Magnum MK5: Canada's 1st supercar inspired by G. Villeneuve (the story in photos)
For the detailed story, please click here.
Surprise! The first Canadian supercar is from Quebec
Summer, 1973: Gilles Villeneuve aboard “his” Magnum – designed and built by Quebec’s Jean-Pierre St-Jacques.
Only 20 or so Magnum MK5s, designed in Boucherville, are expected to be built per year.
It was with this mysterious image that the Magnum MK5 was introduced to the world last week.
The Magnum MK5 is priced at US$139,000 (this includes a rear back-up camera). Anticipated delivery: late 2014.
Rock star stance, as described in Magnum Cars’ official press release.
Mechanical simplicity is promised for the Magnum MK5
The Magnum MK5 is an open cockpit, windshield-less Quebec creation.
The Magnum MK5 is powered by a mid-mounted four-cylinder engine found on Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycles.
Remarkable figures: with 250 hp and a redline of 11,000 rpm (!), you can reach a speed of 240 km/h and go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds.
Weighing barely 545 kg thanks to the extensive use of carbon fibre and aluminum, the Magnum MK5 is a featherweight with a power-to-weight ratio of 460 hp/tonne.
Magnum used aircraft-grade aluminum for its race car.
The Magnum MK5’s extremely bold design is almost surreal—there are prototypes that seem closer to production than the Magnum MK5!
Race-inspired carbon-fibre seats.
Inside, gauges are directly mounted on the removable—yes, removable—steering wheel.
One, two… three Magnums, designed and built by Jean-Pierre St-Jacques in the early 1970s.
The original den of creation of Quebec’s Magnum Cars.
Magnum Cars makes its debut 45 years ago.
Jean-Pierre St-Jacques, a machinist by trade, avid car racing enthusiast and founder of Magnum Cars, at the wheel of one of his creations at Victory Circle in the early 70s.
Summer, 1973: Gilles Villeneuve is crowned champion of the Formula Ford series, winning seven of ten races.
Four years after making his debut in Formula Ford aboard the Quebec-made Magnum, Gilles Villeneuve gets his start in the highly exclusive world of F1.
The founder of Magnum Cars donated his own Magnum to the small, but famous Berthierville museum.
It is still on display, repainted in the colours of Quebec racing legend Gilles Villeneuve’s first success.
Jean-Pierre St-Jacques’ last Magnum, the Magnum MK4, shown here in Mont-Tremblant in the summer of 1988.
Quebec’s Magnum Cars was active in Formula 1600…
…and in Formula Renault, among other series.
The president of Magnum, Bruno St-Jacques (that’s right, Jean-Pierre St-Jacques’ son) was crowned 2001 vice-champion of the Rolex Sport Prototype series.