MBRP Performance Exhaust

With dozens of magazine covers, podium finishes, and continued diversification of product offerings, it would be easy to forget about the early days. But MBRP holds tightly to its beginnings because those days built the framework for where the company is today. Here’s the story.

THE EARLY YEARS

1975

Martin discovered his passion

Spending time around and watching his dad build exhausts helped shape Martin’s intuitive knowledge.

1996

MBRP was founded

It started with a performance muffler for a sled.

Martin’s first experience with building exhausts came by way of his father. He saw his dad building an exhaust for a customer’s snowmobile and it inspired him to pursue that same craft.

Martin traveled through Ontario and Quebec City, where he knocked on every shop door possible to help his father sell their exhausts. As time went on, he started helping his father in the manufacturing and finish of those same exhausts. It wasn’t long before Martin was painting 75 snowmobile cans a day in a closet-sized booth that he made in his garage.

Shortly after, Martin and Ginger Barkey founded MBRP from their one-car garage where the company’s first products were manufactured. Their goal was clear: make premium aftermarket exhaust systems that were accessible to everyone.

1997

Eagle River Snowmobile Event

The trip across the border that changed it all.

Martin booked a spot at the biggest snowmobile event in North America. The Eagle River Derby.

Martin and good friend James Treadwell loaded up the snowmobile cans in their rented U-Haul trailer and drove the 12-hours across the US border to get to the show. Martin and James worked day and night, and even in the freezing cold, to make it to the show and showcase what they believed to be a superior product. They set up snowmobile displays with the MBRP cans for prospective customers to listen to and compare. Word quickly got out and MBRP solidified themselves as a serious contender in the exhaust industry.

1999

Breaking into Automotive

Martin’s exhausts were a hit with their display at SEMA. They drove a fully customized Ford F-350 all the way from Canada to Las Vegas. The truck had all the newest, best parts on it. It was well received by everyone who saw it at the show. This first year at SEMA helped create many relationships that they still have today.

From the attention that their F-350 SEMA build was receiving, a magazine asked Martin to do a photoshoot. In Martin Barkey style, he didn’t just show the magazine his exhaust system. He showed it off. Martin gave the press a performance throughout the desert, jumping over dunes, throwing rooster tails in the sand, and giving them a real big show. He even busted the front axle on his truck while jumping the truck for the camera. The press absolutely loved it.

2003

Diesel duals changed the industry

4 inches never looked so good

Martin and Ginger established themselves with 3-inch diesel exhausts. As a proactive and forward-thinking company, they weren’t complacent with their success. The entire MBRP team was constantly searching for the next big thing.

Enter in, the 4-inch diesel exhaust. Something that was never done before. And, instead of just offering single exits, they offered duals.

The 4-inch exit with a dual option provided a style that better matched the size and toughness of a diesel truck. It was an instant runaway winner. Shortly after, MBRP trademarked ‘Cool Duals’ in the automotive market.

2005

Big East PowerSports

The secret superpower of MBRP is its community

Back in the day, the Big East PowerSports Show overlapped with SEMA. Ginger would head up that event, while Martin was showcasing their products at SEMA. Ginger was meeting with people who consistently bought products year after year. She built relationships from those first meetings, and those customers became a part of the brand. All things they talked about at the shows were incorporated into the company. Feedback on products. Branding decisions and messaging.

Because they were heard as customers, they quickly became enthusiastic about the brand and shared it with others. The customers brought forward a new level of passion for the brand that exceeded Ginger and Martin’s expectations. That same passion contributes to the success MBRP has today.

2008

Tested on the track proven on the street

There was one place left for MBRP to showcase its dominance: the racetrack. Martin and Ginger knew that if they could stand out with the race crowd, they could stand out with any crowd. And, for Martin, this was a natural calling. His love of cars, speed and competition were a perfect fit for the racetrack. As Martin’s said, “Racing is a passion and sickness all in one.”

Martin started pursuing track time in a Viper during track days at Mosport in 2009. Shortly after, he took his passion from track days to amateur racing with wins in CASC regional races and IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada.

n Martin's time on the track, He’s driven many different race cars and has raced in various series around the world. After years of hard-fought podium battles, Martin and his co-driver Kyle Marcelli took the 2019 Pro/Am championship in the Pirelli World Challenge GT3 series for Racer's Edge Motorsports with their Acura NSX. Apart from road racing, Martin has also raced off-road in deserts, rocks and short courses in Ultra4 Racing.

Motorsport is an essential part of MBRP. That's why MBRP supports professionals like Vaughn Gittin Jr, Chelsea DeNofa, Loren Healy, and many other athletes, as they compete in different disciplines for the top spot on podiums globally.

2018

Grounded in values

Keeping it in the family

The success of MBRP has been driven by firm values that are rooted in family. Over the years, almost every one of Martin and Ginger’s family members, including children, siblings, nieces and nephews, have had a part in the company’s growth and understood the risks and challenges that have made MBRP what it is today.

The MBRP family is filled with enthusiasts, as well as non-automotive enthusiasts who still proudly wear the MBRP logo as a badge of what they’ve helped to build. Martin and Ginger’s children also grew up in the business. They assembled clamps and mufflers. They swept floors. They even packed and shipped the very parts that end up on your front porch and under your vehicle. Josh Barkey is currently the Vice President of Operations at MBRP, Inc.

2021

25 years later

25 years in business and MBRP sticks to the principles Martin and Ginger founded the company on. They also work with a lot of the same people. Their relationships continue to be a large part of their success with vehicle builds, as well as marketing and promotional opportunities. MBRP is much more than just Martin and Ginger. It’s about all of the employees, the loyal partners, and the devoted fans.

Years of hard work, rigorous design, and a commitment to quality craftsmanship are what set MBRP apart. From supercars to diesel trucks, and everything in between, MBRP promises to deliver performance aftermarket parts that sound great, last longer, provide value, and unlock the full potential in your vehicle.

Today, getting the most out of any vehicle looks different for everybody. With that in mind, MBRP offers a variety of material types, finishes and exit styles, so you can find the best product to meet your needs. Whether you’re looking for an ultra-tough T304 stainless steel system with great durability, or a black-coated system for the ultimate style, the goal of MBRP is to give you an option that’s best for you.