What Xtrac does

Xtrac is a UK-headquartered designer and manufacturer of high-performance transmission systems founded in 1984 and based in Thatcham, England. The company supplies bespoke sequential, dual-clutch, and manual gearboxes to motorsport racing series, ultra-premium automotive OEMs, and — following the May 2025 acquisition of Austrian firm Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG — aerospace and defense customers. Notable programmes include the P1439 sequential transmission selected for the next-generation IndyCar IR28 chassis debuting in 2028, a co-developed seven-speed manual gearbox for the limited-production Pagani Utopia Roadster hypercar (130-unit run, 864 hp twin-turbo V12), and an integrated high-performance EV powertrain platform showcased at SEMA 2025.

Xtrac's core technology is built around precision gear engineering and bespoke transmission architecture, validated through decades of use in Formula 1, IndyCar, WEC, and Le Mans endurance racing. Manufacturing is anchored by specialist equipment including Sodick wire EDM, DMG Mori-Seiki and Behringer machining centres, and a Klingelnberg P40 gear inspection system — a £1m investment completed at Thatcham in early 2026. The company also operates an in-house apprentice academy to develop specialist transmission engineering talent, and runs Zoerkler's Austrian production footprint as a wholly owned subsidiary serving aerospace, defense, and high-performance automotive customers.

The business model is project-based bespoke hardware supply: revenue is generated through negotiated development agreements and long-cycle component supply to OEM partners, chassis constructors (e.g., Dallara for IndyCar), and prestige OEMs (Pagani), with product cycles aligned to racing regulations and vehicle platform lifecycles. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated contract by contract. The company is privately held by US private equity firm MiddleGround Capital, which has used Xtrac as a platform for inorganic expansion. Distribution is exclusively direct and OEM-embedded — there is no consumer or aftermarket channel — and the company's go-to-market relies on engineering co-development and motorsport-validated credibility rather than traditional sales or marketing.

Name

Xtrac

Legal name

Xtrac

Website

https://xtrac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Xtrac designs and manufactures bespoke high-performance transmission systems — sequential, dual-clutch, and manual gearboxes — for motorsport racing series, hypercar OEMs (Pagani), and aerospace & defense customers (via Zoerkler), operating from Thatcham, UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

High-Performance Transmissions

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Transmission & Transaxle Manufacturing (Manual/Automatic/DCT/CVT) (IMACAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Passenger Vehicle Transmission & Drivetrain Systems Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAG)

Keywords

• High-performance transmissions
• Motorsport gearbox systems
• Automotive transmission manufacturing
• Aerospace transmission components
• Precision gear manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Thatcham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Motorsport Transmission Sales: Xtrac designs and manufactures bespoke transmission systems for racing series, high-performance sports cars, and hypercars. Revenue is generated through long-term supply agreements with OEMs and racing series chassis constructors, with product cycles aligned to vehicle platform lifecycles and racing regulations.
2. Aerospace & Defense Transmission Components: Following the acquisition of Zoerkler, Xtrac expanded into aerospace and defense market segments, supplying high-performance transmission components to this vertical.
3. Automotive OEM Co-Development: Xtrac collaborates with automotive OEMs such as Pagani on exclusive co-development projects for bespoke transmission systems, generating revenue through engineering development fees and component supply for limited-production hypercars.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Xtrac designs and manufactures high-performance transmission systems for motorsport, premium automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications. The company's portfolio includes sequential gearboxes, dual-clutch transmissions, bespoke multi-speed manual gearboxes, and high-performance EV powertrains, complemented by subcontract precision gear manufacturing components offered under its Zoerkler brand. It serves as a tier-one supplier to racing series, hypercar OEMs, and industrial equipment manufacturers.

