By SUV standards, the Magnum handles with aplomb, but this is no sports car. With so much performance so easily accessible, you are forever conscious of the car's lofty center of gravity and hefty mass. Rapid directional changes are not its forte, and smooth inputs are crucial if the time gained on the straights is not to be lost in the corners. This is really a car built for pounding down endless highways, sucking in huge dollops of cheap gas, and exhaling deep-bass V8 thunder.
Most TechArt products, such as the Cayman S we drove last month (Razor's Edge, August 2006), are judged according to their subtlety and sophistication. The Magnum is different. This car appeals because it's so gloriously, ludicrously excessive. From its gaping, exaggerated mouth to the cacophony of the exhausts, it shamelessly craves attention.
For the traditional TechArt or Porsche buyer, it is almost certainly a step too far. But, as Behringer is finding to his surprise, there's a ready market for a car that doesn't give a damn. As a two-fingered salute to conformity, we can't help but applaud it.
TECHART MAGNUM TURBO
*Layout
Longitudinal front engine, all-wheel drive
*Engine
4.5-liter V8, dohc, four valves per cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled, TechArt power kit [sport intake and air cleaner system, turbochargers, intercoolers, exhaust system, software]
*Suspension
Air suspension unit "Sport" adjustable lowered ride height, automatic park level
*Brakes
TechArt Sport Brake System Plus
F: Eight-piston calipers, 15-inch rotors
R: Four-piston calipers, 14-inch rotors
*Wheels and Tires
TechArt Formula 22", 10x22 Continental CrossContact, 295/30-22
*Exterior
TechArt front spoiler I, side skirts, rear bumper diffuser
*Interior
TechArt steering wheel, additional leather
*Performance
Peak Power: 600 bhp @ 6240 rpm
Peak Torque: 850 lb-ft @ 3100 rpm
0-62 mph: 4.9 sec.
Top Speed: 181 mph