Who Owns Champion?
Champion spark plugs is owned by Tenneco Inc., a privately held American automotive parts manufacturer owned by Apollo Global Management since November 2022. Founded in 1907 in Boston, Champion is the ignition brand in Tenneco's DRiV Motorparts aftermarket division, selling spark plugs and ignition components worldwide.
Champion Timeline
Who Owns Champion?
- Parent Company: Tenneco Inc.
- Ownership Type: Subsidiary
- Acquisition Year: 2018
- Company Type: Privately Held
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | Tenneco Inc. | Subsidiary |
Where to Buy
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History of Champion
- Founded: 1907
- Founders: Champion Ignition Company
- Acquired by Tenneco Inc.: 2018
Champion Ignition Company was founded in 1907 in Boston, becoming the Champion Spark Plug Company as its ceramic-insulator plugs became standard equipment in American engines. The brand's racing association, powering Indianapolis 500 winners and aviation champions, built a performance identity that lasted a century.
Ownership passed through Cooper Industries to Federal-Mogul in 1989, which ran Champion as its ignition flagship for nearly three decades before the 2018 Tenneco acquisition brought it into the DRiV Motorparts portfolio.
Today Champion sells a full ignition range: copper, platinum, and iridium spark plugs plus ignition wire sets, coil-on-plug boots, and glow plugs, with OE-matching coverage across domestic and import platforms.
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About Tenneco Inc.
What is Tenneco?
Tenneco is a privately held American automotive parts manufacturer headquartered in Northville, Michigan, behind aftermarket brands including Monroe, Walker, MOOG, Fel-Pro, and Champion, owned by Apollo Global Management since November 2022.
Is Tenneco publicly traded?
No. Apollo Global Management took Tenneco private in a $7.1 billion buyout completed in November 2022, delisting it from the NYSE.
Who owns Tenneco?
Investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management own the company outright.
Who runs Tenneco?
Jim Voss is CEO.
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What are Tenneco's main brands?
The DRiV Motorparts aftermarket portfolio: Monroe, Walker, MOOG, Fel-Pro, Champion, Rancho, DynoMax, Thrush, Anco, National, Wagner, and Ferodo, among others.
- Founded: 1940
- Headquarters: Northville, Michigan, USA
- Company Type: Privately Held
- Revenue: Approximately $11.6 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 66,000
Where Is Champion Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Southfield, Michigan, USA
Champion Categories & Tags
Brands Owned by Tenneco Inc.
AutomotiveFel-Pro
Owned by Tenneco Inc.
Tenneco's engine sealing brand for gaskets and sealing solutions, founded in 1918 and a standard name in the professional aftermarket.
gasketsengine-sealingaftermarket
AutomotiveMonroe
Owned by Tenneco Inc.
Tenneco's flagship ride control brand for shock absorbers and struts, founded in 1916 and one of the most recognized names in the global aftermarket.
shocksstrutssuspension
AutomotiveMOOG
Owned by Tenneco Inc.
Tenneco's steering and suspension aftermarket brand, founded in 1919 and known for precision chassis components like ball joints and tie rod ends.
steeringsuspensionball-joints
AutomotiveTenneco
Owned by Tenneco Inc.
The corporate master brand of Tenneco Inc., covering its OEM automotive supply business and the DRiV Motorparts aftermarket operation.
automotive-partsoem-supplyaftermarket
AutomotiveWalker
Owned by Tenneco Inc.
Tenneco's exhaust systems aftermarket brand, a century-old name covering mufflers, catalytic converters, and emissions components.
exhaustmufflerscatalytic-converters
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Champion Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Nearly 120-year brand with motorsport credibility
- +Ignition category leadership in key markets
- +Iridium/platinum shift adds premium value
- +DRiV distribution across all major channels
- +OE-matching coverage across platforms
Considerations
- -Long-life plug technology extends replacement intervals
- -Category is mature and price-competitive
- -Racing heritage is legacy, not current differentiation
- -NGK and Denso competition is intense
Frequently Asked Questions About Champion
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Sources & Further Reading
- Champion Auto Parts
- DRiV Motorparts
- Tenneco Company Page — /companies/tenneco
Competitors to Champion
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because Championoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
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Independent Alternatives to Champion
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automotive-retailcar-dealershipsautonation
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Owned by CarParts.com, Inc.
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auto-partsecommerceaftermarket-parts
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CarParts.com operates independently without a large parent corporation.
AutomotivecarVertical
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vehicle-historyvin-checkused-cars
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carVertical operates independently without a large parent corporation.
AutomotiveAutoZone
Owned by AutoZone, Inc.
Master brand of AutoZone, Inc., America's largest aftermarket auto parts retailer with more than 7,400 stores.
auto-partsretailautomotive
Publicly Traded
AutoZone operates independently without a large parent corporation.
AutomotiveO'Reilly Auto Parts
Owned by O'Reilly Auto Parts
Retail auto parts chain founded in 1957 in Springfield, Missouri, owned by publicly traded O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. with more than 6,000 stores.
auto-partsautomotiveretail
Publicly Traded
O'Reilly Auto Parts is owned by O'Reilly Auto Parts, a public company, a different structure than Champion's parent.
AutomotiveAutoNation USA
Owned by AutoNation, Inc.
AutoNation's standalone used-vehicle superstore brand, operating no-haggle used car stores across major US metropolitan markets.
used-carsautomotive-retailautonation
Publicly Traded
AutoNation USA is owned by AutoNation, Inc., a public company, a different structure than Champion's parent.
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