if you’ve heard an M5 sounding like a nascar racer, chances are it was wearing a Hayward & Scott exhaust system. We find out where it all started...

Words: Paul Wager | Pictures: Hayward & Scott

How did Hayward & Scott begin?
“The company founder, Gordon Scott, was working as a sheet metal fabricator in the aerospace industry and decided to build his own sports car around an E-Type engine. He enlisted the help of a colleague, Mark Hayward and the two of them fabricated from scratch a stainless steel exhaust manifold and system.

It wasn’t long before they were asked to make up systems for other people and in 1982 the decision was made to turn what had become a part-time evenings-and-weekends sideline into a full-time business.

The company started out concentrating on Jaguars but was also involved in exhaust development for other high-end performance cars. In 1985, we were commissioned to develop the exhaust system for the Group B Ford RS200 and recognition on the rally scene as a result of that brought work for Mitsubishi Ralliart. Mark Hayward departed in 1987 to set up his own alloy body panel business and Gordon Scott has been running the firm solo since then.”

What are your most popular BMW systems?
“That’s easily our back boxes for the V8 M5. None of the others sound as good as ours! People just view a video of the system on YouTube and they’re sold on it.”

What’s new in the BMW range from H&S?
Our most recent BMW design is the system for the V8 M3 which works brilliantly. Many exhaust developers have had problems with droning and also with getting gas to exit through all four pipes but we’ve managed to solve the issues. After all, if you’ve got four pipes you want all four to be working...”

Which BMW models do you cover?
“All the M Power cars really, apart from the very early ones. The Z3M is about the earliest we cover but otherwise we have systems for the M3s, M5s and the Z4M.”

Can you cater for non-M models?
“It’s unusual for us to produce a system for a non-M Power BMW but yes, we can cater for any car by making up a custom system, although you would need to bring the car to our workshops to have it made and fitted.”

I don’t live in the UK. Can I still get hold of an H&S system?
“We export our system all round the world – we’ve sold loads of our E39 M5 back boxes to the USA, plus systems to customers across Europe.”

What can I expect to pay for an H&S system?
“Our M5 back boxes go for around £600 plus VAT and the V8 M3 back boxes £750 plus VAT.”

CONTACT

Hayward & Scott
Units 10 & 11, Nobel Square,
Burnt Mills, Industrial Estate,
Basildon, Essex, SS13 1LS
Tel 01268 727256
www.haywardandscott.com

To read more about Hayward & Scott see the May 2011 issue of Total BMW. Back issues available here.