Meet The Team

Importing cars from Japan started as a hobby back in the late 90's for Tristan. It didn't take long for him to realise the potential business opportunity. However, never in his wildest dreams did he imagine turning it into the company that exists today. The first car he imported was a 500bhp R32 GT-R. Having washed it on the pavement outside his flat, he then sold it for £12k. Tristan has been fortunate enough to experience most special JDM cars. His winter daily is an awesome Pajero Evo. On the bucket list is a Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition... Keep dreaming!

Having known Mike since college, Tristan offered him a partnership in his venture Torque Imports. He'd been running the business for around six months and as it started to grow, needed someone good with numbers, but also to rein him in when it came to spending money! Over the 20+ years he's probably taken on every role whilst Torque has grown, to make sure the business keeps moving forward. If Mike's not working, you'll find him cycling... As much as he likes peddling, he does have a serious soft spot for a manual A80 Supra Turbo.

Darren is the Car Sales Manager and Personal Import guru, if you've imported a car through Torque GT, you'll likely have spoken to Darren. Having imported hundreds of cars from Japan via the Personal Import Service, he's been lucky enough to own some brilliant JDM cars such as a DC2, DC5 and Evo IX GT. But it was an RX-7 which made him smile the most. Now we all make mistakes... but Darren's may well have been the time when he turned down the opportunity to own a Bayside Blue R34 GT-R which Tristan offered to him for £20K. If only he could go back in time… Tristan won't ever let Darren live that one down!

Ash has 22 years of automotive experience, Has been very lucky to own some awesome cars over the years, its probably easier to say which JDM car he hasn't had. His automotive personal highlight was having the opportunity of driving a Lexus LFA around Silverstone. His biggest regret is selling his 1996 UK spec twin turbo Supra for only £7000... He Currently owns a Mercedes AMG GTS, but is now eyeing up options in the JDM world.

With a dad who was a motorsport press photographer in the 80 s/ 90's, Jacob has been surrounded by automotive imagery. Constantly looking at a vast image library of Group B Rally, F1, Le Mans, Paris Dakar & more... his car obsession naturally grew. Deciding to go down the creative route, Jacob has managed to combine using his degree in graphic design with his passion for photography here at Torque GT. As a 90's kid, he worshipped Colin McRae, subsequently making him a Subaru nut. He daily's a Lexus GS450H, but dreams about a 22B.

When Josh joined the team to deal with the parts side of the business, his obsession for Honda's only grew. He's owned a few including a Cosmic Grey EP3, Champ White EK9 and FD2 Type R. All of which he couldn't help modifying. However, his Honda love affair all started with a JDM DC2 Type R which he sold for £4K... oops. All things digital are Josh's responsibility, always on the lookout for the latest products in the JDM scene to add to the store. His latest purchase is a new Suzuki Jimny which he's already modifying!

Jason is the friendly face at Torque GT's front desk, welcoming customers, keeping admin ticking over, and supporting both the workshop and sales teams. Years in the motor trade have given him a genuine appreciation for the mechanical side and ability to help troubleshoot and diagnose vehicle issues.

Meet Morgan! Morgan looks after the social channels and marketing. He's got a soft spot for classic German cars particularly a Mercedes 190e which is his current daily driver... although, we're working on converting him to JDM! You'll find him all over our socials, creating content on some of our unique imports. Having driven many JDM icons, his car of choice would be an FD RX-7 or an Evo 6 TME...

A freakishly tall northerner (his own words) Matt gets to talk about cars all day, everyday. Matt's living the dream! Need a particular part sourcing for your car? He's your man. Obsessed with Honda's, Matt's had several projects over the years, the current one being a Honda Del Sol in Paradise Green Pearl. His daily driver is a Honda Accord which has turned into a massive project.

Our warehouse is full of high quality, performance car parts... Joe handles everything we have in stock, making sure orders are packaged safely and correctly and sent out to customers swiftly.

What other job lets you tinker with RB26's on a daily basis? Over the years, there aren't many Japanese models Spence hasn't worked on. He's always been a massive Japanese car fan and there's nowhere near enough room to list every car Spence has owned. Currently, his crop includes a commutable Honda Jazz, an R32 GT-R and AC Cobra project... He insists these will be back on the road one day... Oh, and he also owns a seriously cool yellow Honda Beat.