Product overview

Xtrac is a transmission technology specialist headquartered in Thatcham, UK, offering a portfolio of transmission products and precision manufacturing services for motorsport, automotive, and aerospace sectors. The product line includes the Xtrac P1439 transmission for IndyCar, high-performance EV powertrains developed in partnership with New Eagle and Helix, and seven-speed manual gearboxes for hypercar applications such as the Pagani Utopia Roadster. The company also manufactures precision transmission components through its acquired brand Zoerkler, and provides gear manufacturing services using advanced machining and inspection equipment. Xtrac serves global customers across racing, high-performance automotive, and aerospace industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Xtrac P1439 Transmission High-performance transmission supplied to the IndyCar racing series, designed for the extreme demands of top-level open-wheel motorsport competition including regulation compliance, durability across a full race season, and rapid shift performance.
• Xtrac High-Performance EV Powertrain
• Seven-Speed Manual Gearbox for Pagani Huayra
• Zoerkler Transmission Components
• Precision Gear Manufacturing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• IndyCar IR28 chassis equipped with Xtrac P1439 transmission achieves 20-25 lbs weight reduction compared to the outgoing unit
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• JCBflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Xtrac partnered with JCB on the Hydromax hydrogen-powered land speed record project. The JCB Hydromax car, driven by Andy Green, is powered by two JCB digger engines running on hydrogen and utilises Xtrac's transmission technology. The project is part of JCB's £100 million investment in hydrogen combustion engine technology, showcasing hydrogen as a zero-emissions alternative to diesel for heavy machinery ahead of JCB opening a new $500 million factory in San Antonio, Texas.
• ZoerklercoreTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2025Xtrac acquired Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG, an Austria-based manufacturer of high-performance transmission components. The acquisition enhances Xtrac's product offerings and expands its reach into new market segments including aerospace & defense and high-performance automotive sectors.
• ProdriveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProdrive partnered with JCB on the Hydromax hydrogen-powered land speed record project alongside Xtrac and Ricardo, contributing to the engineering and development of the record-breaking vehicle.
• RicardominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRicardo partnered with JCB on the Hydromax hydrogen-powered land speed record project alongside Xtrac and Prodrive, providing engineering expertise for the record attempt vehicle.
• PaganiflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerXtrac co-designed the seven-speed manual gearbox exclusively for the Pagani Utopia Roadster hypercar in collaboration with Pagani's engineering team. The transmission is engineered to handle the 864 hp twin-turbo V12 while meeting Pagani's strict performance and packaging requirements for the 130-unit production run.
• New EagleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerXtrac and New Eagle co-showcased a fully integrated high-performance all-electric powertrain in a C7 Corvette Grand Sport at SEMA 2025, demonstrating Xtrac's transmission integration capabilities in an EV platform achieving under 2.85 seconds 0-60 mph.
• HelixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerXtrac and Helix partnered with New Eagle to showcase a fully integrated all-electric powertrain at SEMA 2025, with Xtrac's transmission enabling the C7 Corvette EV conversion to exceed 200 mph.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Antonov Transmissions: Boutique UK/European specialist in high-performance dual-clutch and sequential transmissions for motorsport and supercars. Closely comparable niche positioning and product range to Xtrac's motorsport transmission portfolio.
• Hewland Engineering: UK-based specialist designer and manufacturer of motorsport and high-performance automotive transmissions. Most direct comparable to Xtrac in terms of customer base (motorsport teams, hypercar OEMs), bespoke co-development model, and product category (sequential and manual gearboxes).
• Pankl Racing Systems: Austrian specialist in high-performance driveline and chassis components for motorsport and high-end automotive OEMs (including hypercars). Comparable in serving the same niche hypercar and racing customer base as Xtrac.
• Sadev (SRT): French manufacturer of sequential gearboxes and driveline components for motorsport and high-performance road cars. Directly competes with Xtrac in racing transmissions and serves similar European motorsport and hypercar customers.
• Ricardo plc: UK-based engineering consultancy and transmission specialist with motorsport, automotive, and aerospace exposure. Overlaps with Xtrac in transmission co-development (notably on the JCB Hydromax project) and serves similar high-performance OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• ZF Friedrichshafen: Global tier-1 automotive transmission and drivetrain supplier. Overlaps with Xtrac in high-performance applications but serves mass-market OEMs as part of a much broader portfolio rather than specialising in bespoke motorsport/hypercar transmissions.
• Dana Incorporated: Global drivetrain supplier with both automotive and aerospace/defense exposure. Comparable to Xtrac's post-Zoerkler positioning in spanning motorsport/automotive and aerospace, but at mass-market scale rather than bespoke specialist volume.
• Schaeffler Group: Major automotive transmission and drivetrain component manufacturer with motorsport and high-performance product lines. Comparable in automotive transmission engineering but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple mobility segments.
• BorgWarner: Global automotive supplier of transmissions and drivetrain systems including dual-clutch technology used in high-performance vehicles. Comparable technology overlap but operates at mass-market scale rather than bespoke motorsport volume.

Regional players

• Holinger Engineering: Australian motorsport transmission specialist serving V8 Supercars and global racing teams. Comparable product category (sequential gearboxes) but serves primarily the Australian/APAC market rather than directly competing in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/xtraclimited
• Facebookfacebook.com/xtraclimited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xtrac-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Xtrac