Harding Performance started its journey in 1998.
Originally called “HARDING EUROPEAN”, we were located in a large industrial building at Rocklea, Brisbane.
From these premises ran a large Volkswagen / Audi service centre, and a wrecking / dismantling business. We also specialised in sourcing rare & obsolete parts, bringing in a lot of new old stock items from Europe, the US & South America.
We also started importing Volkswagen tuning products for the air-cooled cars and ran a successful Targa Tasmania campaign in our class-winning 1960 Beetle.
We then progressed into tuning cars. In 1999 we were “chip tuning” daily—Volkswagen MK4 Golf GTIs, Audi A4s & S4 B5s.
In 2005, the business was split, the workshop & dismantling side was sold off, leaving “HARDING PERFORMANCE” to focus purely on performance products.
Achievements Over the Years
1998
Targa Tasmania class win – VW Beetle 1300cc.
1999
MK4 Golf GTI – First K04 conversion in Australia.
2000
Audi MK1 TT Quattro – First RHD “Stage 3” Big turbo kit fitted in the world. Exported to over 10 countries.
2003
Audi B6 A4 1.8T Quattro – Stage 3 big turbo kits & software development.
2005
VW Polo GTI – Big turbo (K04), new fueling system, upgraded differentials. Raced in Dutton Rally series.
VW Golf GTI – Big turbo kits tested in MOTOR Magazine’s first Hot Tuner Shootout at Oran Park.
2009
Porsche 997 GT2 – Fastest ever production car lap of Oran Park (Warren Luff).
BMW 335i – Drift session at Oran Park (Warren Luff).
2010
VW Golf GTI – FWD shootout winner at Wakefield Park.
VW Polo GTI Twin Charger – Podium lockout at Wakefield Park (Warren Luff).
Porsche Cayman 987S Widebody – MOTOR Hot Tuner Competition debut.
Started software upgrades for VW Amarok TDI & TSI models.
2011
VW Golf GTI MK6 – Class victory and 2nd fastest lap (Paul Morris).
Featured in VOLKSWAGEN DRIVER magazine (UK).
Entered WTAC with our 500hp Golf R.
2012
Golf R MK6 – First in-house RHD Big Turbo kit. Fastest SMSP lap (Warren Luff).
2013
Golf R DSG build – Wins MOTOR Hot Tuner Challenge outright.
10-second street-legal VW Golf R – Driven to/from track.
Featured by Speedhunters & Performance VW (UK).
2014
VW Golf GTI MK6 – First GTI in 10s quarter-mile club.
Golf R MK6 – Class & outright wins in MOTOR Hot Tuner Shootout.
VW Tiguan (500hp) – Dubbed “Franken Mumster,” 0–100 in 4.1s.
2015
Golf R MK7 – First global E85 build with custom in-house fuel system.
2016
Audi S1 – 500hp MOTOR Shootout build with Racingline Stage 3.
Golf R MK7 – MOTOR performance testing leader.
Guest driver pilots 500hp Golf R at WTAC.
Started VW Amarok V6 torque limiter tuning.
2017
Racingline Stage 3 kits – Australia’s best-selling MQB turbo upgrade.
2018
Golf R MK7.5 (7-speed DSG) – Stage 3 development begins.
2019
500hp Arteon built for Volkswagen Australia – 0–100 in 3.9s.
VW Amarok TDI 550 – Track-ready show vehicle support.
WTAC entry with widebody Scirocco.
2021
Released proprietary in-house DSG software via dealer network.
2022
Test fleet expanded to Golf GTI MK8, Golf R MK8, and T-Roc.
2023
CUPRA launches in Australia – full product range available.
2024
EA888.4 platform software & hardware launched. E85 tuning wins VWMA Warwick Drag event in forced induction class.