Jamie’s happiest when he’s under the bonnet or out on his motorbike, with a real soft spot for German cars. He’s been tinkering with his Porsche for years and it’s still a work in progress!
Originally from North London, his love for vehicles started early as an apprentice, took him through Hertfordshire, and eventually landed him in sunny Devon.
With over 20 years of MOT testing under his belt, Jamie knows his stuff inside out. Over the years, he’s built a loyal following of customers - some going out of their way to have him take care of their vehicles. Safe to say, if your car’s in Jamie’s hands, it’s in very good company.

With over 25 years in the motor trade, Simon brings a wealth of hands on experience and a serious passion for all things automotive. It all started back in 2000 when he bought his first JDM import, he was hooked instantly, and he hasn’t owned a non-Japanese car since.

These days, Simon has a Japanese car for every occasion (yes, really). Over the years, he’s owned, modified, and even tracked a wide range of JDM models, but he’s got a soft spot for one in particular, the MR2. He’s currently on his seventh, which says it all.

When he’s not in the workshop, Simon loves getting out into the great outdoors, though he’ll tell you it’s even better when explored on two wheels, riding his motorcycle.

Steve has been a vehicle body repair specialist since he was a young lad... As a manager of Torque Bodyworks, he deals with everything from basic bumper scuffs to full vehicle restorations. His commute is only a couple of miles away which he takes on in a mighty Daihatsu Charade. A force to be reckoned with at the go-kart track Steve used to go 'Banger Racing back in the day. If we're out on a social, put a Malibu & Milk in Steve's hand and he's content.

Our man Alex heads up Torque's Detailing Department making automotive metal look its absolute finest. Responsible for carrying out a wide range of professional detailing services there's no doubt Alex has the cleanest car in the Torque GT staff car park. He daily drives a Honda Accord Euro R (CL7), but his absolute pride and joy is an R32 GT-R... Both modified with further plans afoot. To be honest, when it comes to spending money on car parts, Alex is Torque Parts' best customer!

When Daniel was 15, he fell in love with British cars after seeing a Triumph Spitfire 1500 on holiday. During college, his passion for cars expanded to include Japanese models as well... He's been primarily focused on them since and is now involved in car prep & warehouse support. Although he loves British and Japanese cars, his dream car would be a slice of Americana - A C3 Corvette Stingray ZR1 in yellow!

Meet Sally. Sally’s professional background is in the finance sector, but these days she keeps the Torque GT office running smoothly, providing daily support to the team and covering Health & Safety, HR, and all things customer-focused to ensure the best experience for all involved. A proud Northerner, she’s well travelled, having grown up in Cyprus and Germany, spent 13 years in Jersey, and also lived for a time in South East Asia. When she’s not keeping the office organised or making sure customers, colleagues, and the business are all happy, you’ll find her experimenting in the kitchen, creating culinary delights from around the world, or spoiling her Cockerpoo, Noodles, who probably judges her cooking. Her dream car? A classic sixties convertible Mustang aka “Mustang Sally” though the team is gently nudging her towards something a bit more JDM.

Danny has the experience and expertise to carry out all aspects of bodywork repair, whether a private customer, trade or insurance jobs. Now, we all know a late night eBay purchase is the best kind but Danny once managed to acquire a purple 911 convertible after having had a few… Speaking of which, he's partial to a few beers at the annual 'Christmas Do.

At Torque Bodyworks, Lenny is lucky enough to be involved with some very special cars. I'm sure all will agree, he makes the working environment a better place with his talented singing voice... He's also only just got his driving licence, so look out world! Known as the 'Maoam Thief, having been caught red handed pinching the sweets from the warehouses which are included in our parts orders…

Ash mainly focuses on underbody work in our busy body shop, using the latest techniques to improve/restore cars. One of the services includes Ice Blasting, the next big thing for car restoration, providing the ultimate underbody and engine bay cleaning solution... It's a powerful way to clean contamination without damaging the underlying surfaces. It will restore the finish of your car to a level not previously possible. His daily driver is a Honda Civic Type S.

Put Dan in front of a camera and he won't stop talking! The face of Torque GT's YouTube, presenting the popular Project P1 series. He's an Anglo Italian / proud Mancunian with a degree in Transportation Design and an obsession with anything with 4 wheels. Off camera he's busy working on his own crazy build projects such as a V8 Lada. Greatest car Dan has owned to date was an R32 GT-R in Red Pearl Metallic... He's always saying he should never have sold it!

Josh's four legged work buddy holds down the prestigious role of giving off general good vibes at Torque GT HQ. When a customer walks through the door, what could be better than being greeted by Boris? He accepts being pampered as payment. When it comes to his cars, boot space comes
above all else!