Top Secret (company)

Top Secret Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社トップシークレット
IndustryMotorsport
FounderKazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata
HeadquartersChiba Prefecture, Chiba City
ProductsAutomotive Performance Parts
 (£1,500.300)
Websitehttp://www.topsecret-jpn.com/
Top Secret Nissan R35 GT-R at Osaka Auto Messe

Top Secret Co., Ltd. (株式会社トップシークレット, Kabushiki-gaisha Toppu Shīkuretto) is a Japanese automobile tuner and parts manufacturer. The company was founded by Japanese automotive engineer and driver, Kazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata.[1]

The company is mainly known for its tuning, aftermarket parts, body kits, and performance engineering. Top Secret's current product lineup consists of aero, exterior and interior, engine, exhaust, chassis, brake, suspension, and powertrain parts.

Top Secret is also known for its illegal Wangan high speed runs, professional drifting, circuit racing, and drag racing.

History

[edit]

Founder Kazuhiko "Smokey" Nagata began his career as a mechanic for Toyota as their youngest employee. He then became a tuner and fabricator at Trust/GReddy. As he began using the Trust shop for his own personal projects in 1978, the name "Top Secret" was born, as a nickname for his discreet work at the Trust facility. His employers allowed this to continue as Nagata was a highly skilled employee and valuable asset to the company.[2][3]

Top Secret became independent from Trust in 1991 and set up their own shop in Chiba. In 1993, the company began exhibiting at the Tokyo Auto Salon.[4]

Since 1994, Nagata and the Top Secret team have participated in speed trials and speed challenges such as 0–400 km/h (0-249 mph), 0–300 km/h (0-186 mph), 1000m, and top speed challenges, often with a Toyota Supra A80. Nagata famously performed many illegal speed runs on public roads, including 341 km/h (212 mph) on the Autobahn (Germany), 358 km/h (222 mph) on Nardò (Italy) with a Top Secret V12 Supra,[4][5] and 317 km/h (197 mph) on public roads in the UK.[6] He is well known in the JDM car community and became universally known because of reposted clips on different social media platforms of these illegal high speed runs.[7] Some clips found on YouTube are sourced from "Midnight 200mph Blast" (DVD).

In 2008 at the Nardò Ring in Italy, the Top Secret V12 Supra set a top speed of 222.6 mph, powered by a fully-built 1GZ-FE from the Toyota Century with dual HKS GT2835 ball bearing turbochargers and tuned to 930 hp and 745 lb-ft of torque.[8][9][10] One of their most notable complete cars, the Top Secret V12 Supra featured a unique bespoke body kit called the G-Force kit, new headlights, and gold Rays GTF wheels. The body is 33mm wider than stock in the front, and 55mm wider in the rear.[11]

A recognizable feature of many Top Secret tuned cars are their gold paint schemes. Only cars that Nagata deem to be the best and most accomplished projects that represent the epitome of the Top Secret tuning philosophy receive this special gold paint scheme.[12]

Top Secret won the 2007 Tokyo Auto Salon Championship with its "Final Evolution" V12 twin turbo Toyota Supra.[13] At the 2017 Tokyo Auto Salon, Top Secret debuted an R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R that had been transplanted with the engine, driveline, and interior of the newer R35 Nissan GT-R. The tuning company dubbed this car the "Skyline VR32 GT-R".[14]

Motorsport

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Ryuji Miki won Round 5, and ultimately won the 2004 Japanese D1GP championship in a Nissan Silvia S15 racing for Top Secret.[15] In 2005, Miki won an exhibition round at Silverstone Circuit in the UK in a Nissan Fairlady Z.

In 2007, Yoichi Imamura took 3rd place at Round 3 and 6 at Suzuka and Autopolis respectively. Imamura also won an exhibition round at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the same year.

Racing Results

[edit]
Japan Top Secret
Founder(s)Kazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata
Former seriesD1GP
Drivers'
Championships		1

D1GP

[edit]
Year Car Driver Drivers' rankings
2002 Nissan Silvia S14 Japan Ryuji Miki 28th
Nissan Silvia S15
2003 Nissan Silvia S14 Japan Ryuji Miki 13th
2004 #10 Nissan Silvia S15 Japan Ryuji Miki 1st
2005 Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 Japan Ryuji Miki 16th
2006 Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 JapanYoichi Imamura 15th
2007 Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 JapanYoichi Imamura 6th
2021 Nissan Laurel C33 JapanMakoto Toda 1st

References

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  1. ^ "株式会社トップシークレット". www.topsecret-jpn.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  2. ^ Njoki, Dennis Kariuki (2022-09-22). "10 Fast Facts About 'Smokey' Nagata, The Man Who Attempted 200 MPH On British Public Roads". HotCars. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  3. ^ "10 Fast Facts About Smokey Nagata, The Man Who Attempted 200 MPH On British Public Roads". HotCars. 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  4. ^ a b "会社概要｜About – TOPSECRET" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  5. ^ "The world's most infamous Toyota Supra is for sale". Top Gear. 2017-12-15. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  6. ^ "Meet the man who attempted 200mph on a British motorway". Top Gear. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  7. ^ SMOKY NAGATA's MIDNIGHT 200MPH BLAST chapters 1 & 2, retrieved 2022-11-28
  8. ^ Stumpf, Rob (2017-12-13). "'Top Secret' V12 Toyota Supra Going to Auction, and You Need It". The Drive. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  9. ^ "Smokey Nagata's Wizardry: The Legendary V12-Powered Top Secret Toyota Supra". HotCars. 2022-04-14. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  10. ^ "Top Secret V12 Supra does 222 mph at Nardo". Autoblog. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  11. ^ "Car Feature>> Top Secret Supra V12". Speedhunters. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  12. ^ Ferrara, Michael (2017-01-05). "Top Secret Shop Tour | Interview with Smokey Nagata". DSPORT Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  13. ^ "TS8012 SUPRA - TOP SECRET OFFICIAL WEBSITE".
  14. ^ "VR32 GT-R - TOP SECRET OFFICIAL WEBSITE". Top Secret.
  15. ^ "D1 GRAND PRIX Official Website - Past Series". www.d1gp.co.jp. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
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