Motovicity Ticket To Ride Spotlight: HKS Legamax Axle-Back Exhaust for the 2013 Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ
by Justin Banner
HKS, a name so synonymous with the Japanese Tuning Culture that JDM-ites bow down just by the mention of the name. A name tied in with Zero-Yon drags, time attack and drifting so closely that anything with a black, purple, blue and aqua shred design is thought to be the vehicle to beat. Their quality work and high attention to detail, which many have unsuccessfully tried to replicate, have helped HKS set records in many different forms of motorsport.
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| Since their opening in 1973, HKS has made high performance parts, accessories, and fluids for nearly every Japanese car ever built. Many who don't know wonder where the letters “HKS” came from. Well, it comes from the partners Hiroyuki Hasegawa (H), Goichi Kitagawa (K), and Sigma Automotive (S), who provided funding for initial capital. |
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| HKS is well known for their involvement in motorsports and has been producing aftermartket high performance parts for on and off road vehicles for many years. Now HKS has its wings spread from Aviation to Speedway Motorcycle (specialized flat track bike) engines. |
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The FR-S from the factory is a very fun machine with the soul of a sports car. I never thought there could be a rival machine to the MX-5/Miata until I drove a FR-S – I was blown away! Even the automatic version was exciting to drive and offered great handling, response and oversteering fun. But much like the 99% of cars that roll of the assembly lines, it lacked the sound enthusiasts are looking for. Not even a burble, growl, or anything that resembled a great exhaust tone. I wanted to hear the engine work and listen to the exhaust escape! |
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| Thankfully the aftermarket has responded and HKS is here to solve your mundane exhaust problems with an exhaust that wont have you reaching for the earplugs after 60 feet of driving. The Legamax Premium Axle-Back Exhaust System from HKS is part of the Legamax Premium line of exhaust systems for the FR-S/BRZ. It features 124mm diameter dual tips that are fed from a single inlet, dual outlet Legamax exhaust silencer. Just like all Legamax Exhausts, the tips are designed to fit the contours and improve the sound of the FR-S/BRZ. It's not too quiet, but it's not too loud either. It is the perfect blend of performance sound and premium silencing. |
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The piping that connects the OEM center pipe to the HKS muffle is 60.5mm in diameter, the dual outlets from the muffler are 54mm in diameter. The entire system is made of T304 Stainless Steel and features OEM style hangers. The Legamax Premium exhaust is a bolt in affair, requiring no modification or fabrication of centerpipes. The silencer uses Owens Corning Advantex continuous Glass Fiber Wool to bring the decibles back down to sensible levels. The stock system has a close decible level of 86 dB while the HKS Legamax System increases it to just 96 dB. At idle, it's only a 2dB increase, so the “sound patrol” won't harass you as you enjoy your FR-S/BRZ as it was meant to be! |
For more information on HKS' Legamax Muffler Systems and the rest of their high performance products, visit them at www.hks-power.co.jp
Be sure to stay tuned to MotoIQ as we bring you more spotlights on the products you'll be seeing in the Motovicity Ticket to Ride Scion FR-S and Ford Mustang GT! For the latest news on Motovicity's Ticket-to-Ride sweepstakes and project updates visit the project's homepages through the Industry Partners pull down menu on the top menu bar or go directly now:
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