Max Power Magazine March 1996 Renault 5 GT Turbo Skyline GTR Golf GTI SKU 1486

Original Max Power Magazine – March 1996, cover price £2.75.

A strong mid-1990s issue of the iconic UK modified-car magazine, packed with period styling, tuning, performance, ICE, alloy wheels, buying guides, cruise culture and modified-car features.

The front cover is dominated by a heavily modified red Renault 5 GT Turbo, with the main headline:

“FIVE FRENZY – Renault 5 GT Turbo Group Thrash Madness”

This is a particularly good issue for collectors of 1990s hot hatches, Renault 5 GT Turbos and early UK modified-car culture.

Renault 5 GT Turbo Cover Feature

The opening contents spread gives the red Renault 5 GT Turbo a large feature image and describes a five-car Renault 5 GT Turbo group thrash.

The photographed cover car features:

• Bright red paintwork
• Deep front bumper/body styling
• Auxiliary front lights
• Large alloy wheels
• Lowered stance
• Period Max Power windscreen/number-plate presentation
• Distinctive late-1980s/1990s hot-hatch styling

The editorial introduction describes the group of Renault 5 GT Turbos being taken out for a feature around the Blackpool Pleasure Beach / Dry Street Cruise scene, giving the issue excellent period motoring-culture interest.

Cars & Features Visible in the Issue

The contents shown in the photographs reveal a very strong selection of modified and performance cars, including:

• Renault 5 GT Turbo
• Nissan Skyline GT-R
• Ford Escort RS Turbo
• Renault Laguna
• Vauxhall Nova
• Volkswagen Polo
• Ford Escort Cosworth
• Honda CRX V6
• Peugeot 205 GTI
• Volkswagen Golf GTI
• Saab 900 Turbo
• Porsche 944

The cover also promotes:

• Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 3
• Renault Laguna Turbo
• Honda CRX 24V conversion
• Peugeot 205 GTI
• Volkswagen Polo ICE car
• Ford Escort RS Turbo pair
• Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nissan Skyline GT-R

The contents page specifically lists a Nissan Skyline feature and references around 650 horsepower, making this a particularly appealing issue for collectors interested in the early UK magazine coverage of Japanese performance cars.

Ford Escort RS Turbo

A pair of modified Escort RS Turbos are listed under the “RS Kickin’ Escorts” feature, with substantial combined horsepower figures mentioned in the contents.

This adds strong Ford enthusiast interest alongside the Renault cover feature.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Feature

One photographed interior spread shows a modified Volkswagen Golf GTI finished in blue.

The feature includes:

• Exterior photographs
• Engine-bay photography
• Wheel details
• Technical specification column
• Styling and performance discussion

A great snapshot of period Golf tuning before the later 2000s modified-car scene took over.

Cruise Patrol

The front cover prominently advertises Cruise Patrol – Bass, Babes and Burnouts at Basildon’s Dry Street.

This reflects the magazine’s broader coverage of the UK cruise scene, meets, modified cars and car-audio culture that helped define Max Power during the 1990s.

Alloy Wheel Feature

A major cover headline reads:

“Just Seventeens – Alloy Wheel Bonanza”

The contents also show a dedicated wheel guide featuring numerous different alloy designs, giving the issue strong period reference value for anyone restoring a modified 1990s car.

ICE / Car Audio

The issue contains substantial period ICE coverage, including:

• Four Channel Amp Mega Guide
• Modified Volkswagen Polo ICE car
• Porsche 944 ICE installation
• Audio equipment
• Amplifiers
• Speakers
• In-car entertainment systems

These sections make the magazine useful as a reference for authentic 1990s car-audio builds.

Saab 900 Turbo Buying Guide

The cover advertises a dedicated Saab 900 Turbo Buying Guide, adding another interesting enthusiast feature beyond the heavily modified hot-hatch material.

Overall Collector Interest

This issue offers an excellent mix of:

• 1990s hot hatches
• Renault 5 GT Turbo culture
• Ford RS models
• Nissan Skyline GT-R
• Volkswagen Golf GTI
• Peugeot 205 GTI
• Modified Japanese cars
• European performance cars
• Cruise-scene coverage
• Alloy wheels
• ICE and car audio
• Buying guides
• Period tuning products and advertisements

It is a very representative issue from the classic early Max Power era.

Condition

Pre-owned vintage magazine with visible age and handling wear.

Based on the supplied photographs:

• Front cover remains bright, colourful and clearly readable.
• There is visible edge wear, particularly around the spine and lower edges.
• Corners show some softening and minor creasing.
• Spine has rubbing and age-related wear.
• Some light surface scratches, marks and general storage wear are visible to the cover.
• Interior pages shown appear clean, bright and readable.
• Pages appear securely attached in the areas photographed.
• Mild age-related toning is visible to some page edges.
• Rear cover shows light rubbing and handling wear.
• No major tears or obvious missing sections are visible from the supplied photographs.

Overall, this presents as a good used collector copy for a magazine from 1996, with normal cosmetic wear from age, reading and storage.

Please examine all supplied photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description and show the exact magazine being supplied.

Postage & Packaging

The magazine will be packed carefully for transit. Depending on parcel size, protection may include cardboard reinforcement, bubble wrap and/or a suitable cardboard box to help protect the cover, corners, spine and internal pages from bending or crushing during delivery.

SKU 1486