“NEVER TELL A TEXAN YOU THINK HIS CAR IS A BIT UNDERPOWERED”

It’s funny how a small detail on a car from our childhood can become our absolute focus. From the age of six, I was obsessed with the boost gauge on my dad’s Saab 99 Turbo. I could see it over his shoulder from the back seat as he piloted us around, and was captivated by it on every journey. The yellow needle’s arc through the orange band towards the red ‘danger’ zone was the first time I felt connected to the speed of progress and could gauge Dad’s commitment. I loved it. To be honest, not a lot happened initially, then just over midway through the orange zone, everything happened as the 99 shifted to what seemed like warp speed and Dad got busy trying to dampen the torque steer.

My turbo adventures continued in the driving seat of Mum’s Renault 5 GT Turbo, a car that, for reasons mostly driven by pester power, I was allowed to drive up and down a deserted airfield next to the industrial estate she used to work at. I was in my early teens, had 115bhp at my disposal (nothing by today’s standards but the 5 only weighed 853kg) and fell in love with what recycled exhaust gases could do to your adrenalin levels. That thing was fast.

Not as fast as the Hennessey Venom GT. Having been out for an exploratory run in the car, I made the mistake of telling John ‘never lift’ Hennessey that it felt a bit flat. He leaned in, adjusted the boost pressure and said, “Try that.” First gear was a blur, second over faster than I could change to third (wheelspin), fourth more wheelspin and the distinct impression the steering was getting light as the car did a 130mph wheelie. Never tell a man from Texas you think his car is a bit underpowered.

These and many other turbo adventures have led to this issue – a celebration of the cult of boost. From our first drive in the latest in the iconic 911 Turbo bloodline, the 992, to the madness of Eighties turbo’d motorsport via our Turbo 101, it’s designed to introduce you to the good, the bad and the ugly of forced induction.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did creating it. I’m off to search the classifieds for Saab 99 Turbos.

Enjoy the issue,