing in the form of engineering services and components—the bidirectional flow of technology between racing and road cars has historically been TWR's core business model.Future in the high-performance aftermarket circle, TWR is expanding the supply of powertrain and chassis engineering solutions to expand service-related revenue.

Mass Production Customization Model: TWR is currently positioned as a company "engineered as the foundation and produces cars", rather than a factory-style whole vehicle company—this positioning clarifies its focus on a customized, small-batch, high-value-added operation mode, expected to open up new growth space in the high-end custom car field.