BMR Suspension has been on something of a shopping spree lately, and apparently, the company isn’t done yet. The performance suspension giant has officially acquired Hotchkis Sport Suspension, adding another familiar name to a portfolio that is quickly becoming a who’s who of the aftermarket suspension world.
For LS enthusiasts, this one is particularly interesting. Whether you’re talking about a fourth-gen F-body, a modern GTO, a fifth- or sixth-gen Camaro, or any number of LS-swapped classics, chances are pretty good you’ve encountered parts from BMR or Hotchkis somewhere along the way.
“Bringing Hotchkis Sport Suspension into the family alongside BMR Suspension and Heidts Suspension creates a unique synergy among three highly respected performance suspension brands,” explained BMR president Allan Miller. “Together, we are building a stronger platform centered on premium products and American manufacturing.”
Hotchkis certainly brings plenty of history to the table. Founded more than three decades ago, the company helped popularize the seemingly novel idea that old-school American muscle cars could do more than accelerate in a straight line. Through sway bars, springs, chassis components, complete suspension packages, track days, and autocross events, Hotchkis became one of the brands synonymous with the Pro Touring movement.
“From the crazy idea more than three decades ago that muscle cars should actually handle, then designing, testing, and producing performance suspension systems, to our track days and autocross events — it’s been an amazing ride,” said company president John Hotchkis.
The acquisition also makes BMR’s growing collection of aftermarket brands pretty hard to ignore. In addition to BMR, Hotchkis, and Heidts Suspension, the family now includes Alston Racing, Carlyle Racing, Chassis Engineering Inc., and Control Freak Suspension.
That gives the organization an increasingly broad reach across everything from modern muscle and drag racing to Pro Touring and classic-car chassis systems.
Perhaps more importantly, Hotchkis doesn’t appear to be disappearing into some giant corporate black hole. John Hotchkis expressed confidence in Miller and his son, Allan III, carrying the company’s legacy forward, while BMR specifically pointed toward premium products and American manufacturing as central to the combined operation.
For those of us playing with LS-powered cars, the acquisition puts an impressive amount of suspension knowledge under one increasingly large roof. After all, making more horsepower with an LS engine has never been particularly difficult. Getting all of it to the pavement, while occasionally turning left and right, is where things get interesting.
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