I’m Tobias, owner and operator of Kraft Independent Porsche Specialist. After a lifetime immersed in the motor trade, I decided it was time to carve out my own road—delivering a hand-‘krafted’, personal approach to caring for each customer’s Porsche pride and joy.

My journey began at 15, cycling to a local garage on a BMX I’d built from the salvaged parts from my brothers’ broken bikes. I didn’t realise then that the workshop I was pedalling toward would become one of the most respected Porsche specialists in the country—and eventually gain global recognition for pioneering solutions to Porsche engine failure: Hartech Automotive.

After an enthusiastic stint of work experience, I was offered a part-time position working Thursdays nights and Saturday mornings. One of my favourite jobs? Nipping to the shop for pastie barms!

Once school wrapped up, I joined Hartech full-time as an apprentice and studied at Blackburn College, where I passed with distinction and earned “Apprentice of the Year”—a proud moment for me and my mum. Balancing college with hands-on work meant I pulled ahead quickly, and it became clear just how high the standards were at Hartech. I worked my way up from workshop technician to service manager, and eventually—one of the proudest moments of my career—I was offered a directorship.

Along the way, we got involved in motorsport. After earning my trailer licence, I took on the job of transporting the race car to and from events, and I handled between-race maintenance. Eventually, I was named team principal of Hartech Racing during a season when our four-car team clinched the constructors’ championship. The weekends were long, the returns on Sunday nights even longer—but the thrill of seeing our cars win, knowing I had a direct hand in their performance, was worth every minute.

In more recent years, I oversaw daily operations and carried out final quality control checks—personally test-driving most cars to ensure they performed flawlessly. After driving thousands of Porsches, I’ve honed my ability to spot faults quickly and accurately. Now, I use that experience to help others avoid costly mistakes and to pass on my knowledge to the next generation of enthusiasts and technicians.