Hybrid Racing are one of our favourite brands, consistently offering unique products that look for ways to do things better than everyone else. Best known for making pretty much anything you could ever need to K-swap and their market leading adjustable shifter assemblies, they started out a little over 20 years ago and have come a long way since then.
As a brand that was created by a group of Honda enthusiast friends who simply wanted to make the parts they needed but couldn't find, they have now grown into a market leader. That growth hasn't come at the expense of losing focus - they are still known for innovative, high quality products.
Imagine our excitement then, when we heard that they were launching an entirely new product line, something they'd never done before - their very first exhaust system!
Simply put, this system carries that same spirit of innovation and doing things a little differently that got them where they are today, with some unique design choices and features and styling choices, as well as that trademark quality and attention to detail.
Make no mistake, this isn't just another exhaust system made for the sake of making it.
As the European Distributors of their products, we were incredibly fortunate to get our hands on the very first one in Europe so we could get some installation experience under our belts and the results speak for themselves.
The system is beautifully made, as well as any top quality branded exhaust we've ever installed. The welds are faultless and the overall finish is exceptional. The tip alignment required very little adjustment and the included fitting kit had everything required. Worth a special mention, the install notes were some of the most comprehensive we've ever seen for an exhaust!
One standout design feature of the design is the electronically controlled exhaust valve. When closed, the exhaust flows through a baffle to keep noise to a minimum. Still sporty, it won't upset your neighbours on those early morning cold starts. The open valve might though. Allowing exhaust gasses through a totally unrestricted secondary pipe, the noise is far more raucous, living up to its sporty appearance. Its all controlled by a small, handy key fob.
To further demonstrate that Hybrid have really thought about this system, each one is supplied with 2 adaptor pipes to make the system directly compatible with both OEM and larger diameter aftermarket downpipes, removing any concern that it may not be compatible with your existing setup.
The included dry carbon fibre valance piece that closes off the factory diffuser elevates the rear end a surprising amount, bringing the exhaust tips internal to really give a motorsport look to the rear which, to our knowledge, is the only exhaust that has done this so far.
The end result really is another unique product from Hybrid Racing that we can't wait to see on more FK8's soon!
