Magnum MK5 to debut at Boca Raton Concours

New supercar-company releases hit our email inboxes almost as much as news about natural male enhancements does. Mostly, we pay them no mind; the majority of these “upcoming” hyper-hyper cars never make it out of the computer-rendering phase. But when a company claims Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve as one of its first customers, we take notice.

Magnum, a Canadian company with roots in F1, Formula Ford and Rolex Grand-Am, will reveal its new MK5 sports car at the 8th annual Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance next month.

The skeletal MK5 uses an unnamed four-cylinder engine making 250 hp, with redline pegged at a stratospheric 11,000 rpm. The engine is mid-mounted and sends power through a six-speed sequential gearbox and through a limited-slip differential to the rear wheels. It has a dry weight of 1,200 pounds.

MK5 says the topless Canadian speedster can go 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. The company also says the MK5 can unbelievably pull more than 2gs of lateral force on the racetrack.

Magnum has been working on its machines in Quebec since 1968. Jean-Pierre St-Jacques first tried his hand at building a race car in his father's shed. St-Jacques entered this car in the 1968 and '69 Formula Vee season. In 1970, he produced the Magnum MkI, followed by MkII and MkIII in the proceeding years. In 1973, a young driver named Villeneuve was looking to jump into the sport, and he became close friends with St-Jacques. The car proved to be strong, and Magnum continued building and racing into the 1980s. Since then, the company has been prepping cars for the bigger series. Jean Pierre shared his love with son Bruno, a racer in his own right, and now both father and son manage of Magnum's day-to-day operations.

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The Magnum MK5 gets a 250-hp mid-mounted four-cylinder engine.

The bodywork on the MK5 is made from carbon fiber, according to Magnum, with easily removable front and rear sections. As for aerodynamics, the MK5 has an internal front wing, front splitter, a flat underbody and rear diffuser. The cargo area fits two helmets and a briefcase -- just enough for an amateur-racing weekend.

Magnum says the MK5 uses an adjustable pushrod-activated suspension with unequal a-arms in the front and rear. Shocks and antiroll bars are adjustable, in addition to the ride height, from 90 to 110 mm.

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In the cockpit, the MK5 features carbon-fiber seats, machined-aluminum levers and a GPS-enabled lap timer mounted on the detachable steering wheel. A six-point racing harness keeps drivers in place.

Magnum says the MK5 is as good for the street as it is for the track, but looking at those hard-shelled seats, we're not so sure. It does, however, have a rearview camera, presumably for backing out of a race garage.

Pricing hasn't been revealed yet, but Magnum will be taking orders at the show.

By Jake Lingeman