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United States Emelia Hartford builds record-breaking performance cars, acts in major films, and advocates for mental health through her platform.
Emelia Hartford announced her first national campaign with Motul USA, marking a significant partnership for the development of new performance fluids, including High-Torque DCTF fluid for high-performance Dual-Clutch Transmission equipped vehicles. This collaboration also involved her brand, Hartford Limited, celebrating Motul's racing history.
Hartford launched an apparel line called Return to Life, which donates a portion of its proceeds to mental health non-profit organizations. This initiative aligns with her personal experiences and advocacy for mental wellness.
A partnership with Daily Driven Exotics was announced, focusing on a C8 GT4.R build and the launch of new APEX wheels.
GSC Power-Division is listed as a build partner for Emelia Hartford's Nissan Z project, contributing to the engine's internal components. This partnership was key in building the heart for her record-breaking Nissan Z.
Xona Rotor was a build partner for Emelia Hartford's Nissan Z project, likely providing turbocharger components to help achieve the vehicle's high-performance metrics.
Cicio Performance is recognized as a build partner for Emelia Hartford's Nissan Z project, contributing expertise or components necessary for optimizing the car's performance.
Michelin invited Emelia Hartford to New York to launch their Pilot Sport 4S performance summer tire, an early and significant opportunity that helped her network with other car influencers and inspired her to start her YouTube channel.
In 2020, Emelia Hartford co-starred with NBA player Devin Booker in a short film produced by Chevrolet for the release of the 2023 Corvette Z06, leveraging her expertise and public image in the automotive sector.
In June 2022, Emelia Hartford appeared as a guest on the podcast hosted by Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company, indicating a collaboration or feature that highlighted her contributions to the automotive industry.
Mobil 1 was a sponsor for Emelia Hartford's professional debut in the GT4 class at the 103rd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. She drove a Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport for the Mobil 1 race team.
BBi Autosport prepared the Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport that Emelia Hartford drove for the Mobil 1 race team at her professional debut at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 2025.
Porsche Colorado Springs was involved in preparing the Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport that Emelia Hartford raced at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 2025.
Emelia Hartford was assigned to Maserati MSG Racing during the inaugural Formula E “Evo Sessions” in 2025, where she worked alongside Stoffel Vandoorne and ultimately won the Grand Champion title.
Emelia Hartford, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, later moved to Bloomington, Indiana, following a personal tragedy. At 15, she lost her father to suicide. This event shaped her advocacy for mental health and her connection to the car community, which became a significant source of support. Her initial car, an Infiniti G35, led her to learn manual transmission, humorously recalling smoking the clutch on her first drive home. Before achieving widespread recognition, Hartford supported herself through small acting roles and service industry jobs, dedicating her free time to customizing cars.
Her passion for cars transitioned into a professional career through an organic progression. Her early Instagram posts about her car projects attracted attention, leading to an invitation from Michelin for a product launch event. At this event, she received advice that prompted her to start her YouTube channel in 2017. This platform quickly grew, accumulating over 72 million views by March 2021, showcasing her skills as a custom car builder and race car driver. This online presence facilitated her entry into the automotive racing world and expanded her acting career, notably with appearances in film and television.
Hartford has achieved notable milestones in both automotive performance and media. She gained international recognition for building and driving “Phoenix,” her custom Corvette C8, which broke the world record for the quickest C8 in the quarter-mile in 2021 with a time of 9.36 seconds at 147 mph (237 km/h) at Famoso Raceway. Following this, in December 2024, she set another quarter-mile world record with her custom Nissan Z, achieving 7.75 seconds at 181.85 mph (292.66 km/h). In June 2025, she made her professional racing debut at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, securing second place in the GT4 class and winning the “Grand Champion” title at the Formula E “Evo Sessions” earlier that year. In addition to her racing endeavors, she has continued her acting career, starring as ‘Leah Vega’ in Sony’s 2023 film “Gran Turismo.” She also co-hosts the weekly podcast “Car Stories” with Sung Kang, demonstrating her diverse talents.
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