This ominous-looking DSM Talon hurtles down the drag strip with an urgency not often seen with four cylinder-powered machines. Matched to a massive Precision 8685 turbo, the 4G63 motor is fitted with upgraded internals, but the head and block are stock pieces. Somehow, the hyper-resilient motor regularly accepts over seventy pounds of boost, which produce an estimated 1,300 horsepower. With that engine dumping its exhaust through a massive side-exit in front of the front wheels, the freakish buzz it produces is infectious.

Carbon body parts, a heat-treated manifold and a gigantic, side-exit exhaust show this car only means business.

As the stock 2.0-liter displacement has been retained, there is a noticeable delay before that big snail comes on boost, but once it does, it provides a ludicrous, almost unbelievable amount of thrust that leaves most competitors flailing behind. Whereas the rear wheel-drive racers opposite this DSM lack the outright grip its four wheel-drive offers, they still aren’t at a huge disadvantage off the line. As seen here, that hard-hitting turbo is strong enough to light up all four slick-shod wheels. It’s once the cars get to a decent rolling speed that the lightweight DSM hits it stride and sails off towards the horizon.

In fact, some of the opposition get the jump of the line, thanks to torque low down, but as the turbo spools up and the engine note changes, like some deranged VTEC, the big-bore competitors quickly begins to fill the DSM’s rear view mirror. It seems as if the little, carbon-clad, menacing DSM is really in a league of its own, but as always, there’s always a dark horse in drag racing.