Copyright 2001 Crain Communications Inc.
AutoWeek


October 29, 2001, Monday

SECTION: Pg. 33

LENGTH: 529 words

HEADLINE: Hoppen Good Fun ; Joe Hoppen's company sets out to give America the Audis Germany intended

BYLINE: Natalie Neff

BODY:


Some who've known Josef Hoppen have called him a bulldozer. If it's unclear what that means, consider this: After just four years with Volkswagen of America, he worked his way up through the company from a service engineer in Florida to the head of motorsports for VWoA. From there he oversaw Porsche's dominance of Can-Am, helped create Formula Vee and Formula Super Vee, was largely responsible for Audi's six consecutive Pikes Peak wins and holds credit for Trans-Am titles and IMSA wins, among other accomplishments. Bulldozer.

Since leaving VW in 1990, Hoppen turned his talents to helping everyday Audi enthusiasts improve the performance of their own road-going cars by starting Hoppen Motorsports, exclusive U.S. supplier of MTM parts.

Hoppen says German-based MTM, or Motoren Tecknik Mayer, is the ''best Audi tuner in the world.'' MTM founder Roland Mayer spent much of his career as an engine engineer in Audi's R&D division, and helped design Audi's renowned five-valve family of engines.

Hoppen takes advantage of MTM's expertise, consulting on issues specific to U.S.-spec Audis. From exhaust systems to suspension parts to high-performance engine chips, Hoppen works with MTM to design parts.

''We have a system going that when there's a new model and, for example, we know what the engine is, we can burn the chips here ourselves, once we get the program from MTM,'' says Hoppen. ''All the programming is done in Germany by MTM engineers.''

MTM also designs the hard bits. ''MTM does all the development, and we get the initial kits from them and make sure they fit the U.S. models ourselves.''

Hoppen Motorsports recently acquired perhaps the best rolling demo of the tuner parts it offers: an MTM Audi RS4. With modifications to the engine and suspension, Hoppen says the 510-hp car flies from 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds and has a top speed of 194 mph.

''First thing I did was bought an RS4 in Germany. That is the car that tuning was really meant for,'' he says. ''I tuned the engine, then modified the transmission and did the same with the exhaust and suspension. Then I knew these components were perfect for the car.''

To achieve such output, Hoppen reworked the intake and exhaust ports of the normally 375-hp 2.7-liter biturbo V6; installed MTM-designed cast sport exhaust manifolds, turbochargers, exhaust system, flywheel, pressure plate and disc; and fitted its standard air box with a K&N filter.

Underneath, the MTM RS4 uses an MTM-designed suspension with 15 percent stiffer springs and shocks, an MTM three-degree negative camber kit (with longer axles), 18-inch MTM wheels, MTM Porsche brake discs and 255/35R Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires.

Right now, the Audi RS4 can't be imported to the States, but Hoppen is working with the feds on finding ways to get these powerful machines stateside. Of his own MTM Audi RS4, Hoppen can only keep it here for a year. It appeared at this month's Petit Le Mans in Atlanta, and will travel to Audi and quattro club events around the country, ''for promotion and racing purposes only. Then we will move on to other cars,'' says Hoppen.

Bulldozer, indeed.



GRAPHIC: Audi tuner Joe Hoppen's MTM RS4 features a 375-hp 2.7-liter biturbo V6.

 

The car will be at the Open house at Hoppen's shop in Sarasota, FL on 11/10

 

I've spoken to him on the phone and he's a real firecracker.

 

...come across. He appears to have learned his lesson from Audi well. I would not buy anything from them.

 

Others here have had the same comment over the last few years.

 

....an MTM chip for his car, and once when this friend of mine had a question about the A/F mixture he was getting in the upper rev range as measured on a dyno. They're very arrogant and I don't tolerate that well from my vendors. Neither does my friend with the chip.

 

I could nominate others for that award as well