Ripspeed
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Ripspeed is a sub brand of Halfords, one of the leading automotive parts retailer in the United Kingdom. It began as an independ retailer in the 1970's, two decades later the business changed hands and was purchased in 1999 by Halfords, and operates as one of the five subsections of a store if it is present.
[edit] History
Keith Ripp, a 1970's Mini Rallycross champion started up a Edmonton, London based retail and mail order[1] shop specialising in tuning parts and accessories for Minis[2] as Ripspeed International in 1973[3]
The motorsport and road car tuning and accessories side progressively grew over the years. By the 1990's, Ripspeed main rivals was Demon Tweeks and Grand Prix Racewear, both owned by racing drivers, Alan Minshaw and Ray Bellm respectively. In 1996, Ripp sold Ripspeed to Tony Joseph. He then, in a bid for expansion, relocated the store from its original premises to Enfield[3] with a plan for expansion in other areas, but this plan came to an abrupt end when the company collapsed due to financial problems after two years of ownership.
Ripp with his 2 sons Adrian and Jason later start up the based Xtreme Motorsport in Harlow, Essex, which in turn was sold off in 2001. The Ripp brothers later founded R-Tec Auto Design, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
In early 1999, Halfords took over the brand. One of the biggest change was discaring its motorsport retail side of its business to concentrate on the lucrative boy racer market.
Ripspeed is now one of the largest car modifying retailers in the UK, although it is now mocked by some of the more hardcore modifiers as being a place that boy racers will typically go to with their Vauxhall Corsa and Citroen Saxo.
Ripspeed itself has had only a limited number of demonstration cars out and about at shows and events. It started with a 1999 Vauxhall Corsa C SXI and was followed in 1999 with a Ford Focus Ripspeed's current project is a 1991 Nissan 200SX turbo which is a drift car project and has been seen in action at Santa Pod raceway in 2007. These cars are used extensively for promoting the Ripspeed brand at car shows across the UK and at store openings or promotion weekends.
Ripspeed itself did sponsor the Doncaster Performance and Custom Car Show, which begins the UK outdoor car show season. The event was renamed Ripspeed Donny.
They have sinced moved on to sponsor numerous events at Santa Pod raceway which included shows such as "The Jap Show" and "USC" (Ultimate Street Car).
