Driver's Notebook: Sharpening the Edges
April 2, 2003
There is no denying the peculiar attraction that draws some of us to Porsches old and new. The early cars—little bathtubs known as the 356—cast a spell on anyone who has ever driven one; the air-cooled 911 starred in a 33-year love affair in which most car enthusiasts, at one time or another, have become entangled. Today’s water-cooled 996 is simply the best “daily driver” sports ride on the planet, and the Turbo is all of that and more.
When Porsche unleashed its ferocious Turbo on the public in 1976, it was unquestionably the most wicked-looking street car of the decade. Subsequent Turbos saw increases in power throughout a half-dozen generations to the present day, and while they gained in performance, refinement, and ultimate drivability with each redesign, each one appeared slightly less remarkable than its predecessor. The modern 996 Turbo, and even the ultrarare GT2 variant, are beautiful, but not extreme in a way that is reminiscent of the first-generation 930.
Enter TechArt, a household name in Porsche tuning circles and an OEM supplier of high-performance components to the Porsche factory itself. Very few independent firms have the credentials to match or exceed the design, engineering, and quality control standards set by a manufacturer such as Porsche, but TechArt (like the automaker and tuner Ruf) has what it takes to make a great car like the 996 Turbo even better.
When I picked up the 2002 TechArt Turbo from Victor Carrillo at CEC in Los Angeles (the North American distributor for TechArt), I was in no way prepared for such a wild-looking iteration of Porsche’s practical supercar. Lulled into complacency by having lived with a 996 for many years, replete with skirts, front air dam, and biplane rear wing, I find it takes some pretty special bodywork to shake my visual senses out of their spoiler-induced torpor. The TechArt GT Street, as this car is identified in Carrera-style decklid script, fairly screams for attention, despite its understated silver exterior and tasteful black interior. Motorists’ heads spun like The Exorcist’s subject, whether the TechArt Turbo was flying on the freeway or meandering through city traffic. I can only imagine the effect this car would have were it painted a take-no-prisoners color like Speed Yellow, Signal Orange, or Gulf Blue. Have mercy on us all.
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